The birth celebration of Agam Singh Giri, considered as one of the tallest poets among Indian Gorkhas, failed to attract enough people in Darjeeling on Sunday, prompting GTA chief Anit Thapa to wonder why “thousands” thronged his public meetings but few attended such important programmes.

Giri, who died at a relatively young age of 43 in 1971, was a prolific poet and lyricist whose writings many believe are in tune with the current topics of political debates like identity, self-determination and homeland and best reflect the tribulations of Indian Gorkhas.

His birth anniversary is marked as Giri Jayanti. A statue of the leader had been erected before Lewis Jubilee Complex — an administrative wing of the GTA in Darjeeling — and Giri Puraskar is also awarded, earlier by the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council and now by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, on Giri Jayanti.

“Agam Singh Giri united our community, evoked community feeling amongst us. We take pride in saying that he is an icon of our community, an asset but today, even this small hall is not filled to its capacity,” Thapa said at the programme organised by the GTA at Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan here.

Thapa heads the GTA. The hall has a seating capacity of 700 but less than 100 people were present at the event.

The GTA chairman, who is also the general secretary of the Binay Tamang faction of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, made a reference of the gathering at his political rally in Darjeeling on Saturday.

“Yesterday, when I held a public meeting, there were thousands. We have not done anything great for our community. However, at the programme to remember an icon, why is there such a thin presence?” asked Thapa.

GTA officials said they had sent out 500-odd invitation cards for the event.

“The common excuse by invitees not turning up is that it is very cold,” said an organiser who said there was a proposal to organise the event at Sukna near Siliguri but had to be shifted to Darjeeling at the last moment.

In his speech, Thapa, however, said: “Darjeeling is our capital, we all have grown up at this place, grown with the cold. From next year, the event must be organised as a festival spreading over three days.”

On Sunday, the GTA conferred Giri Puraskars on Matilda Rai (literature) and Madhusudhan Lama (music), which carry a cash award of Rs 1 lakh each.

Thapa also announced that Basant Kumar Rai had been selected for the Shiv Kumar Rai Smriti Puraskar (literature) and T.B. Joshi for Aruna Lama Smriti Puraskar (music) which would be conferred on them on April 14, 2021.

“From next year, we will also institute the Gorkha Ratna award to be conferred on Indian Gorkhas who have excelled in their profession,” said Thapa.