KATHMANDU: Armed Police Force (APF) have finally shown a proper way of felicitating the national heroes — the 11th South Asian Games medallists — here today.

Breaking away with the trend of honouring the SA Games stars with garlands along with heavy dose of political rhetorics, the departmental team awarded their players with cash prizes and promotion. Twenty one APF players won medals at the SA Games, held between January 29 to February 9 in Dhaka. Nepal had won eight gold, nine silver and 20 bronze medals in Dhaka.

APF awarded Rs 50,000 each to two of their gold medallists, Rs 35,000 apiece to 13-member Women’s Football silver medallists and a boxing finalist Ajit Gurung (60kg), and Rs 20,000 each to five shuttlers who won the Badminton Team bronze medals. Of the 21 APF players, 15 were also promoted to the ranks of Assistant Head

Constable from Police Constable. Karate coach Deepak Shrestha was also awarded Rs 20,000. In all, 35 APF players had represented Nepal in the regional meet in Dhaka.

Of the 21 APF players on the winning side, 13 represented Nepal in the Women’s Football. The others being karate gold medallists Sunil Lama

(Men’s 55kg) and Ganga Adhikari (Women’s 61kg), Badminton bronze medal winners Bishal Pradhan and contracted player Sajan Krishna Tamrakar (Men’s Team Event) along with Sujana Shrestha, Puja Shrestha and Sabina Panthi (Women’s Team Event).

Of the two gold karatekas only Sunil Lama received promotion. Of the five APF shuttlers only Bishal and Sujana got promotion. Except for Ranjana Darji, Mira Maharjan, Bhagwati Thapa, Pramila Rai, Nisha Dewan, Binita Shrestha, Mana Maya Magar, Anu Lama, Tulasa Singh, Jamuna Gurung, Laxmi Kumari Poudel, Usha Bhandari and Dipa Chhetri all were promoted to the ranks to Assistant Head Constable.

Home Minister Bhim Rawal presented the cash prizes to the players at the APF headquarters while APF Inspector General Sanat Kumar Basnet presented the insignia to the promoted players in a separate programme later in the day.

Meanwhile, Democratic National Youth Federation also feted the 11th SA Games medallist here today.