JOURNAJUNKIE

Hildamit Lepcha- An artist who loves to sing and play folk music

Hildamit Lepcha, before coming into limelight after being nominated for the Padmashree Award, was just an artist who loved to sing and play folk music and is working as an instructor at the Cultural & Heritage Department, Government of Sikkim for past 33 years. 

57 years of age, Hildamit was born in Kalimpong in 1956. She started playing Lepcha instruments and singing from her early teenage years. She has inherited the dance and music from her husband, Padmashree Sonam Tshering Lepcha, an eminent figure in Lepcha Music. He has been her major inspiration.

“I am the second member in my family to receive the Padmashree, after my husband. He is currently working with his museum at Kalimpong”, told Hildamit.

She started her career as a singer in Culture Department of Sikkim in the year 1980, her husband was also an employee in the same department. Only yesterday, she has been transferred to Gangtok from Namchi as the instructor at the Songs and Drama Unit. She will be retiring next year.

She has made a strong contribution in the promotion and preservation of Lepcha culture and wants to keep contributing her talents for the culture in the state and post her retirement.

“I am planning to start a class after retirement to teach to the young forthcoming generations”, she said.

A celebrated singer, Hildamit has already 5 Lepcha song albums under her name. She also plays Lepcha musical instruments like Tunglok, Sukchang and others. As a registered singer in All India Radio she performs Lepcha songs over the radio.

She is passionate about the old ethnic customs.

“I collect old folklores and convert them into musical drama”, she said.

She has already trained large number of artists of the region and some are working in the same department as hers.

Her number of awards and honors include the National Akademi Award from the Indian government and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for her contribution towards the Lepcha music in Sikkim.

“I didn’t know anything about my nomination for the Padmashree. My friends congratulated me through text messages after reading the newspapers. This is how I got informed’, she said.

The Padmashree Award is the fourth highest civilian award after Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan. The award is given for the broad set of achievements in the field of Education, Arts, Civil Service or Social Service. The awards are also bestowed posthumously and also given to foreign citizens.