On behalf of the West Bengal Sherpa Cultural Board, I welcome you to the Board's website. It's my pleasure to welcome you here and thank for your time to be part of the launch of our website.

We are here to let you know a little of the background to the formation of West Bengal Sherpa Cultural Board and to paint a picture of how we see the Board assisting the Sherpa Community into the future.

We truly believe that the West Bengal Sherpa Cultural Board, through the support of people like yourselves, will provide an enduring benefit to our community.

I am honoured to be the first Chairman of our board and truly humbled to lead the incredibly wonderful and dedicated Sherpa Community of West Bengal, India. I also recognise that with leadership comes a great responsibility; one I consider a privilege and pray and hope that the legacy of my leadership is a tribute to the success and stability of WBSCB and to the belief in the importance of our purpose held in common with us by our community over so many decades.

As the saying goes; "Legends are made, not born". Today the word 'Sherpa' is synonymous with mountain climbing. Sherpa's are considered as an Elite Mountaineers and are renowned by their True Dedication, Hard Work, Honesty and Bravery. But for many decades they are living in poverty where the word "development" is most probably heard but the interesting fact is that they are still living an underprivileged life which needs immediate attention for the betterment of the community. Hence, for the protection and safeguard of the Sherpa Community in Darjeeling Hills and Terai-Dooars; there must be a Strong Association which is concerned for the Socio-Economic upliftment and preservation of Sherpa Culture, Tradition, Language and Heritage.

On 12th of October, 2013 a Central Meeting was organized and the Name "All Sherpa Association Darjeeling and Terai-Dooars" was formed under the Chief Co-coordinator / President-ship of Shri. Nima Wangdi Sherpa along with other representatives from all over the Darjeeling Hills and Terai - Dooars at Darjeeling. On 20t h Oct, 2013 a first Memorandum to Creation of Separate SHERPA DEVELOPMENT BOARD under West Bengal Government was submitted by Shri. Nima Wangdi Sherpa to Miss. Mamata Banerjee, Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal during her visit to Darjeeling at Ritch Mond Hill Guest House. Later on a strong Central Functionary Body was formed to operate the association in a proper manner. In January, 2015, Miss. Mamata Banerjee announced that the Sherpa cultural board would be formed. This was a historic day for all of us. We thank the Chief Minister for the announcement and I would also like to thank all community members for their hard work.

Our teams are passionate about our community and have committed countless hours for the formation of the Board. This Website launch is to enable us to share our vision for helping our community and to encourage you to support the West Bengal Sherpa Cultural Board. We believe that collectively through the Foundation we can continue this work for the benefit of current and generations. This Website, will serve as the Board's shop window for all the services it provides in the various sectors we have branched. One thing that comes to the fore is that the website emanates from our strong belief in the importance of continuous development, improving and expanding the Board's reach. Our characteristic vision and careful planning reflect how much effort we put in to making our Board a good example of excellence!

I hope the above message gives you a sense of where the West Bengal Sherpa Cultural Board is heading to over the next years to come. Please feel free to reach out to myself or my colleagues if you have any suggestions on how to make the Board better. I look forward to seeing you at any of our events.