News & Announcement
Empowering Local Youth: Bird Watching Guide Training in Pakyong
Pakyong, 09 September: The Indian Himalaya Centre for Adventure Eco Tourism (IHCAE), Chemchey and Tourism Department conducted the first batch of Bird Watching Guide Training Level-I at Sumin Linzey under Pakyong district.
The two-day field visit training was jointly organised by IHCAE and Tourism and Civil Aviation department under SIKKIM INSPIRES Adventure Skilling Programme which commenced on September 7, 2024.
A total of 29 local youth were engaged in a combination of theoretical sessions, practical workshops, and field exercises, gaining hands-on experience and exposure.
Dr Peter Lobo, an international bird expert guide; Mr Chewang R. Bonpo, an expert bird guide; Mr Dibyandu Ash, a Sikkim bird guide; Mr Suraj Khulal, an expert bird guide; and Mr Roshan Dhungel, an expert bird guide, served as program resource persons.
The field visit was led by Joint Director Adventure, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Department, Mr Kazi Sherpa, accompanied by Gram Panchayat members, resource persons officers from Tourism Department, and Ms Shanti Rai, Senior Instructor from IHCAE, Chemchey.
"The trained youth will be able to start their own venture as it has many new opportunities," stated Mr Kazi Sherpa, Joint Director of Adventure. In addition to encouraging bird watching adventure tourism and producing qualified resource people who will aid in the development of the state, this bird-watching guide training.
He further said that participants will be trained by experts in the field for the issuance of registration and certified Bird Watching Guide licenses, and Sikkim will be the first state in India to have a certified and registered Bird Watching Guide.
As the adventure tourism sector continues to thrive in Sikkim, Tourism and Civil Aviation department remains committed to its mission to nurture a skilled workforce in the state.
Youth learnt about the area's odonata (insects), birds, fauna, and butterflies during the two-day field visit instruction. Participants took notes on the birds they observed. They also learnt how to identify butterflies and dragonflies.
The two-day field visit training was jointly organised by IHCAE and Tourism and Civil Aviation department under SIKKIM INSPIRES Adventure Skilling Programme which commenced on September 7, 2024.
A total of 29 local youth were engaged in a combination of theoretical sessions, practical workshops, and field exercises, gaining hands-on experience and exposure.
Dr Peter Lobo, an international bird expert guide; Mr Chewang R. Bonpo, an expert bird guide; Mr Dibyandu Ash, a Sikkim bird guide; Mr Suraj Khulal, an expert bird guide; and Mr Roshan Dhungel, an expert bird guide, served as program resource persons.
The field visit was led by Joint Director Adventure, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Department, Mr Kazi Sherpa, accompanied by Gram Panchayat members, resource persons officers from Tourism Department, and Ms Shanti Rai, Senior Instructor from IHCAE, Chemchey.
"The trained youth will be able to start their own venture as it has many new opportunities," stated Mr Kazi Sherpa, Joint Director of Adventure. In addition to encouraging bird watching adventure tourism and producing qualified resource people who will aid in the development of the state, this bird-watching guide training.
He further said that participants will be trained by experts in the field for the issuance of registration and certified Bird Watching Guide licenses, and Sikkim will be the first state in India to have a certified and registered Bird Watching Guide.
As the adventure tourism sector continues to thrive in Sikkim, Tourism and Civil Aviation department remains committed to its mission to nurture a skilled workforce in the state.
Youth learnt about the area's odonata (insects), birds, fauna, and butterflies during the two-day field visit instruction. Participants took notes on the birds they observed. They also learnt how to identify butterflies and dragonflies.