Kathmandu, July 19

Nepal Sports Journalists Forum is set to organise the Pulsar Sports Award 2073 at the Nepal Academy Hall on September 11.

The event coincides with NSJF’s 22nd anniversary, informed the organisers at a press meet today.

NSJF General Secretary Prakash Timalsina said the award was postponed for two months due to local level elections held on May 14 and June 28.

According to Timalsina, the Sports Award features eight categories — Player of the Year Male and Female, Youth PoY, Coach of the year, People’s Choice, Para-athlete of the Year, Special Award and Lifetime Achievement award.

The winners in Male, Female and People’s Choice will get Bajaj NS160 motorbike each, while others will receive Rs 50,000 each and gift hampers. “We have decided to add one motorcycle this year and we will announce the category later on. With this, four winners will receive bikes and others will be awarded with cash,” said Timalsina.

Main sponsor of the award Hansraj Hulaschand & Company Pvt Ltd, which signed a five-year contract last year, will provide the NSJF with cash and kind worth Rs 1.9 million, with an increment of around 40 per cent.

Executive Director of Hansraj Hulaschand & Company Pvt Ltd, Shekhar Golchha said the sports award was the No 1 event in the country.

“We are not only the sponsors of this event, we are like a family. We feel proud to be associated with this event as it carries the credibility,” said Golchha.

“The award ceremony is definitely the best one compared to other stage shows in the country. We have been associated with the award since last five years and I want to see this association go for many years,” said Golchha, who is also the Senior Vice-president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).

Golchha also said sports sector should be developed as it is the key factor for the binding of the society and the nation as well.

“At a time when politics has been dividing the nation, the sports can unit people from all regions. So the sports sector needs to be treated with importance,” he added.

President of NSJF Mahesh Acharya said the award was able to become No 1 because of the immense support from all. “Pulsar Sports Award is not of only NSJF but of all the sports fraternity,” said Acharya. Acharya also informed that the award category as well as number of bikes and amount could be increased in coming years.

NSJF IPP Ajay Phuyal urged the sports fraternity to support the Award and thanked the sponsors for their generous support in NSJF’s bid in honouring the real heroes of the nation.

South Asia Business Head of Bajaj Auto Bishal Gupta, Former Treasurer of AIPS-Asia Niranjan Rajbanshi, and NSJF Vice-presidents Sanjeeb Shilpakar and Shreelochan Rajopadhyay were also present on the occasion.

Last year, NSJF had awarded footballer Nawayug Shrestha and judoka Phupu Lhamu Khatri with the player of the year awards, while footballer Anjan Bista was named the youth player. Football coach Bal Gopal Maharjan, table tennis player Nabita Shrestha and taekwondo player Sita Bhandari were the winners of coach, people’s choice and para-athlete awards respectively.

Likewise, veteran footballer Shree Ram Ranjitkar was honoured with the lifetime achievement award and former All Nepal Football Association Acting President Lalit Krishna Shrestha was awarded with the special award posthumously. National football team got the team of the year award.