Founded in 1998 and modeled after the Kolkata Press Club, Kalimpong Press Club today brings together full time journalists, freelancers, teachers, academics, scholars, intellectuals, businessmen and eminent citizens. It is no wonder that they are able to give to the society more than just the accounts of things happening in an around Kalimpong sub-division. Speaking with The Himalayan Beacon, Arun Rai, Secretary, Kalimpong Press Club said, “we have always believed in the fact that together and united under one banner we could achieve a great of things which was otherwise impossible. However, still coming together under one banner and forming a Press Club was not simple. We need a good organization and a good philosophy. Some of our friends had come to visit Kalimpong in 1998. They would talk about their ‘Kolkata Press Club’. They told us that even Bureaucrats and Ministers were members of their Press Club. We realized that it was essential to involve prominent citizens and officials as it would strengthen the club. Hence as we started the Club with 16 executive members who were working Journalists we invited eminent personalities of the town to join the club as Associate and Life Members. This lead to some eminent personalities which included teachers, academicians, businessmen, intellectuals etc to be associated with our Club.” The club today has quite a number of eminent personalities of Kalimpong as its Life and Associate Members. The Club thereafter, dedicated itself in generating public opinion, creating awareness and in general setting a trend of intellectual deliberation on various topics. In the one decade of its existence, Kalimpong Press Club has organized numerous workshops and seminars involving eminent personalities in the Nation. Among the numerous Seminars and Interactive Programmes, the most recent ones including Seminars, Workshop and Interactive Programmes on Police Public Relationship, Establishment of NHPC – How far it is beneficial to the people of Kalimpong , Is Bundh the only solution of a problem, Role of Media – Regional Journalism and its impact, Fall in the use of Nepali Language, Copyright Act, Gorkhas in the eyes of Gorkhas and Non Gorkhas, PROBLEMS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS OF PRESENT EXAMINATION CONDUCTION PROGRAMME etc. On the 12th of August, Kalimpong Press Club organized an interactive programme on the National Relevance of the Demand of Gorkhaland in the Political Context. The interactive session participated and attended by a large section of the people was broadcast ‘live’ through cable. A paper on ‘National Relevance of the Demand of Gorkhaland in the Political Context’ was submitted by Joel Rai, Deputy Editor, India Today Group while an analytical observation on the said paper was offered by Prof. Munish Tamang of Motilal Nehru College, N. Delhi. The session was very successful and the Club is looking ahead to organize more of such sessions.
The proactive role that Kalimpong Press Club is playing needs to be encouraged and copied by Press Clubs and journalists from all over the hills and Sikkim and indeed in the rest of the nation. The Club with its abysmal resources is trying to come up with more programmes and community service schemes. The Himalayan Beacon wishes Kalimpong Press Club best of wishes and pledges all her support. The Himalayan Beacon also congratulates Kalimpong Press Club on its glorious and successful first decade of its existence. May the Club see hundreds of such glorious and successful decades.