Lalitpur, June 23

The Olympic Day celebrations concluded with the Nepal Olympic Committee organising various programmes here at the International Sports Complex today.

NOC Secretary General Lama Tendi Sherpa and President Jeevan Ram Shrestha hoisted national flag and International Olympic Committee during the closing ceremony. Olympians Prabin Tuladhar, Sita Ram Shahi, Debu Thapa, Krishna Basnet, Sirish Gurung and Phupu Lhamu Khatri took a lap of the swimming pool with the Olympic Torch before handing over to Sports for All Commission President Bishnu Gopal Shrestha, who presented the Troch to NOC President Shrestha.

The NOC also honoured senior sports journalists Shyam Chitrakar and Raju Silwal with the Excellence Awards. NOC President Shrestha handed over Rs 25,000 along with letter of appreciation each to the veteran journalists.

Besides that the NOC honoured Nepal Sports Journalists Forum along with different sports associations with the Recognition Awards. NOC President Shrestha among others handed over the awards to Lawn Tennis, Basketball, Golf, Kabaddi, Badminton, Judo, Squash and Rackets, Ski, Boxing, Kurans, Shooting, Archery, Modern Pentathlon, Sambo, Fencing, Swimming, Chess, Sepak Takraw, Karate, Triathlon, Table Tennis, Handball, Cycling, Football and Athletics associations.

NOC also provided the awards to Koteshwor Taekwondo Dojang, Everest English School, Triyog School and Nightingale School. Likewise, singers Kunti Moktan, Ananda Karki and Rima Gurung Hoda as well as music director Prakash Gurung were also honoured on the occasion. The Sports For All Commission organised a total of 28 events — including awareness, educational, health, cultural and sports — during the one-week celebration.

NOC President Shrestha said the committee was committed to organise more events to celebrate Olympic Day. “All the 207 member nations of the IOC are celebrating the Olympic Day to commemorate the establishment of modern Olympics and we did it with a week-long programme,” said Shrestha. “We organised activities in three districts outside the valley this year and we will expand that in the coming days,” he added.