Nepali Academy building to be completed by March 2026: GTA Chief

Darjeeling: The construction of the multipurpose Nepali Academy building in Darjeeling is scheduled for completion by March 2026, GTA Chief Executive Anit Thapa announced after inspecting the site on Hill Cart Road, around 4 km away from Darjeeling town, on Monday.

The project, which began several years ago in line with provisions of the GTA Agreement, had slowed down in recent months. Thapa admitted that progress was below expectations but stressed that the unfinished work would now move forward with urgency. “The construction has not progressed at the pace it should have. I had announced the establishment of the Nepali Academy during the Nepali Language Day celebrations. On Monday, along with engineers and architects, we reviewed the status of work and fixed the completion target for March 2026,” he said.

The Nepali Academy is envisioned as the mother institution for promoting and preserving Nepali language, literature, music, fine arts, culture and research in the region. It will also serve as a hub for translation, publication and academic activities designed to strengthen the cultural identity of the Gorkha community.

Thapa has assigned GTA Advisor Amar Lama, Executive Sabha member for Information and Culture Anos Thapa and Vijay Kumar Rai the responsibility of preparing a detailed list of requirements and overseeing further work on the project.

Sharing the broader vision, Amar Lama explained: “The GTA Agreement clearly provides for the establishment of a Nepali Academy. Its mission is to preserve and develop regional language and culture. The building is important, but an academy is more than just a structure. It must evolve into a full-fledged institution.”

He further added that the academy’s constitution and framework would soon be drafted, with plans to model it along the lines of the Delhi Academy.