Internationally acclaimed Gangtok band 'Stillwaters' performs in 'Blue Heart Rock Show' in Gangtok. Dirty Angels Motorcycle Club had organized this awareness campaign against Human Trafficking, rape and child abuse.

                                       new video 'dream high' from URBAN INC.

After their recent shows in Kala Academy, Goa, this March the National School of Drama (NSD), Sikkim Theatre Training Centre will be on another tour where they will perform their two popular plays. Their first show will be performed in Goa on March 6 and their second show will be in Tripura. 

Director NSD, Dr. Anuradha Kapur and Professor Kirti Jain are currently in the state to see the operation of the center. They expressed their happiness on the working of the center and the response it received from the state. The artists of Sikkim are very promising and talented, felt the two guests.

The STTC is the first functioning state centre of NSD in the country that teaches as well as organizes performances. Currently under the Center Director Bipin Kumar, there are 13 repertory artists and 17 students in the Sikkim Theater Training Center. The artists are from Sikkim itself and they are being paid by the NSD on contract basis. The students taking classes also get scholarships. And all these artists are engaged in other duties as well. Activities like set designing, props designing, costume designing are done by different groups of 2-3 members each. The faculty members are from NSD Delhi. The local artists at the centre have been doing a tremendous job and have immense potential to excel. The centre has been getting positive and encouraging response from the locals.

Dr. Anuradha Kapur said, “The centre has been working in collaboration with the state government which has been extending full support to the centre in all its endeavors.” Though all the artists in STTC are locals from Sikkim, the scripts for the play are made by the NSD from Delhi. “We always look for all kinds of literature from various regions and if a writer from Sikkim comes up with a good story, we will surely make it a play”, she added. “These artists from Sikkim are very talented and hardworking. They have a promising future in theater,” said Prof. Kirti Jain.

The National School of Drama has been working with different state governments of the Northeast region to promote theatre among the youth. The theatre group, trained by the National School of Drama, New Delhi, is working hard to promote art and culture among the youth in Sikkim.   

USFC's effort not paying off

With six games remaining and just 12 points so far, United Sikkim is clearly on the verge of losing its hard earned place in the I-league. In a match completely dominated by the home team, ONGC’s Eric Brown scored a goal in the additional time to upset the anxious USFC and its supporters. And this is not the first time. Just like in today’s match, the Snow Lions have let away probable victories in the final minutes after playing their hearts out for 89 minutes. 

The match started with plenty of attacks from both sides, most from the home team. United Sikkim had most of the shots on target but missed precise and showed lack of experience. Australian Steve Hayes was good in his debut game for USFC with plenty of assists and counter attacks. The Australian blonde’s good performance earned him the Player of the Match award but that was just a consolation USFC could get out of this match. Another debutant midfielder from Spain, Pablo Rodriguez did not looked very convincing in first game with his number of falls higher than number of shots he made.

Ashish Chettri shot a deflected ball from Pablo’s foot into the net in the 31^st minute only to be called offside by a referee. In the stoppage time another goal from Pablo was also declared as offside. With that forbidden goal the home side went to interval with no goals when the figure could have been different favouring them. Coming into the second half USFC had a chance to break a deadlock. Left forward Linekar Machado couldn’t convert that good chance with just goalkeeper standing on his way. Two minutes later Nuruddeen Salau’s header went just over the top bar.

ONGC’s Robin Gurung booked himself for the first yellow card of the game in 55^th minute and offered another chance for the home team. Ashish’s header from the corner kick went away from second bar when the keeper was unmoved at first bar. Soon, Nima made a brilliant pass for Pablo but before the Spanish could make the shot, three ONGC defenders got control of the ball. In the closing minutes of the official time, Ashish could have won a match for United Sikkim when he had one-on-one chance, which he made mess of it.

After achieving a great victory, ONGC Coach Santosh Kashyap was happy and all praise for his defenders. According to him, Sikkim and Lajong are the toughest opponent for any away teams. The unhappy USFC coach Nathan Hall said, “The players completely dominated the whole game just to concede a goal in the additional time. They need little bit quality and composure towards the end of the match.”

Suffering another defeat and going into the next game, the USFC players will take a break for about two weeks before they play against Prayag United whom they conceded 10 goals in the previous encounter.  “It will be very difficult in our remaining matches and I will try to remain optimistic. And about the survival, realistically and logically we have a chance”, added Hall.

With three new foreign signings in about a week, USFC hoped to pull the rabbit out of hat but just like any other matches, they got beaten again.  How long will it take for Snow Lions to win a match and when they do, won’t it be too late?