PM Modi Plays Football With Children in Sikkim, Attends 50th Statehood Event

PM Modi Sikkim visit sees football with children, roadshow in Gangtok, and launch of ₹4,000 crore projects during 50th foundation celebrations

Gangtok: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent a lively morning with schoolchildren in Gangtok on Tuesday, briefly stepping onto a football ground during his ongoing Sikkim visit, before attending the concluding ceremony of the state’s 50th foundation day celebrations.

Images shared by the Prime Minister on social media showed him in a track suit, interacting with children and joining them in a short football session. Describing the moment as “filled with energy,” Modi was also seen posing for photographs with the young participants.

Morning at playground

The interaction took place during the second day of the Prime Minister’s visit to Sikkim, where the atmosphere across Gangtok remained celebratory. Local residents had gathered since early morning in parts of the city, anticipating the Prime Minister’s public engagements.

Officials said the football interaction was not part of a formal schedule but happened during a brief stop, drawing enthusiastic responses from onlookers and children alike.

Foundation day celebrations

Later in the day, Modi attended the closing ceremony of Sikkim’s golden jubilee celebrations, marking 50 years since the Himalayan state became part of the Indian Union in 1975.

The year-long programme, which began earlier, concluded on Tuesday with cultural events, official addresses and participation from state leaders and dignitaries. According to officials, the Prime Minister had also been associated with the celebrations virtually in earlier phases.

Development push announced

During the visit, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth over ₹4,000 crore. These projects span sectors including healthcare, infrastructure, connectivity, tourism, agriculture and environment.

Among the key initiatives announced are a 100-bed district hospital in Namchi, a 30-bed hospital in Deorali, and the construction of two double-lane steel bridges over the Teesta river. A Civil Service Officers’ Institute in Gangtok is also part of the planned projects.

Officials indicated that these projects are aimed at improving regional connectivity and strengthening public service delivery in the mountainous state.

Roadshow draws crowds

The Prime Minister had arrived in Gangtok on Monday, beginning his visit with a roadshow from Libing Helipad to Raj Bhavan. Large crowds lined the route, waving and greeting him as his convoy passed through the city.

Visuals from the roadshow showed people gathered along roadsides, with security arrangements in place across key junctions.

Historical context revisited

Sikkim’s 50th foundation day marks five decades since it officially became the 22nd state of India on May 16, 1975, following a referendum and the passage of the 36th Constitutional Amendment.

Before that, Sikkim functioned as a protectorate under a 1950 agreement with India. Political developments in the early 1970s eventually led to its full integration into the Indian Union, a transition often revisited during milestone anniversaries.

Local significance

The Prime Minister’s visit is being seen as both symbolic and developmental, coinciding with the state’s golden jubilee year. Local authorities noted that such high-level engagements bring national attention to the region, especially in sectors like tourism and infrastructure.

Residents in Gangtok said the celebrations have brought a festive mood to the city, with schools, cultural groups and government departments participating in events over the past year.

What comes next

With the conclusion of the foundation day events, attention is expected to shift to the implementation of the announced projects. Officials said timelines and execution plans will be finalised in coordination with central and state agencies.

The PM Modi Sikkim visit, marked by both ceremonial and developmental engagements, is likely to remain in focus as the state moves into its next phase of growth after completing 50 years of statehood.