Pakyong

Pakyong is a city and district headquarters of Pakyong district in the Indian state of Sikkim, located in the foothills of the Himalayas. It holds many Government Offices. Pakyong Airport is the only airport of Sikkim. The "National Research Centre for Orchids" (ICAR Institute) is also located here. There is a missionary run school called St. Xavier's, which ranked as one of the top two schools in Sikkim during the 1990s. Notable among its alumni are the Padma Shri awardee footballer Baichung Bhutia, who captain India. The existence of British bunkers at British Killa suggests the presence of armed bunkers sometime in the past. The name Pakyong comes from the Lepcha words pa yong meaning "bamboo of the bow", as it was a common practise of the Lepchas to name a place after the essential items found at a place. On 24 September 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Pakyong Airport. Regular air service started on 4 October 2018. Located in East Sikkim at an altitude of , it shares its borders with Bhutan and Tibet. Topography is hilly and a good agricultural area. The villages surrounding Pakyong are Namcheybong, Ganchung, Kaputhang, Raigoan, Pachey, Samsing, Dikling, Tareythang, Pacheykhani, Pachak, Bering, Bering, Dugalakha, Linkey, Parkha, Machong, Daamlakha, Chalamthang, Barapathing, Changeysenti, Amba, Mamring, Baasilakha and Karthok. The local economy is confined to the school and minor local businesses. Ginger is cultivated and floriculture is popular. The geography makes this viable. Goondruk, Kinema, Sinki are popular fermented foods sold in the local market. "Dalle Khorsani" (red chili) is popular among the local vegetable cultivators. Cow milk, curd, Chhurpi (residue of boiled buttermilk) are other means of earning income. The crops like Large Cardamom, Broom Plant (Kuccho) and Ginger are traded in the town at their respective seasons. There are many banks operating in the district headquarter Pakyong. Pakyong lies on National Highway-717A connecting Bagrakote to Gangtok via Labha, Algarah.