Bhaktapur, April 6

The annual Nepal National and International Players Association (NNIPA) Player of the Year Award is scheduled for Friday.

NNIPA President Deepak Bista said the format of the award programme would be a different one this time around. “This year we are organising the event at the Bhaktapur Durbar square to send positive message to the society as the nation is trying to rise from the traumatic earthquake,” said Bista at a press meet today.

Bista said they would award the players as recommended by the national associations. “We had asked the national sports associations to send the names of the best players based on their performance in national and international arena. We have received the names of 22 players so far,” he said.

Event coordinator Deepak Thapa thanked the Bhaktapur Sub-metropolitan City for joining hands with the NNIPA for the award programme. “We will award 25 players from as many sports associations,” he added. The best players of each sports discipline will receive Rs 10,000 each, while the ‘Adarsha Kheladi Award’ winner will be awarded with Rs 25,000.

The NNIPA had selected 25 sports — Athletics, Archery, Boxing, Badminton, Basketball, Wushu, Taekwondo, Karate, Judo, Shooting, Gymnastic, Lawn Tennis, Wrestling, Soft Tennis, Weightlifting, Cricket, Table Tennis, Football, Cycling, Golf, Sepak takraw, Triathlon, Fencing and Rafting and Canoeing — included in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games for this year’s award.