SIKKIM OBSERVER  Saturday Dec 30-31, 2014

Blog: sikkimobserver.blogspot.com

Private universities in Sikkim set up illegally: former Chief Secy

Gangtok, Dec 29: Reacting to a report on establishment of educational institutions in Sikkim, former Chief Secretary Sonam Wangdi says the Sikkim Manipal University Bill did not have the mandatory assent of the President of India.

 “Since 'education' is in Concurrent List, the President's assent is compulsory which is corroborated by the fact that Sikkim Education Act [No 11 of 2002] Sikkim Government Gazette No 310 of 2002 was assented to by President K R Narayanan on July 5, 2002,” the former Chief Secretary said in Facebook.    

    “Unconfirmed reports state that the President refused to assent to the so-called unprecedented "Sikkim-Manipal University" Bill. The Bill was made into law without President' assent. The 2002 Sikkim Act is about education in Sikkim up to the college level,” Wangdi said.

“Now the question arises why did the President assent to the SKM Edn Act? Obviously the assent was required. Since education up to college level required the assent, it is a common sense - and not a legal sense necessitating a legal luminary - to hold that State Bills for establishing universities shall be compulsorily assented to by the President. In other States, Private University Bills are invariably concurred by the President.

 I would be delighted to be informed of any State Bill, setting up private universities, which did not require President's assent. Hence, all private universities in Sikkim are 'illegal' as pointed out in my three papers on Private Universities in Sikkim and seven on The Sikkim Manipal Saga which appeared in Sikkim Express and Himalayan Mirror during 8 May 2012-2013. Since there was no rebuttal, I am confirmed in my view. Nevertheless I welcome contrary opinion to arrive at the ultimate truth notwithstanding my deep conviction.”

Wangdi further states that the EIILM University - like all other universities except the Central - is illegal since there is no President's assent which is absolutely mandatory. The Bill for the EILLM was passed in the Assembly [proceedings 20-25 February, 2006].

Sino-India ties set to soar after roller coaster 2014

Modi to inaugurate Kailash Manasarovar Yatra route through Nathula in Sikkim

Beijing, Dec 29: Sino-India relations experienced both highs and lows in 2014 which saw President Xi Jinping's visit to India amid concerns over Chinese border incursions but bilateral ties are set to soar with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slated trip to Beijing in the coming months.

Modi is expected to make a high-profile visit here in the next few months following up on September trip of President Xi to India during which the two countries signed several agreements including setting up of two industrial parks in India with USD 20 billion Chinese investment besides cooperation to modernise Indian railways.

He is expected to formally inaugurate a new route for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra through Nathu La in Sikkim which would for the first time enable Indian pilgrims to travel to highly popular religious places by buses without undertaking an arduous journey by trekking or on mules.

Indian Ambassador to China Ashok K Kantha accompanied by top Chinese officials has already made a tour of Tibet to finalise the arrangements before Prime Minister's visit here.

This year has ended on a positive note with an Indian railways team holding comprehensive talks with Chinese counterparts on conducting a feasibility study of the high speed rail line between Delhi and Chennai besides track up-gradation.

India currently is considering two corridors for high speed trains. While Japan is conducting a feasibility study for the bullet train project on the Mumbai-Ahmadabad corridor, China will do the same for the Delhi-Chennai route which is expected to begin by early next year.

If it materialises, the Indian bullet train project is a major gain for China which is making an aggressive pitch to market its high speed train technology outside the country.

Besides the high speed train, India and China have agreed to cooperate to identify the technical inputs required to increase speeds on the existing railway line from Chennai to Mysore via Bangalore.

All these projects are expected to take shape during Modi's visit, including the operationalisation of the two industrial corridors that China has agreed to set up in Gujarat and Maharashtra with an investment of USD 20 billion.

RSS has Sikkim in mind, holds session

Gangtok, Dec 29: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has not forgotten Sikkim. It is also aware of the recent tie-up between the BJP and Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), which has ten MLAs in the House of 32.

Last week, RSS chief Dr Mohan Madhukar Bhagwat held brainstorming sessions with Sangha members of Odisha, West Bengal, Sikkim, Andaman and Nicobar in Bhubaneshwar. His five-day-long session ended on Monday, sources said.

Bhagwat discussed about strengthening of the Sangh in the eastern States through different RSS works. He also emphasised on protection of Indian traditions, specifically Hindu religion and traditions, by creating awareness among the people through different programmes, sources said. The Sarasanghachalak conducted internal meetings with 200-300 Sangh members at Utkal Bipanna Sahayata Sammiti in Bhubaneshwar on Sunday.

