GANGTOK, June 10 - Santosh Nirash, the first woman journalist of Sikkim and the editor of Hindi weekly Zamana Sadabahar, passed away here today. She was 91.
She had been covering Sikkim since it was a monarchy.
�I am deeply grieved by the news of passing away of Mrs Santosh Nirash, the editor of Hindi weekly Zamana Sadabahar and also the first female journalist of Sikkim,� Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said.
�Her demise is a great loss not only for the media fraternity but also for every one of us,� Tamang added.
Nirash, fondly known as �Mata Ji�, was not only a journalist par excellence but also a renowned social worker and philanthropist. With her demise, a chapter in the history of journalism in Sikkim has come to an end.
SDF supremo and former Chief Minister Pawan Chamling said, �I am pained by the sad demise of Santosh Nirash. Apart from being the first woman journalist of the State, she was one of the most decorated journalists of Sikkim. She was also a committed social worker.�
Recognising her pioneering contributions to journalism in the State, the Government of Sikkim honoured her in 2012 with the Sikkim Sewa Samman (Journalism).
Journalists in Sikkim have paid tribute to her and remembered her contributions to the field of journalism in Sikkim, calling her an inspiration for generations to come.
