Sikkim: Musician-artiste group holds fundraiser for flood victims

Gangtok: The Organisation of Musicians and Artistes of Sikkim (OMAS) held a fundraiser for the flash-flood victims of Tsong and Yuksam in West Sikkim, on MG Marg in Gangtok on Friday.

Even in bad weather and heavy rain, people of Sikkim supported the initiative conducted by OMAS. There were various donation boxes placed around MG Marg for people to offer whatever they could. The amount collected from the fundraiser will be given to state land revenue and disaster management minister Kunga Nima Lepcha and, through him, the cheque will be handed over to chief minister PS Golay, who will put the money into the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Various local artistes and local organisations supported the cause with their performances. The line-up included the likes of Gandhar Music Academy, Reeyaz Sangeetlaya, Remanti Snageet Academy, Abhishek Rai, Sonam Leno, Dynamic Flickers Dance Academy, Little Pixies International School, Karismatic Academy, Dream Works Event Management, Ashmita Sharma, Denny Denzongpa, Xanku & Friends, Beyul Doegar Tshogpo, Ankit Rai & Nyizang Palmu Bhutia, Manoj Rai, Pravesh Hingmang & Miwang Lepcha, Roll Heads, Eagles Band (Sikkim Armed Police) and Sofiyum, among others.

The motive behind the fundraiser was to promote humanity and OMAS has been doing just that as an organisation since 2013. It has helped many people in times of need like the Uttarakhand flash flood, Kerala and Assam floods, Nepal earthquake, so on and so forth, said OMAS president Sonam Gyalsten Bhutia.

Bhutia has also made a plea urging organisations from Sikkim and other neighbouring states to also join in to help Sikkim and the people in Tsong and Yuksam as Sikkim will also always be ready to lend a helping hand.