Editorial

FEDERAL FRONT

Sangh Parivar vs Janata Parivar

Year 2014 has significantly changed the political scenario of the country. Parties and individuals who were secured in their respective bastions suddenly saw that their magic was fading. The Lok Sabha results came as a shock to most of the non-BJP parties. In the light of the Congress party’s inability to lead the Opposition the move to bring all Janata Dal Parivar under one fold is a welcome development.

The emergence of Narendra Modi at the national scene and his aggressive campaigning on economic issues combined with “Hindutva agenda of the RSS” forced them to accelerate the process of reworking their strategy. Six parties of the Janata Parivar are all set to merge in January to take on the BJP. Considering the performance of AIADMK, TMC and BJD combine, which won 91 seats – as compared to Congress’s 44 – in the recent Lok Sabha polls and its leadership’s call for unity of secular and anti-BJP/Cong  forces the Janata Parivar should heed the call for a Federal Front by Mamata Banerjee.  

DAVID GARTH STEWART: ‘He always hoped the best for people’

Roslyn Namgyal says Rev. David Stewart, former Principal of Darjeeling’s Mt. Hermon School, who passed away in Auckland (New Zealand) on December 12, 2014 at the age of 91, was a man of immense compassion, dignity and courage who dedicated his life to those whom he served.

In her eulogy for her uncle - given at his funeral in Auckland on 16 December 2014 – Roslyn says David Stewart, apart from being a charismatic personality and a towering intellect, was also a bit of a universalist at heart.

(L to R) Mr. Stewart with Roslyn, Heather and Sandra.

"We have come today to mourn our loss of this beloved man David Stewart. I speak today on behalf of his extended family members who live in Australia and cannot be here. Heather, Michael, Indira and Sherina; Sherab, Debbie, Daniel, and Marley; Danny, Ayesha and Nuri, Becky and Lochie. John and Wendy Williamson, Graham and Annette Williamson, and Alan and Wendy Williamson and all of their families. It is, however, lovely to have Jennie, my daughter here with us today from Fiji.

The first thing I want to say about my Uncle David was that he was brother, father and grandfather to many more than just those of us privileged to have been born into his family. Today I speak to many of you here. I want to acknowledge how much you enriched his life – from his childhood, from the mission field, Mount Hermon School in India, the Bible College of NZ – later Laidlaw College, friends and brothers from his prison ministry, and others who have come into his life over the years. At this point I do want to make special mention of you, Darcy, and his church family here in Henderson Baptist. You have been the community that has faithfully and lovingly stood by him through the good as well as the bad, and often exasperating times for the past 50 years. You have been with him right to the end of his life. We want you to know how grateful we are for your love and care of Uncle especially in these later years through declining health and the loss of his beloved Dorothy and his son, John.

Although an imposing man physically, possessing both a charismatic personality and a towering intellect, my Uncle David was to me quintessentially simple and uncomplicated at heart. As a child I had a much loved Christopher Robin book complete with the little ink drawings by E. Shepherd. In my child's mind it was always quite clear to me that Uncle David and Pooh Bear were interchangeable. My favourite pictures were those of Pooh and Piglet holding hands and ambling along the road talking, or the one where Pooh braves the brunt of the wind for little Piglet. In many ways I think my childish perception was remarkably correct. David has always held out a hand to us when we have found ourselves small, weak, vulnerable and marginilised, and drawn us into his larger than usual orbit of life. He was Safe, loveable, present, kind. He was fun and funny - a good listener and always sharing what he had. He hated seeing people left out - and of course he also loved honey. The one thing I got totally wrong was the size of his brain - he was most certainly not a bear of small brain!

Hospitality and generosity were hallmarks of his life, but I cannot talk of this without mentioning his beautiful wife Dorothy, his sisters Joy Rongong and Heather Williamson and his brothers in law - Gyanendra Rongong and David Williamson. As children, we in the family, grew up with the expectation that people were only ever strangers for an instant. Invariably they would become companions at the dinner table and very often guests in the home as well. These encounters always brought joy and interest.  They expanded our horizons and remain one of the most treasured legacies these elders in our family leave us. Most recently, while he was bed-ridden, I read him emails and letters from people all over the world who remember him sharing his money with them, bringing them home with him, advocating for them or simply listening to them and hearing what they were saying. It's testimony to the man that quite often he’d forgotten he’d ever done these things.

