During the 78th Independence Day celebrations at Paljor Stadium, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang awarded the State Meritorious Service Award to several exceptional government employees for their distinguished service. The recipients include:
- Dinker Gurung, Chief Town Planner, Urban Development Department
- Gayden Gary Chopel, Chief Town Planner, Urban Development Department
- Khus Bahadur Subba, Chief Pay and Accounts Officer, Treasury, Pay and Accounts Office, Soreng District
- Tshering Dorjee Bhutia, Joint Director, Directorate of Handlooms and Handicrafts, Commerce and Industries Department
- Kiran Kumar Thatal, SDM, Chungthang, Land Revenue and Disaster Management Department
- Damodar Ojha, Deputy Secretary, Department of Personnel
- Buddhi Man Karki, Senior Accounts Officer, Finance Department
- D R Acharya, Deputy Director, DAC, Pakyong District
- Sushma Pradhan, Deputy Director, Tourism and Civil Aviation Department
- Sonam Palzor Lepcha, Deputy Director, Sports and Youth Affairs Department
- Gunjaman Rai, Sub-Inspector, Traffic, Police Headquarters
- Chandra Kumar Chettri, Sub-Inspector, State Reserve Lines, Police Headquarters
- Dharam Das Chettri, Sub-Inspector, CB-CID, Police Headquarters
- B B Subba, Office Superintendent, SDM Office, Dentam
- Kadem Bhutia, Office Superintendent, Election Department
- Tamchey Lepcha, Senior Pressman, Printing and Stationery Department
- Chetnath Bhattarai, Photographer, Information and Public Relations Department
- Laxuman Sharma, LDC, Women and Child Development Department
- Sunil Rajak, Dhobi, STNM Hospital, Sochakgang, Health and Family Welfare Department
Additionally, Chetan Gajmer received the Teesta Rangit Aviral Award for his contributions as a journalist.
Certificates of Appreciation and cash rewards of Rs 50,000 each were given to:
- Sonam Palden Barfungpa, Principal ATTC, Bardang
- Sujata Rai, Head Mistress, Dhargaon Primary School
- Ramesh Kumar Gurung, Labour, Roads and Bridges Department
M Bharani Kumar (IAS), Secretary of the Health and Welfare Department, was awarded Rs 50,000 for his exemplary role as District Collector during the 2024 General Elections. Major Pema Dorjee Bhutia received Rs 1 lakh for his bravery during “Operation Snow Leopard.”
The event highlighted the state’s dedication to acknowledging and rewarding excellence in public service, reflecting the significant contributions of these individuals to Sikkim’s governance and development.