By a Staff Reporter
The National Sports Council (NSC) awarded cash prizes to 13 players including Palesha Gowdardhan Shrestha of Para Taekwondo, Prince Dahal of Badminton and Aruna Shahi of Volleyball.
On the occasion of President’s Women’s Sports Participation Enhancement Program, NSC awarded the players from three categories with cash on Monday. The supreme governing body handed over Rs 150,000 each to two players, Rs 100,000 each to four players and Rs 50,000 each to seven players.
Prince and Palesha were awarded with Rs 150,000 and a certificate. Palesha, who missed out a medal at the Tokyo Paralympics last year, won gold at the Asian Youth Para Taekwondo. Likewise, emerging shuttler Prince held top rank in World Juniors Ranking last year.
Boxing’s Narika Rai, Swastika Thiruva, Chiring Sherpa and Para Taekwondo’s Srijana Ghising were awarded Rs 1 lakh each and a certificate. Boxing’s Narika won bronze at the Asian Youth Championships whereas Swastika and Chiring won bronze at the Asian Junior Championships. Similarly, Srijana of Para Taekwondo won a silver medal in the World President’s Cup on March 14.
Captain of the Women’s National Volleyball Team Aruna Shahi along with Rajpura Pachai and Pushpa Bhandari of Athletics, Soni Gurung and Basanta Tharu of Triathlon, Ranjana Dhami and Bishal Garbuja of Para Taekwondo were awarded Rs 50,000 each.
Rajpura of Athletics won silver in the South Asian Cross Country in India in January 2022 whereas Pushpa won silver in the Dhaka Marathon. Under the captaincy of Aruna Shahi, Nepal had won gold in the Asian Central Zone Volleyball Challenge Cup held in Bangladesh last year.
Soni and Basanta of the triathlon won bronze in the ninth South Asian Championship in 2022. Ranjana of Para Taekwondo came third in the Asian Geeks selection and Bishal brought home bronze in the Youth Asian Games 2021.
Youth and Sports Minister Hon. Maheshwar Jung Gahatraj, NSC Vice President Shiva Koirala, Member Secretary Tank Lal Ghising, Maiti Nepal Founder President Anuradha Koirala, Nepal Olympic Committee General Secretary Nilendra Raj Shrestha, Olympian Deepak Bista, Nepal National and International Athletes Association President Deepak Shrestha and program’s Chairman as well as NSC board member Chandra Badana Rai were presented at the award function.
A video exhibition featuring the life stories of Chari Maya Tamang, acid attack victim Muskan Khatun, Olympian Sangina Vaidya and ultra runner Mira Rai was displayed during the program.
