The ANDS & the state SIKKIM - A GOSSIP
Arithang Neelgagan Development Society (ANDS) governs a
democratically elected Executive Board as per the constitution consisting
nine eminent persons. ANDS follows a well-developed system delegation of
authority with the Executive Director/Chief Functionary managing the affairs of
the organization. The Executive Director supported by competent core staff and
other field project staff. Responsibility shared in a decentralized manner.
ANDS significantly
increased its outreach during more than a decade of development journey and
lakhs of families participated in livelihood programs. Community Taking
Charge as an approach received a lot of attention. ANDS’s grass root
engagement methodology was re-articulated and elaborated with this perspective.
Each team worked out strategies to speed up the process of handing over charge
to the community and reduce their dependence on ANDS. A large number of
community service providers who in the medium term would be fully paid for by
the community were groomed. Attention was focused on creating mechanisms for
program sustainability such as strengthening producers’ organizations and SHG
based collectives like cluster associations and federations. Many of the
community service providers would be housed in these collectives. Large scale
training and exposure programs were conducted for both the community members as
well as the Community Service Providers.
SIKKIM
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| Glacier Valley near Thangshing |
Sikkim Which means new house is a landlocked Indian state
located in the Himalayan mountains. The state border Nepal to the west, China’s
Tibet Autonomous Region to the north and east, and Bhutan to the east.
According to legend, the Buddhist saint Guru Rinpoche visited Tibet Sikkim in
the 8th cencury and
introduced Buddhism and foretold the era of the monarchy. Sikkim’s Namgyal
dynasty was established in 1642. Over the next 150 years, the kingdom witnessed
frequent raids
and territorial losses to Nepalese referendum abolished the
Sikkimese monarchy, and the territory was merged with India. It is only the
state of India with an ethnic Nepali majority. English is taught in school and
used in government documents. The predominant religions are Hinduism &
Vajrayana Buddhism. Sikkim’s economy is largely dependent on agriculture and
tourism. It has four main districts known as North, East, West & South.
ANDS HQ is situated in West Division of Sikkim.
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| Three Chortens Rabendtse |
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| Mount Pandim |
WEST SIKKIM
The district capital is Geyzing, also known as Gyalshing. West
Sikkim is a favourite with trekkers due to the high elevations. It was the
ancient capital of state Yuksom. It served as the capital beginning in 1642 for
almost 50 years until it was shifted to Rabtense. The district was under the
occupation of the Napalese for many decades in the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries. After the Gorkha war, the district was returned to Sikkim. It has a
wide variety of fauna and flora to offer. Since most of the districts is hilly
it enjoys a temperate climate. Above 3800 mtr (1200 ft) the slopes are full of
rhododendron forests. In 977 West Sikkim became home to Khangchendzonga
National Park. It is divided in to two subdivisions namely Gyalshing &
Sorreng.
As another part, we hope our visitors enjoy a lot and must bring back some extraordinary memories for their life, while being part with ANDS works. We welcome our well wishers all the time.
