Sikkim Tamang Buddhist Association is the oldest registered organization of Tamang community of Sikkim. Sikkim Tamang Buddhist Association is also know as Sikkim Tamang Baudha Sangha.

The STBA has federal nature having it's constituents throughout the state of Sikkim and has the following aims and objectives:

1. To work, endure, propagate, promote and encourage Buddhism.
2. To unite all the Tamangs and socio-religious, cultural, economic and ethical plains and promote these for advancement of thier well-being.
3. To safeguard the rights and interests of Tamang-buddhists of Sikkim in all spheres viz. social, economic, cultural and political, while remaining a political body.

Tamangs are one of the most ancient ethnic group in the hills of Sikkim. In the year 1995 the Tamang language was recognized in the state of Sikkim through Amendment Act 1995 and made as an official language. Vide Gazetteer number 76 of 1995. After span of eight years, in the year 2003 tamang community was included in the list of Schedule Tribe along with Limboo. Migration is a process, the first step for any people to achieve something is to know about themselves and history, it is believed and followed that Tamangs were migrated from Tibet around 3000 years ago. .

The Tamang community belongs to some ethnic Mongoloid group. The word Tamang has been found to be used in a document of the 13 century, that document found by David Jackson (2976, 53). Although the word Tamang was used as early as 13 century to denote an ethnic group following the expansion of Gorkhali Kingdom in the neighbouring country, Nepal. The use of the tamang word was banned/prohibited. Tamang were addressed in a derogatory manner as "Murmi". Later Tamangs have, however continued to call themselves as Tamang.

Pictoral document showing population of Murmis(Tamang) in Sikkim in 1891

In the year 1891 the Census published in the Gazetteer of Sikkim shows the population of different ethnic group residing in Sikkim amongst them 5^th populous ethnic community was Murmis(Tamangs) counting 2,867 people (Male: 801, Female: 778, Children: 1288).

Josep Dalton Hooker (1848) writes in Himalayan Journal Vol. I pl130. The Murmi/ Moormi(Tamang) are the only other native tribe remaining in any numbers in Sikkim except the Tibetan of the Loffier Mountains. The Murmis are scattered people of Tibetan origin and also called "Nishung", from being composed of two branches respectively from the district of Nimo and Shung both on the road between the Sikkim and Lhasa.

Tamang are rich in their culture and heritage, the concept of de centralisation of power and empowerment of society are rendered from ages. This is visible in most of Tamang cultural functions and ceremonies. The Tamang societies are diverse into different spectrum of engagement. The society heads an empowered with their qualification and abilities. The main division of the society are as follows.

1. TAMBA: Tamba looks after the cultural aspects and has a very important role to play in marriages ceremonies.
2. GAMBA: Gamba participates in all types of social political and religious activities. He observes the various activities of society and gives his suggestion accordingly.
3. BONBO: Bonbo propitiates the local god and goddess and assist by providing treatment to the seeks and the needy in the villages
4. LA BONBOM (LATABA): La Bonbo keeps alive the history of the clans and lineage through the worships of clan deities. As each Clan/Thar have its own Phola or Clan deities. 5. LAMA. Lama carries out death rites Ghewa and under undertakes activities related to Buddhist religion.
5. CHO HO: Cho Ho looks into cases and dispenses justice and maintain peace security and well being in society.

As we undertake the heritage of Tamang culture, we found Tamangs are more unbiased to offspring of any gender. Since the cultural bonding of Tamang culture safeguards them by nay extent e.g. Char Dam it is one of the most important cultural heritages that is performed during the marriage at bride family. The proceeding shall be witness by twelve Tamang of different Clans or Thar. During char dam proceeding the bride groom and his family are inducted with advisory by Tamba/Lama (head of the marriage ceremony). He declares that the bon, haddi, flesh and air that empower the human body are yours from today. However, the bon always remain in the sole possession of the bride family. The chain prolong till to her death and the most importantly in our cultural aspects the girls child/bride never loses her Clan/Thar or Surname. She has the right to write her own Clan or Thar post marriages eg. Any Gyabak girl married Yonzon boy she has the right to write her own clan i.e. Gyabak even after her marriage.

FESTIVAL: Sonam Lochar is the new year of Tamang people and most important festival in our calender. Sonam lochar is celebrated on the first day of the new moon during the month of Magh in bikram samvad calender. The word "Lochar" means New year or neginnig of a new year. Tamangs divide their years into 12 cycles each represented by a zodiac animal following the same order as Lunar new year.

RECOGNITION OF TAMANG LANGUAGE: In the year 1995 the tamang language was recognized in the state of Sikkim through Amendment Act 1995 and made as an official language. Vide Gazetteer number 76 of 1995.