In the shadow of Mt Kanchenjunga, the people of Sikkim celebrated 50 years of statehood by writing a letter to the future, and not in ink alone.

The Himalayan state has chosen to preserve its memory in a copper time capsule. The vessel, weighing 32 kilograms, was sealed and interred at Rustomji Deer Park near the grounds of the Tashiling secretariat in Gangtok. On May 16, 2075, when Sikkim turns 100 years old, the time capsule is expected to rise again and deliver a message from across half a century.

The kingdom of Sikkim merged with the Union of India on May 16, 1975, to become the country’s 22nd state.

The message etched in the copper-plate capsule buried on August 21 reads:

“To the citizens of 2075,/If your world needs healing, let these seeds grow./If your mind needs truth, read our letters./If your hearts need hope, know we once believed in you.”

Karma Lama, an IT professional and an analyst at the information and public relations department of the state government, has been involved with the project right from the start. He came across the idea seven years ago when he was at Nasa in the US. Says Karma, “I really liked the idea. The capsule is not just a container; it is a technology of remembrance built to last.”

Here are some of the things that went into the capsule.

Messages from politicians and children themed “My Vision for Sikkim 2075”. More than 500 people of the state sent personal messages. The team that conceptualised the idea states that studies show that future generations feel more emotionally connected to ancestors when they read personal, preserved handwriting as it builds a psychological bridge of continuity and empathy.

Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) chief minister sealed the Time Capsule at Rustomji Deer Park near the grounds of Tashiling secretariat in Gangtok on August 21, 2025

The team packed in rare seeds collected from high-altitude and endangered plant species such as local paddy varieties of kalo nunia, dorakhey, birimphul, and rajma varieties of mantulal and tuksunkey. Over 75 per cent of global crop diversity has been lost since the 1900s. “These seeds may not just represent memory; they may restart life,” says Karma.

More items for the time capsule. A comprehensive cultural archive capturing the customs, rituals, food, attire and life practices of every indigenous community of Sikkim.

These artefacts reflect how communities lived, celebrated, mourned and coexisted; they offer insights into their relationship with nature, time and one another. To capture the everyday world of 2025, gadgets such as mobile phones — objects that will likely appear as relics by 2075 — were also placed inside the capsule.

Hundreds of citizens from all six districts of Sikkim documented their cultural identities, and stored them digitally on archival discs for their future people.

Documents, data and visuals outlining progress in education, healthcare, infrastructure, governance, innovation and flagship schemes have also been put away. This arm of the effort stems from the core team’s belief that developmental data over decades is often lost due to system upgrades or disasters and this could act as Sikkim’s backup brain, a legacy of learning.

The time capsule was buried six feet below the ground near the state secretariat but a replica time capsule has been kept at Gangtok’s famous M.G. Marg for public display.

A transparent cylindrical capsule encased in glass allows visitors to glimpse its contents and understand the exchange between the past and future.

Should visitors scan the QR code on the replica, they will be able to access detailed information and stories behind the items sealed within.

The time capsule is buried deep underground in a chamber designed like a vault, with five-inch-thick reinforced concrete, two layers of waterproof coating to stop seepage and a granite outer finish.

The digital files have been stored in Millennial Discs (M-Disc) that are heat-humidity resistant, waterproof and scratch-proof, and safe from magnetic and light damage.

Designers have also used oxygen absorbers and silica gel to prevent biological degradation, acid-free paper and archival ink for fade-proof and climate-tolerant storage.

A proto-type has been kept at Gangtok's famous MG Marg for public viewing. The contents sealed inside the capsule can be viewed by scanning a QR code.

“Mylar bags and borosilicate glass vials are being used to shield seeds and documents from light and air exposure, and calcium carbonate to neutralise long-term acidification and to maintain archival integrity,” says Karma.

Reads a message from the organisers: “We are preserving these things not just because they are old, we are preserving them because they are precious and because someone, someday might need them.”

Fifty years from now, when the capsule is opened, it will not just reveal seeds and letters but Sikkim’s faith in the future and the healing power of memory.