KATHMANDU: The 17th Annual Tuborg Image Award was celebrated with awards, music and dance on February 13.

In the event held at Army Officers’ Club, Sundhara, the ultimate winner of the evening was a young singer Nikhita Thapa. Her debut album Nikhita won Album of the Year and its song Sandhai Sunna Pau won her Best Vocal Performance Female. The same song also won Best Composition of the Year for Hari Lamsal. Thapa also won Best Vocal Performance by Group/Duo with singer Suraj Thapa for Timro Aakhako Bhaka.

Thapa thanked everyone from the audience to her supporters to people behind her debut album after she won Album of the Year award. “I want to thank Dinesh Adhikari jyu for trusting me with his creations, Hari Lamsal, friends and family…thank you so much,” she expressed. Senior lyricist Dinesh Adhikari penned lyrics for Nikhita’s songs.

Bagging two awards each were artistes Swaroop Raj Acharya and Kali Prasad Baskota, both of them were not present at the venue to collect their awards. For song Manamohini, Acharya won Best Song of the Year and Best Vocal Performance Male.

Meanwhile, the hit song Jaalma of the film Resham Filili got Baskota, Public Choice Award and Best Movie Soundtrack award.

From film song to folk and dohori songs, the Image Award presented awards in 23 categories. It also included technical categories in which Best Music Video Editor of the Year was won by Lokesh Bajracharya for The Unity’s Asha Ajhai and the same song’s video won in the Best Music Video of the Year category.

Apart from these awards, multifaceted Rato Bhale Kwaya Kwaya singer Ganesh Rasik was honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award for his five-decade-long contribution to Nepali music.

Other winners

Best Vocal Performance Pop Male: Amir Sheakh — Oye Maichyang

Best Vocal Performance Pop Female: Milan Amatya — Dui Thopa Aansu

Best Lyrics of the Year: Soche Jasto Bhaye Jeevan — Rajubabu Shrestha

Best Vocal Performance Folk Song: Aama — Raju Pariyar

Best Vocal Performance Dohori Song: Junkiri  — Birahi Karki and Sarita Karki

Best Dohori Song: Rato Pachhyauri — Badri Pangeni and Sakuntala Thapa

Best Music Video Director: Alok Nembang — Kina Layau Maya