HILDA MIT LEPCHA
Akademi Award: Lepcha Music (Sikkim)

Shrimati Hilda Mit Lepcha was born in 1956 in Kalimpong in Darjeeling district of West Bengal. She has inherited the dance and music of her people from her father Sonam T. Lepcha, an eminent figure in Lepcha music.

She has excelled as a performer of traditional Lepcha musical instruments as well as Lepcha songs. She has also trained a large number of artists of the region, making a significant contribution in the promotion and preservation of Lepcha culture. She has travelled widely within the country, and performed in a number of festivals organized by various institutions. These include the Apna Utsav (1988), Lok Utsav (1978), the Dweep Utsav in the Andaman and Nicobar islands (1993), and the World Music Day celebrations in 1998.

For her dedicated work in preserving and promoting Lepcha culture, she has been honoured by several institutions of the region.

Shrimati Hilda Mit Lepcha receives the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for her contribution to the Lepcha music of Sikkim.