Prez Bhandari meets AIPS-Asia delegates

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari today met with Asian Sports Press Association delegates who were here to attend the Executive Committee Meeting of the AIPS-Asia and the winners of the Pulsar Sports Award winners.

AIPS-Asia President Mohammad Qasim and other members handed over the memento to President Bhandari during the programme organised at the President’s Office in Shital Niwas. President Bhandari said such events would help in disseminating positive message about the current situation of the country to the world. “Nepal suffered a lot last year because of the devastating earthquake. We are returning to normalcy and I hope this meeting will help in giving positive message to the world,” said Bhandari.

Bhandari also congratulated the Nepal Sports Journalists for successfully hosting the meeting in Kathmandu. “Events like this are good for smaller countries like Nepal. It helps in many ways,” she added. President Bhandari also requested the AIPS-Asia delegates to come back to Nepal for visiting purpose. “We have so many mountains and this is the birthplace of Lord Buddha. I hope you would come to Nepal and visit places time and again,” Bhandari added.

AIPS-Asia President Qasim from Bahrain thanked President Bhandari for taking time out to meet the Asian sports journalists family. “We are privileged to get the opportunity of meeting the President of Nepal. On behalf of my team, I would like to thank you for taking some time out of your schedule,” Qasim added.

President Bhandari also congratulated the winners of the Pulsar Sports Award. Footballer Nawayug Shrestha (male), Judoka Phupu Lhamu Khatri (female), footballer Anjan Bista (youth), Bal Gopal Maharjan (football coach), table tennis player Nabita Shrestha (People’s Choice), taekwondo player Sita Bhandari (Para-athlete), former national football team skipper and FIFA Referee Shreeram Ranjitkar (Lifetime Achievement) and national football team captain Biraj Maharjan (Team of the Year) had won the awards last Thursday.

“I believe the award programme would help in boosting the morale of the players,” said President Bhandari. “You have been doing a great job of honouring the sportspersons,” she added.

NSJF General Secretary Prakash Timalsina briefed President Bhandari about the umbrella organisation of sports journalists and the Pulsar Sports Award. “We have been organising the Award for the last 13 editions and we honour entire sports fraternity every year,” Timalsina said.