David Stewart with wife Dorothy (file pix)

Uncle was always learning- right to the end. A word he loved to use was cogitate, which means to reflect upon, think deeply about and mull over. On his death bed he received a phone call from a nephew who talked about Asperger's syndrome. After the call he asked Darcy and me if we knew about it and what it was.....Sick as he was, I saw him cogitating as he lay there after our little conversation.

David was also gentle with those in pain - and for me this became most noticeable after his own brush with death in 1987 after his massive stroke. He would become so choked up it caused rather extended periods of uncomfortable silence for his listeners. However, I also noticed that his tears never seemed to be for himself- in any form of self pity- but were evidence of the depth of his feeling of compassion for the other. Stories relating to forgiveness, compassion, restitution and healing are the ones that would stop him short. I am no Biblical scholar, and I am quite happy to be corrected after the service, but I believe that the Hebrew word for compassion isn't just a kindly thought or attitude, but describes a visceral feeling experienced in one’s body - not dissimilar to the protective feeling and love one feels towards an unborn child. I believe David grew in his depth of understanding the other person’s physical, emotional and spiritual pain after his own stroke and it moved him profoundly. His ability and willingness to stand alongside the other person in their pain and weakness is to me one of the things I have most loved and admired about him.

David loved camping and the outdoors – but his secret passion was fishing. Initially, as a naïve 18 year old, I joined Uncle and 8 year old John in a little dinghy, but sea sickness and uncle’s never ending resolve to catch something – anything, put paid to any joy in the ventures! I do remember once that he was absolutely determined to catch a huge fish, and popped the appropriately sized bait on a large hook, stood up in the dinghy and cast it. There was a squawk as a bird dived for the bait, and the next thing we knew he had caught a very large, very cranky albatross by its wing.

   David was fun loving and filled with the joy of life right to the very end. He could laugh - with that dry sense of humour sweeping us up into his bad jokes - for almost for as long as he could talk. One morning after he'd started to have trouble swallowing, I came in and brightly asked if he'd had breakfast. He replied somewhat dryly with a twinkle in his eye - " I've had a spoonful of porridge, half a glass of milk, and lots of spittle."

David was always breaking boundaries, and skating close to the wind taking risks. This was never more evident than behind the wheel of a car. My personal experiences include - being in a Jeep stuck on tea bushes in Darjeeling above a hairpin bend with a chasm of 100 feet or so just under our airborne front wheels; a cow lying on the bonnet of the jeep with its horn through the windshield ; being stopped by cops in Auckland for speeding on our way to church where he was the speaker and we were already late....and so the litany continues. The family heaved a collective sigh of relief when Uncle’s driving career came to an undignified end in a final prang outside Waitakere hospital.

However he also took on risks and challenges in other life matters and stood beside people who had to make difficult challenging decisions themselves. Against much cautionary advice from the missionary community in India, he encouraged his sister, my mother, to embark on a marriage with a man from a different culture, years younger than her, and with the physical handicap of blindness. For this, my own sister Heather and I (and I’m sure our families) are profoundly grateful!

He and Dorothy took us, his two nieces into his already full home for a total period of 8 years (probably without consulting their two sons)! And today I’d like to say to you, young David - never once were we made to feel that it wasn't our home too. You and John are the brothers we never had – and you were the most beloved sons of David and Dorothy. You both brought such joy to them. They were so proud of you – of your individuality and differences, of your achievements and the wonderful men you became. It goes without saying that that same love flowed through to your families – to Sue and Jude and to David and Kristina, Mark and Casey, Chloe, Jack and Joshua.

David rose to the heart-breaking challenge of trying to support and take care of Dorothy in her long battle with Alzheimer's, and most recently he took on the challenge of dying - and dying well. He did this, as he did most other things, with grace, dignity and courage and without a shred of bitterness or anger.

While, as you know, he did have extremely comprehensive answers for many of life's questions, in later years I found Uncle to have a much deeper capacity to acknowledge the mysterious, and serendipitous. His iconic phrase "Ah well....." Could mean either he was ending the conversation, or he'd come to a point where there were no black and white certainties, and he really had nothing more to add... This seemed to apply especially to those situations where people may have found themselves excluded, or left out. He always hoped the best for people - sometimes exasperatingly so - sometimes long after they had stopped having any hope for themselves. He embodied for me verse 7 from 1 Corinthians 13 – “love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, love never ends”. Dare I say that one of the really precious things he said to me during these last 7 weeks was that he felt that deep down he was a bit of a Universalist at heart. He could not believe that any one - any one at all - could be lost or left outside the love, grace and mercy of God.

