Kathmandu, September 20

The first-ever autobiography of a Nepali sportsperson, Olympian by Surendra Hamal was released here today.

Five Olympians Sangina Baidya, Pushpa Raj Ojha, Jagdish Pradhanm Anita Shrestha and Hamal unveiled the book amidst a programme at the at the Olympian semi-covered hall.

The 206-page book, published by Creative Books, is divided into six chapters. Hamal, the Asian Championships bronze medallist and two-time South Asian Federation Games silver medals winner, braved intestine cancer four years ago and has been serving as the Treasurer of the National Sports Council. The 54-year-old Hamal, who hails from Gharbari Tole of Nepalgunj in Banke district, began his career from table tennis and jumped to wrestling before finally settling in weightlifting. He went on to win Asian-level medal and represented the nation in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

“I had never thought of writing a book. It was nowhere even in any corner of my mind. The idea clicked after friends and journalists from Nepalgunj insisted me to write an autobiography,” remembered Hamal. “Sports journalist TS Thakuri forced me into the project and I decided to write it down.”

The author has described his fight against cancer in the first chapter. “The life-threatening cancer not just came a disease for me, it also gave me a chance to write a book. I hope the success story of my career and the difficulties during that period will inspire the upcoming players,” Hamal added.

The second chapter deals with his childhood, while the third chapter describes his sporting as well as political career. He also became Deputy Mayor of Nepalgunj Municipality. The third chapter includes Hamal’s playing career from district and regional to National Games. Hamal has described his international playing career in the fifth chapter, while he has compared weightlifting of his time with present context in final chapter.

Litterateur Nayan Raj Pandey and President of Nepal Sports Journalists Forum praised the creation of Hamal while commenting on the autobiography. Nepal Olympic Committee President Jeevan Ram Shrestha said the sports fraternity was excited with the release of the autobiography of an athlete. President of Nepal Weightlifting Association Ratan Tandon, General Secretary of NOC Lama Tendi Sherpa, General Secretary of Nepal National and International Players Association Deepak Shrestha, Chairman of Mid-western Regional Sports Development Committee Bhim Oli and Member of Parliament Asha BK among others congratulated Hamal for coming up with the autobiography of an athlete.