The fourth INAS (International Nepali Artists’ Society) Film Awards, held at Gangtok, in Sikkim, concluded this weekend, felicitating cine artists from Nepal and Nepali-language artists from Sikkim and other parts of India. 

Speaking during the event, chief minister of Sikkim Pawan Chamling promised to help preserve and promote the Nepali film tradition. Chamling announced that the Indian state of Sikkim will provide a subsidy—bearing the half of the production cost—for any film to be made in Nepali language in Sikkim. 

Chamling’s announcement has been welcomed in the cine circle. “This is a very generous and promising scheme,” said Ravi Bhattarai, production chief of Mumbai-based Balaaji Films, “This is one of the 

rare initiative where a state is promising to promote its entertainment sector: a great news for Nepali cine artists based in Sikkim and around the world.” 

Chamling, a politician who has always held a soft spot for entertainment and the arts, was also felicitated at the event with the World Personality Award. Accepting the award, Chamling reiterated the role arts and entertainment plays in preserving and promoting language and culture, particularly ones like Nepali that continues to lose its number of speakers in Indian states like Sikkim. 

The INAS saw the presence of prominent Nepali film personalities such as Nir Shah, Rajesh Hamal, Karishma Manandhar, Tulsi Ghimire, Tika Pahadi, Ramesh Budhathoki, Niruta Singh, Sanchita Luintel and Manisha Koirala, among others.

The Awards felicitated artists under 19 different categories, while the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Danny Denzongpa. Born in Sikkim, Denzongpa has had a long, successful career in Bollywood.

 “The ceremony was successful as it brought together many Bollywood and Kollywood artists, and it was an honour for us to felicitate them,” said Sudeep Regmi, of the organisers Antara International.