Aachuley’ Lepcha Community Radio

99% of the indigenous Lepcha tribes live in remote villages where the basic human facilities are non-existent.The literary rate of the Lepcha tribes is the lowest among the various communities in this region. Without proper education, they are living in the 19th Century today. Marginalization of the original indigenous Lepcha tribes in West Bengal has a telling effect on their socio- economic and political conditions. No wonder anthropologists, linguists and scholars are repeatedly saying that the original indiegenous Lepcha tribes are a vanishing tribal race.

Bollywood and western musical and cultural craze have not spare the Lepcha community either. Beautiful and meaningful folksongs, folk music and traditional cultural heritage seem unfashionable to many today. India is known throughout the world for her varieties of ancient, rich and unique languages, literature, culture, traditions, customs etc. People of the world marvel at her. It is very important that the Lepcha tribes do not falter in their thoughts and action and must endeavour to conserve their very rich and ancient cultural heritage in Mayel Lyang.

Useful and important Government information is hard to come by in this region, especially in the remote villages where the Lepcha tribes reside. Take the example of ‘Census of India 2011’. Most people in the remote villages are not aware of the importance of Indian Census 2011 and how each individual or the head of family at least could be immense help to the Goverment of India in compiling the most important and correct census in order to plan the future development works.

There are hundreds of problems for the Lepcha community in this region. Each problem has its own solution. Through the community radio, we fimly believe, it will not only help to communicate among the Lepcha tribes better and solves problems, it certainly can help us to preserve, conserve, maintain and develop the very rich, ancient and unique Lepcha language, literature and cultural heritage for posterity. A Lepcha Community Radio Station is a must for the original indigenous Lepcha tribes in Kalimppong, the heartland of the Lepchas.

The long awaited cherished dream, hope and aspiration of the original indigenous Lepcha tribes of the Darjeeling District, West Bengal of a quality radio communications in their own language, is going to be materialized and fulfilled soon. ‘Panos Institute South Asia’ is here to help the Lepcha community of West Bengal to establish their own community radio in Kalimpong.


Dr Sanjay Barbora, the Regional Manager, Panos Institute South Asia with his staff on the invitation of Ms Laden Lepcha, a forward looking young Lepcha lady, arrived Kalimpong on 25 January 2010 and met Ren Lyangsong Tamsang, the President, Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association and his executive committee members. It was unanimously decided that the work to establish a much needed Lepcha community radio in Kalimpong should start in earnest . True to his word, Dr Sanjay Barbora returned to Kalimpong to conduct a ‘Radio Training Workshop’ from 2 to 7 May 2010 in Kalimpong with the following experts in radio communications:

a. Sanjay Venniyoor - Who used to be with Prasar Bharati and is now with Deutche Welle. He is a part of the Community Radio Forum of India.

b. Mr Hemand Babu. He works with NOMAD and has been a Community Radio practitioner and trainer.

c. Mr Karun Thapa. He hails from Kathmandu and is a media cosultant and Community Radio practitioner.
d. Mr Arupjyoti Das. He also represents Panos South Asia.

e. Mr Nayan Bhuyan. A Journalist from Assam.

The following Lepcha enthusiasts were successfully given traning in the community radio:

Mr Suksing Kongchyen Lepcha
Mr Nimsing Lepcha
Miss Lazem Lepcha
Miss Tsheringkit Lepcha
Mr Ongden Lepcha
Mr John Lepcha
Mr Nima Lepcha
Mr Rumden Lepcha
Mr Kuldip Lepcha
Mr Noyel Lepcha
Mr Lawong Lepcha

A Committee consisting of the following have been elected to run the Lepcha Community Radio on 15 June 2010:

President -Ren Lyangsong Tamsang Lepcha
Secretary- Renyoo Laden Lepcha
Treasurer- Ren Tasothing Lepcha
1. Ren Thupden Lepcha - Executive Member
2. Ren Dorjee T. Lepcha - Executive Member
3. Ren Azuk Tamsang - Executive Member
4. Ren Yusuf Simick Lepcha - Executive Member
5. Ren Pemba Lepcha - Executive Member
6. Renyoo Jyomit Lepcha - Executive Member

It was felt that ‘fund’ is needed to run the Lepcha Community Radio Station efficiently and therefore, it was unanimously decided by the newly formed committee to raise Rs 50,00000.00 (Rupees fifty lakhs). It was also decided that the interest earned from the capital investment will only be used wisely to run, maintain and pay the staff of the newly established Lepcha Community Radio Station.

All the Lepchas and those well wishers of the Lepcha tribal community are requested to come forward to help and assist the Executive Committee Members, ‘Aachuley’Lepcha Community Radio in Kalimpong.

Finally the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association, Headquarters Kalimpong, the apex body of the Lepchas of West Bengal, is very grateful to the’Panos Institute South Asia’ and its Regional Manager, Dr Sanjay Barbora and his colleagues for coming forward to help eastablish the much needed Lepcha Community Radio Station in Kalimpong. The name of the Radio station will be ‘Aachuley, Lepcha Community Radio’.

It is hoped that the ‘Aachuley’ Lepcha Community Radio Station will be fully operative by May 2011.
A Senior Correspondent