Kathmandu, August 17

Nepal Judo Association (NJA) on Monday handed over financial assistance to the family members of three Judokas who lost their lives in the devastating earthquake that jolted the nation on April 25.

Judokas Anisha Dangol and Nilam Dangol from Nuwakot and Narayan Tamang from Dhading were killed in the quake that claimed more than 8,500 lives across the country. Minister for Youth and Sports Purushottam Paudel handed over Rs 300,000 to the family members of the deceased judokas amidst a programme at the National Sports Council.

Likewise, NJA handed over Rs 100,000 to volunteer coach and Olympian judoka Ganga Bahadur Dangol to renovate Nuwakot Dojo, which was damaged by the earthquake. NJA had received the fund of $50,000 from the International Judo Federation and another $10,000 from All Japan Judo Federation.

NJA president Deepak Harsha Bajracharya said the association handed over the financial assistance to the most affected ones in the first phase.

“We will distribute funds to other players and their families later,” Bajracharya said.

Karatekas Chandra Kumar Shrestha and Suraj Dangol, para-athlete Jit Bahadur Khadka, cricketer Manoj Pandit, volleyball chief coach Keshav Lal Shrestha and sports journalist Suman Bhomjan were the seven others killed in the quake.