Sikkim’s poet Neelam Gurung, who has won the ‘Poet Idol’ contest in neighbouring Nepal, was given a rousing welcome as she arrived back home yesterday.

Among those welcoming her as she entered Sikkim from the Bengal side at the Rangpo check-post were Jacob Khaling, the Political Advisor to Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay). Neelam was accompanied by her family members as she was showered with the khada (traditional scarf) and given a traditional welcome.

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Addressing media persons, Ms Gurung said that Sikkim had always supported contestants like her in national and international contests, while she thanked the public and the government for their “unflinching” support. “I will continue to showcase my talent as a poetess and an artist through various capacities,” she said.

Ms Gurung won the first ever such Nepali poetry reality show in Kathmandu, ‘The Poet Idol Season 1’ on 21 April. The show was streamed in YouTube by OSR Reality, which run 33 episodes during the last three months and where many talents in the field of Nepali poetry, including Pallawib Singock of Darjeeling, vied for the title.

“Her victory has sparked a great deal of enthusiasm among the people of Sikkim and the surrounding hills,” a local said. It is worth noting that Ms Gurung is a language teacher by profession and works at the Tashi Namgyal Academy in Gangtok.

On winning the title, Ms Gurung was awarded a trophy by Director of AP1 HD TV, Capt Rameshwar Thapa, along with a cash prize of NPR 1 million and a contract worth Rs 5 Lakh for book publishing from Yatra Publishing House.

She gave special thanks to the Sikkim chief minister and Mr Khaling, who she said were instrumental in rallying support for her during the crucial voting phase. She further expressed her gratitude towards her parents, father Dilip Gurung and Basundhara Gurung, the people of Sikkim, the crew of the show, and her fellow contestants.

“I will continue to pursue my passion with full enthusiasm and energy. I thank Nepal too, My win has strengthened the ties between the two countries,” she said.

The Poet Idol had over 200 participants registered for the auditions. Of them, only 14 were selected for the advanced stages.

The selected contestants were assigned topics to write on and recite poems. The show was judged by Viplob Pratik and Upendra Subba, director and actor Anup Baral and actor Surakshya Panta with Divya Dev as the host.