Dhulikhel, May 9:

Japanese ambassador to Nepal, Tsutomu Hiraoka, today provided the Hashimoto Foundation Scholarships for this year to four students of the Kathmandu University. Hiraoka handed over cheques of $1,000 each to the four students at a function held here today. Those receiving scholarships were Mahesh Bhattarai, Naula Singh Gharti, Bhagwan Aryal and Prative Joshi, all of the Faculty of Education, KU.

Speaking at the programme, Hiroako hoped the students would contribute to nation building upon the completion of their studies. KU Vice-chancellor Prof Suresh Raj Sharma expressed his heart-felt gratitude to the Hashimoto Foundation for its generous support to the students.

The foundation was established at the initiative of former Japanese PM, Ryotaro Hashimoto. It has been providing scholarships to the students of KU since 1998.