Uncle David - in your life you Walked the Talk. You loved The Lord your God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength, and you loved your neighbour as yourself.

You did this - and we witnessed it.....What a legacy!! "

Sikkim Hermonites pay rich tributes to former Mount Hermon School Principal

(L to R) Jigme N Kazi, Arthur Pazo, Raaj Bangar, Punam Agarwal, Uttam Pradhan, NK Pradhan, Tempo Bhutia, Udai P Sharma, Ram Gopal Pradhan, Shuva Pradhan and OT Bhutia. (Pix by Tashi RN Kazi)

Gangtok, Dec 29: Sikkim Hermonites paid rich tributes to their former Principal Rev David Garth Stewart, who passed away peacefully in Auckland, New Zealand, on December 12, 2014.

At a condolence meeting held in Gangtok (Sikkim) on December 16, 2014, grateful Hermonites, alumni of Darjeeling’s Mt. Hermon School  (founded in 1895), said Rev. Stewart who passed away at the age of 91 was a ‘man of God’ , whose dedication and commitment to the school when he was its Principal (1953-1963) raised the standard of the school  and brought it to becoming the best boarding school in India in 1961-62.

Former Minister and senior Hermonite  NK Pradhan said Rev Stewart was not only a towering personality, a great orator, but cared for each and every individual in the school. “We are what we are because of MH (Mt. Hermon) and we are grateful to Mr. Stewart for his love, affection and care.”

Reading from the Bible (Psalm 23), Jigme N Kazi, President of Hermonite International, said Rev Stewart, like King David in the Bible, was a “man after God’s own heart”.

Kazi, who also taught in MH, said, “God sent him to MH in the 1950s when the school was floundering and by the time he left it in 1963 our school was adjudged the best boarding school in India.” He added, “If we as Hermonites have contributed anything significant to society it is because we have been touched by this mighty man of God.”

Uttam Pradhan

Arthur Pazo, grandson of Gangtoks Pastor, Late CT Pazo, and Ram Gopal Pradhan prayed for the departed soul while Udai P. Sharma and Sikkim Hermonite Association (SHA) Vice-President Uttam K Pradhan also spoke on the occasion.

Among those present during the condolence meeting, where a two-minute silence was also observed, were Tempo Bhutia, Raaj Kumar Bangar, Punam Agarwal, OT Bhutia and Shuva Pradhan.

SHA President Karma Bhutia attended the funeral service in Auckland on December 16.

A Tribute

 Rev. DG Stewart: A Man After God’s Own Heart

                                                           By Jigme N. Kazi

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever”. (Psalm: 23)

“Jigme, Can you tell me anything about the present situation?  I seem bereft of information.  I heard an indirect report that the school had started again this year, but with only 100 boarders, and that it was deeply in debt.”

This is what Mr. Stewart wrote to me on June 27, 2012 in my email. He was concerned about Mt. Hermon (MH) thereafter, too, and perhaps till the very end.

Jigme N Kazi

I am happy and proud of the fact that I was in MH in class 2 during his last year as Principal in 1963. I believe it was him or Mr. Murray who asked me, “Do you like the school?” when I entered the school building for the first time in 1963 from the front porch. I said, “Yes.”

And for 16 short years (1963-1972 – student (1974-1975 – TTC) and (1976-1979 – teacher) I lived in MH and had a good time. I am a part of MH and MH is a part of me.

I remember him as a football referee – he was very strict – and when he used to come to the school dining room to announce the name of the Saturday night movie. When he used to say, “And the movie is technicolour” he used to get a loud applause from us. Those days most of the movies were black & white.

When Mr. Stewart visited MH in the latter part of 1970s he spoke about the need to have men and women of ‘integrity’ in today’s world in the school chapel. He was a great speaker and he spoke with much conviction.

I spent more time with him when he came for the school’s centenary celebrations in 1995. Mr. Stewart, along with other former teachers and students, wanted the school Managing Committee to seek induction of Hermonites in the Committee to help the school to forge ahead.

Thereafter, we kept in touch with each other till the very end.

The main school building with Stewart Building (left)

When I think of Mr. Stewart I often compare him with King David of the Old Testament. Like the warrior-king of Israel Mr. David Stewart, too, was “a man after God’s own heart”.

God sent him to MH in the 1950s when the school was floundering and by the time he left it in 1963 our school was adjudged the best boarding school in India.

If we as Hermonites have contributed anything significant to society it is because we have been touched by this mighty man of God.

Arthur Pazo

 

Udai P. Sharma

Ram Gopal Pradhan

Narendra K. Pradhan