Sikkim Mourns Literary Legend: Padma Shri Sanu Lama Honored with State Funeral

Sikkim paid its final respects to Padma Shri awardee Gadul Singh Lama, fondly known as Sanu Lama, with a state funeral held in Gangtok on Friday, following Buddhist traditions. The eminent Nepali literature figure, who passed away on July 12 in Siliguri, West Bengal, due to age-related ailments at 86, was celebrated for his profound contributions as a fiction writer, poet, and translator.

Lama’s three anthologies of short stories, translated into English, Hindi, Urdu, Assamese, and Oriya, cemented his legacy as a literary giant. An engineer by profession, his work resonated across linguistic and cultural boundaries, earning him widespread admiration.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang led the tributes, calling Lama a “towering literary figure and revered son of Sikkim” in a heartfelt Facebook post. “His contributions to literature, culture, and public service have left an indelible mark on our collective conscience,” Tamang said, extending condolences to Lama’s family.

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The funeral saw an outpouring of grief, with cabinet ministers, MLAs, senior officials, and community members gathering to honor the beloved writer’s remarkable life and legacy.

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