NNIPA felicitates athletes with Player of the Year awards

Bhaktapur, April 8

Nepal National and International Players Association honoured 25 athletes from various sports disciplines with the Player of the year Award here today.

Organising the programme at the Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the NNIPA awarded the players who were recommended by their respective national associations based on their performance over the period of one year. NNIPA had selected 25 sports disciplines included in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.

The winners of the awards were Jeet Bahadur Moktang (Archery), Gopi Chandra Parki (Athletics), Nangsal Devi Tamang (Badminton), Sneha Shrestha (Basketball), Puran Rai (Boxing), Raju Rijal (Cricket), Ajay Pandit Chhetri (Cycling), Deep Sawan (Table Tennis), Anil Gurung (Sepak takraw), and Ram Bahadur Shahi (Fencing).

Likewise, Nawayug Shrestha received the award in football, while Tanka Bahadur Karki was named the PoY in golf. Other winners included Rishika Shrestha (Gymnastic), Ramesh Magar (Judo), Bimala Tamang (Karate), Samrakshyan Bhusan Bajracharya (Lawn Tennis), Neeb Bahadur Magar (Rafting), Nisha Rawal (Taekwondo), Rudra Katwal (Triathlon), Sneha RL Rana (Shooting), Pradip Khatri (Soft Tennis), Sirish Gurung (Swimming), Tara Devi Pun (Weightlifting), Saroj Yadav (Wrestling), and Jharana Gurung (Wushu). The athletes got Rs 10,000 each and appreciation letters.

Meanwhile, the NNIPA felicitated national team football coach Raju Kaji Shakya with the Gajaraj Joshi Memorial Ideal Sports Personality Award. He received Rs 25,000 along with appreciation letter. President of Nepal Workers Peasants Party Narayan Man Bijukchhe and NNIPA president Deepak Bista among others handed over the awards to the athletes. Cultural performances from various groups and a stand-up comedy from Wilson Bikram Rai added the spice in the programme, which was organised outside Kathmandu for the first time in nine years.

Event coordinator Deepak Thapa said the NNIPA would continue with the programme which is organised by the players for the players. He also thanked sponsors and supporters for their generous support. NNIPA organised the ninth edition of the award ceremony in association with Bhaktapur Sub-metropolitan City, while National Sports Council and Nepal Olympic Committee were the supporters.