Kathmandu: Winning the Female Player of the Year Award for the second consecutive year, karateka Arika Gurung made the historic event even more special in the beautiful tourist city of Pokhara. “The hard work has paid off. I have worked so hard to achieve this,” said Arika after receiving the award. “It has encouraged me to do better in the future as well. I want to thank all those who are associated with me and supported me throughout my journey.”
Arika won two gold medals in Bhutan, one gold medal each at the Australian Open and the Asia Pacific Karate Championship, and one silver medal each at the Senior Karate Championship in China and the Karate 1 Premier League in Dubai.
The historic 22nd NSJF Pulsar Sports Award 2081 was held at City Hall in Pokhara on January 7, marking the first time the prestigious sports award ceremony was organized outside Kathmandu.
In the male category, popular cricket all-rounder Dipendra Singh Airee won the Player of the Year Award 2081. Nicknamed ‘Tiger,’ Dipendra delivered a brilliant performance on the cricket field to earn the honor. He hit six sixes in an over against Qatar during the ACC Premier Cup and scored 370 runs while also taking 20 wickets. Additionally, he claimed six wickets during the Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024. After receiving the award, Dipendra thanked the organizers of the National Sports Journalist Forum (NSJF), fans, supporters, and the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN).
Along with Arika and Dipendra, players and coaches from various sports were honored in 11 categories during the annual award ceremony. Kabiraj Negi Lama won the Coach of the Year Award. Lama’s students have secured 13 international medals for Nepal in para taekwondo, including the country’s first Paralympics medal—a bronze won by Palesha Goverdhan in Paris 2024.
Volleyball player Himal Sunari won the ‘People’s Choice Award,’ the only category in which the public, national coaches, and sports journalists voted for the best. Sunari, who hails from Gandaki Province, received 40.1 percent of the total votes to claim the award.
Khadga Bahadur Ranabhat was felicitated with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award.’ Ranabhat, 76, is based in Pokhara and competed in the 1970 Asian Games. He also served as Nepal’s flag bearer during the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, USA. During the 1960s and 1970s, Ranabhat worked as the chief coach under the National Sports Council.
Furthermore, Tulsi Kumar Gurung was awarded the ‘Special Award.’ He was the first Nepali taekwondoin to achieve 9th dan. Gurung established the Hong Kong Nepali Taekwondo Association in 2002 and later worked as a coach of Hong Kong’s national team in 2013. Last year, he brought the Fit Nepal Sports Complex into operation in Pokhara.
Puja Mahato won the Youth Player of the Year Award. She led Nepal to its first U19 Women’s World Cup appearance. During the World Cup Qualifiers, the all-rounder smashed a century against Kuwait and scored a total of 272 runs while also taking 10 wickets. She also captained Nepal in its victory over Pakistan during the U19 Asia Cup.
Prabha Angdembe was awarded the Para Athlete of the Year. A long jumper, Angdembe won a silver medal at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in New Delhi. The special Trailblazer of the Year Award was presented to Palesha Goverdhan, Nepal’s first Paralympics medallist, who won bronze in Paris 2024 and is now aiming for gold at LA28.
Nepal’s men’s and women’s Kho Kho teams were the first recipients of the NSJF Pulsar Sports Award 2081. Bangladesh’s senior sports journalist Rana Hasan was feted with the ‘Asian Sports Journalist Award.’
