Kathmandu: The Himalayan Chess Academy marked its second anniversary with a special ceremony honoring outstanding contributors and players in Nepal’s chess community. The event, held at Royal Singi Hotel in Kathmandu, brought together sports officials, athletes, and distinguished guests to celebrate achievements in chess and recognize excellence across multiple categories.
The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the Himalayan Lifetime Achievement Award to veteran chess player Nabin Tandukar. With a chess career spanning more than four decades, Tandukar has remained an active and respected figure in Nepal’s chess scene. He was the National Chess Champion in 1988 and has continued contributing to the development of the game. During the ceremony, he received the award along with a cash prize from Nepal Olympic Committee President Jeevan Ram Shrestha and renowned comedian Madan Krishna Shrestha. The 66-year-old recipient described the recognition as one of the most meaningful honors of his life.
The academy also presented its Player of the Year 2025 award to Shubhanga Pradhan, the National Under-8 Chess Champion, acknowledging his remarkable performance and potential in the sport. Nihana Shrestha was crowned Queen of the Himalayas 2025, highlighting her achievements in women’s chess.
Several other players and contributors were recognized during the ceremony:
• Prasit Khanal – Rating Excellence Award
• Prabeer KC – Himalayan Tactical Titan Award
• Saatwikman Tuladhar – Himalayan Arena Award
• Nayuma Magar – Community Service Award
• Ayan Joshi – Special Award
• Arij Rai – Himalayan Spirit Award
• Leon Maharjan – Fair Play Award
• Viraj Sarada – Emerging Player of the Year 2025
The awards were presented by prominent dignitaries including Gehendra Rajbhandari, Joint Secretary at Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former Ambassador to the European Union; Tankalal Ghising, former Member Secretary of the National Sports Council; Iswar Gautam, Deputy Managing Director of Surya Nepal; and Mahendra Dhakal, Joint Secretary of the Sikkim Olympic Association.
Earlier in the program, Monalisha Khamboo, founder of Himalayan Chess Academy, delivered a detailed presentation highlighting the academy’s progress over the past two years and outlining its future plans for promoting chess in Nepal. The event also featured the unveiling of the 2083 Nepali calendar by former Minister for Youth and Sports Biraj Bhakta Shrestha and Khamboo.
The ceremony was attended by several distinguished personalities, including former National Sports Council Member Secretary Ramesh Kumar Silwal, former captain of Nepal’s national cricket team Gyanendra Malla, karate champion Erika Gurung with coach Kushal Shrestha, mountaineer Purnima Shrestha, Himalayan Outdoor Project co-founder Anup Gurung, and representatives from sports, business, and local government.
Through initiatives like tournaments, training programs, and recognition of outstanding players, the Himalayan Chess Academy continues to strengthen the chess culture in the country and inspire the next generation of players.
