KATHMANDU: India contributes to 44 per cent total foreign direct investment (FDI) in Nepal,” said India’s deputy ambassador to Nepal Alok Sinha during an interaction at the ‘Excellence Achievers Award 2009’ programme organised here on Saturday at Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).

Highlighting trade and economic relationships between the two countries, Sinha said that there are 240 projects worth Rs 13,000 million going on in hydropower, road construction, education and several other sectors. “Both countries share economic transparency in terms of trade,” he added.

In the field of communication as well, there is a joint venture — United Telecom Ltd (UTL). Similarly, Dabur Nepal, State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank are some of the other examples of India’s joint ventures with Nepal. Sinha added that India has always contributed to uplifting the economy of Nepal as well as cooperating in the peace process and in providing aid. “The India-Nepal relationship started not since the 60’s as is popularly perceived but from the period of Mahabharata. The two nations share common cultural aspects and the Indian government will continue to support Nepal in the future as well,” said Sinha.

During the programme, the winners of the first ‘Excellence Achievers Award 2009’ were awarded with tokens and certificates. The four achievers this year were Rastra Kavi Madhav Prasad Ghimire, Kul Chandra Gautam, Bhuwaneshori Pant and Baikuntha Manandhar. All four thanked Today’s Youth Asia (TYA) magazine and expressed their views on new Nepal and urged today’s youth to lead a positive and meaningful life.

TYA also awarded the Young Achievers Award 2009 to five outstanding personalities who have contributed in their respective fields.

Publsher and editor of TYA Santosh Shah handed over the executive power to his young fellow members of TYA. Mandira Raut, a new project director of TYA, presented her highly informative presentation on ‘Rule of Law’ in which she has mentioned that its high time to raise the output volume of our products and compete with foreign countries to uplift the nation’s economic condition.