Kathmandu, July 14

The government today awarded 42 litterateurs for their lifelong contribution to Nepali literature on the occasion of 206th Bhanu Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Bhanu Bhakta Acharya, pioneer poet of Nepali language.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli awarded the literary figures at a programme organised by Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation in the capital. Awards such as National and Provincial Talent Award, Mahakabi Devkota Award, Bhagat Sarwajeet Manab Maryada National Award and Gopal Prasad Rimal National Award were given away.

Keshab Prasad Upadhyaye and Bhisma Upreti were awarded with the Gopal Prasad Rimal National Award. Biswobi Mohan Shrestha, Devi Prasad Subedi, Nayan Raj Pandey, Jibendra Dev Giri and Rochak Ghimere were awarded with Mahakabi Devkota Award.

Bhagat Sarwajeet Manab Maryada National Award was provided to Radendra Barali, Bhadra Ghale and Ranjana Jha. National Talent Award was provided to Gitu Giri, Jeevan Sharma, Govinda Narayan Jyapu and Ambar Singh Basnyat.

The Provincial Talent Award was awarded to 28 persons in four genres: culture, music and drama, fine arts, language and literature. Bhakta Bahadur Rai, Sobha Pokhrel, Basanta Maharjan, Ali Mia Lok Bangmaya Pratisthan, Yubaraj Gautam, Chakka Bahadur Lama and Bhojraj Rai received the award for culture.

Chet Bahadur Rai, Brij Lal Sahani, Dambar Kumari Gurung, Karna Bahadur Gautam, Indra Bahadur B.K, Padma Bahadur Rokaya and Dhoj Bahadur Mahara, were awarded for music and drama. In fine arts genre, Swam Prakash Shrestha, Hari Om Meheta, Umesh Shrestha, Alok Gurung, Nar Bahadur B.K., Pema Lamhu Gurung and Kabita Chaudhary were awarded.

In language and literature genre, Padam Kumar Rai, Chandra Sekhar Upadhaye, Sambhu Kumar Regmi, Devi Prasad Bajbasi, Bindu Sharma, Lal Bahadur Khatri and Bhojraj Bhatta were awarded.

Speaking at the award giving ceremony PM Oli said Bhanu Jayanti could not be celebrated with much enthusiasm this year due to the havoc created by natural disasters for the past few days in the country.

Nepal Academy organising a separate programme honoured national poet (Rastrakavi) Madhav Prasad Ghimire. Ghimire and his spouse Mahalaxmi Ghimire were honoured with a tour of the city on a horse-drawn carriage, this morning.

He was later given a certificate of appreciation for his contribution to Nepali literature. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Ishwar Pokharel handed over the certificate.