Young fast bowler Anuj Chanara has received financial support from South Korea to purchase cricket equipment.
Anuj was able to receive this support after cricket enthusiasts in South Korea organized a fundraising campaign. About two weeks ago, after delivering an impressive performance in the Prime Minister Cup representing Karnali Province, he was selected for the closed training camp of the Nepali national team for the Oman tour. Following this, HamroKhelkud.com published a story on his inspiring journey titled “From Borrowed Shoes to the National Team.”
The story highlighted Anuj’s difficult financial situation, revealing how the 16-year-old from Jajarkot had to borrow a friend’s shoes to play in the Prime Minister Cup. When he later joined the closed training camp, his friend needed the shoes back for his own match, leaving Anuj to train in a worn-out pair he had bought a year earlier.
After the story was published, support began pouring in to help him buy proper cricket gear. On Monday, through a special initiative led by Sudip Rawat in South Korea, Anuj received 827,000 Korean Won (approximately NPR 86,700) during an online event. Rawat, originally from Jajarkot, had launched a campaign among the Nepali community in South Korea after reading the story on HamroKhelkud.com. The amount was officially handed over in the presence of Rawat, Anuj, and his uncle Narendra Bik.
“Jajarkot is a place where even basic healthcare is lacking, and people sometimes lose their lives due to treatable illnesses. For someone to rise from such a place and reach the national team’s closed training camp is a matter of great pride. We are very happy to contribute to Anuj’s sporting journey and are ready to support him in the future as well,” Rawat said. He also encouraged Anuj to stay focused and continue working hard to bring recognition to Karnali and Nepal.
Earlier, several Nepali cricket supporters—Tara Pathak, Binod G.C., Govinda Bhusal, Pratik Upadhyay, Jay Lamichhane, and Krishna Khanal—had jointly provided him with cricket shoes worth NPR 18,000. Advocate Ramesh Bahadur Khadka contributed NPR 7,000, while Kamal Bishwakarma of Kamal Sun-Chandi Stores (Pokhara, Beni, and Myagdi) donated NPR 5,000. Sauraha Sands also supported him with NPR 15,000 for purchasing shoes.
Anuj had been selected for the national team’s closed training camp for the Oman tour for the first time. Although he made it through the initial phase, he was not included in the second round of selection. The series in Oman, originally scheduled for Chaitra, has also been postponed. The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has now continued training with a reduced squad of 20 players.
List of Contributors from South Korea:
A total of 29 individuals contributed to the fundraising campaign, including Sudip Rawat (101,000 KRW), Kamal KC (30,000 KRW), Bhim Rokaya (20,000 KRW), Tejbikram Rokaya (31,000 KRW), Bhanu Magar (50,000 KRW), Prakash Basnet (31,000 KRW), Sakendra Chanara (40,000 KRW), Nepal Karki (50,000 KRW), Hari Thapa (30,000 KRW), Purna Budha (16,000 KRW), KP Kusari (50,000 KRW), Tilak Hamal (30,000 KRW), Ganesh Koirala (21,000 KRW), Kushal Darlami (30,000 KRW), Laxmi Narayan Basnet (16,000 KRW), Yagya Raj Kandel (20,000 KRW), Kamal Magar (20,000 KRW), Nima Gurung (30,000 KRW), Basanta Babu Basnet (20,000 KRW), Tulash Gurung (21,000 KRW), Bhakta Raj Yogi (21,000 KRW), Dharma Raj Shahi (16,000 KRW), Kamal Magar (30,000 KRW), Mohan Raut (10,000 KRW), Dinesh Kshetri (15,000 KRW), Himal Bohora (10,000 KRW), MK Rai (30,000 KRW), Dipen Thapa (25,000 KRW), and Bimal Subedi (10,000 KRW).
This collective effort reflects how a powerful story and a young athlete’s determination can inspire support across borders.
