Tamatta named best coach, Shah honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously
KATHMANDU, MARCH 22
Former national men's cricket team skipper Paras Khadka and national women's football team striker Sabitra Bhandari won the Player of the Decade awards of the Pulsar Sports Awards here at the Nepal Academy today.
Khadka, who dominated the Nepali sports in the last decade with his personal performance and leadership skills, led Nepal to their maiden World Cup, the Twenty20 World Cup In Bangladesh in 2014. He was the captain of the team that made the journey to World Cricket League Division-II from Division-V apart from earning the One Day International and Twenty20 International status.
Khadka, who had bagged four Player of the Year awards previously, also led the team to first title in ACC Trophy in 2012. He dedicated the award to his team and team members.
"The award obviously goes to the team and I am nothing without the team members," said Khadka, the first Nepali cricketer to score centuries in ODIs and T20Is. "I have already announced that I will always remain in the field of cricket and will be serving the sport under any role," he added.
Bhandari, the most successful player in women's football, is regarded as one of the best strikers in South Asia. She is the highest scorer with 38 goals in 34 matches she played for the national team. With the national team, Bhandari has won six silver medals – three each in South Asian Games and SAFF Championships.
Bhandari also played in Women's Super League in India and won titles on both occasions.
Cricket coach Jagat Tamatta was named the coach of the decade. Tamatta was the coach when Nepal earned the ODI status in 2018 from the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in 2018. He coached the youth team that won the Global Qualifiers and also entered the quarter-finals of the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2016, which is the best performance of Nepali team in seven appearances.
Tamatta also dedicated the award to his team. "I have spent 24 years in cricket and I have given more time to the sport compared to my family," he said. "I will always be indebted to cricket and serve the sport until my last breath," added Tamatta.
The pioneer of Nepali sports and infrastructure, late Sharad Chandra Shah was honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously.
Shah, who served the National Sports Council as Member Secretary, is credited for initiating competitive sports events in the country apart from infrastructure development. Receiving the award, Shah's daughter Mihika Shah thanked the NSJF for remembering the services of her father. "He always wanted Nepal's flag to be raised high at international sports stages and we are proud of him," she said.
Dr Ajay Rana received the Special Award for his relentless services in sports health. Rana, the national team member of hockey and a good footballer as well, was the medical incharge in the first South Asian Games in Kathmandu in 1984. He was also the FIFA Medical Instructor and member of AFC Panel of Medical Expert.
Rana also served in the World Badminton, World Boxing Federation and International Soft Tennis Federation.
Table Tennis player Elina Maharjan won the People's Choice Award. Maharjan garnered 49 per cent votes, while national women's football team goalkeeper Anjila Tumbapo Subba was a distant runner-up with 21 per cent votes. Junior World No 1 badminton player Prince Dahal, national cricket team member Kushal Bhurtel and athlete Santoshi were also nominated in the category, which was decided through public votes received through eSewa and social media along with votes from coaches and sports journalists.
AIPS Asia President Sattam Al Sehali was honoured with Asian Sports Journalist award, while athlete Pushpa Bhandari – who won gold medal in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Dhaka Marathon with the timing of two hours, 59 minutes and 41 seconds – received the performer of the year award. Likewise, the Three Nation's Cup winning national football team was felicitated with the Team of the Year award. Also, Sarita Thulung received the para-athlete award.
Apart from the awards, the national wushu team members, singers Satya Raj Acharya, Sworup Acharya and Asmita Adhikari, comedian Manoj Gajurel entertained the audiences with their performances. Youth and Sports Minister Maheshwor Jung Gahatraj, Managing Director of Hansraj Hulaschand and Company Pvt Ltd and President of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce Industries Shekhar Golchha and AIPS Asia General Secretary Amjad Aziz Malik handed over the awards to the winners.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 23, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
