Lalitpur, August 3

The World Taekwondo Federation felicitated Youth and Sports Minister Jagat Bahadur Sunar with honorary seventh DAN degree here today.

WTF President Chungwon Choue handed over the certificate to minister Sunar amidst a programme. The WTF also honoured National Sports Council Vice-president Pitamber Timsina, Member of Parliament Krishna Kumar Shrestha and Province-3 President of Nepal Taekwondo Association Keshab Puri with sixth DAN degree each, while 20 others got appreciation letters from the taekwondo’s world governing body.

The Himalayan Times Sports Chief Mahesh Acharya and former president of Nepal Sports Journalists Forum Ajay Phuyal were among those who were honoured by the WTF. President of Sumeru Group Bharat Maharjan, NTA Vice-presidents Bhan Bahadur Chand, Harishwor Pokharel and Dil Bahdur Oli, Treasurer Kasim Miya Dhobi, Chief Coach Nanda Kumar Rai, Province-3 vice-president Deepak Malhotra and CEO of Vogue Ad and Event Management Prabhat Rimal also received the WTF certificate.

Taekwondo coach Kumar Lama Ghishing and NSC engineer Arun Upadhya were also honoured along with Sailung Rural Municipality Chairman Bharat Prasad Dulal, Ward chairmen Rajendra Budhathoki and Kiran Thapa, vice-president of Federation of Swoyambhu Management and Conservation Gyanu Lama, general secretary Mahendra Ratna Buddhacharya and engineer Rajesh Suwal, archaeological officer Devendra Bhattarai, Mentor Institute Pvt Ltd Managing Director Hemanta Bhattarai and Narayani Steel CEO Roshit Unnithan.

The NTA honoured taxi driver Simal Rai and singer Tanka Budhathoki with NTA Social Heroes for their selfless contribution towards the society. NTA President Prakash Shumsher Rana handed over the appreciation letters and Rs 10,000 each to the duo. The NTA also felicitated WTF President Choue.

Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Sunar and WTF President Choue inaugurated the World Taekwondo Cares Project.

The project, which is under the programme of WTF, has two parts — Women Empowerment for the girls suffered from women violence and Reformatory Inmates for the children of the parents serving jail terms.