By a Staff Reporter
Kathmandu – Athletes and officials, including the most successful Olympian in individual sports in Nepal, Deepak Bista were honored on Friday.
Former and current sportspersons and officials to be felicitated were announced on the occasion of Constitution Day on September 19 (Asoj 3). The athletes and officials were honored at a program organized at the Presidential Palace today.
Gaurika Singh, who won four gold medals in the 13th South Asian Games (SAG) held in Nepal three years ago was included in the list to be adorned with an honor from the nation. Gaurika is currently residing in the United States for her higher studies.
Gaurika along with police constable Prakash Kathayat are among the two athletes to be felicitated with Rastradeep Bibhusan. Gaurika won 9 medals including 4 golds at the 13th South Asian Games(SAG). Gaurika, who has participated in the Olympics twice, was the youngest participant in the 2016 Rio Olympics. She was 13 years old back then.
Deepak Bista, who won gold medals in taekwondo from the 8th to the 11th edition of the South Asian Games, has been adorned with the prestigious national honor from Prabal Janasewashree (Strong Public Servant). Bista is the sole athlete to have won 4 gold medals and 2 bronze medals in Asian Games. He was the second person to qualify for the Olympics by advancing through selection rounds.
Along with Gaurika and Bista, more than a dozen individuals associated with the sports have also been felicitated. Jagadish Bhatt, who led the women’s national volleyball team to the title of Central Zone Championship twice along with team skipper Aruna Shahi, the gold medalist of the Youth Para Asain Championship and Para Olympian Palesha Goverdhan, the Secretary General of Nepal Olympic Committee(NOC) Narendra Raj Shrestha, the secretary of the Nepal Fencing Association Sujan Raj Shrestha, the chief Football Coach of National Sports Council Aruna Gurung, and Taekwondo players Bhajindra Bahadur Kshetri has also been honored for their contributions to Nepali sports.
Overall, the event was a celebration of the hard work and dedication of athletes and officials in Nepal and a reminder of the importance of sports in bringing people together and promoting national unity.
Honored Sports players and Officials
National Decoration (Rastradip): Gaurika Singh (Olympian,4-time gold medalist at 13th SAG)
Strong Public Servant (Prabal Janasewashree): Deepak Bista (Olympian)
Service to People (Jana Seva Shree): Jagadish Bhatta(National Women’s Volleyball Team Coach), Nilendra Raj Shrestha (NOC Secretary-General), Sujan Lal Shrestha(Nepal Fencing Association Secretary-General), Jagat Bhadhur Khadka(Sports Development Director), Palesha Goverdhan Shrestha(Para Taekwondo, Para Olympian), Aruna Gurung(Chief Football Coach, Sports Council), Aruna Shahi (National Women’s Volleyball Team Captain), Bhajindra Bahadur Kshetri(Taekwondo Athlete)
Nepal Pratap Bhushan: Pramila Rijal (Armed Police Force Nepal Athletics and Physical Fitness Academy)
Medal of Honor (Sukriti Medal): Renuka Shrestha,Deepak Maharjan,Prashant Mallla,Shyam Gurung,Motikala Gurung, Shivandhwaj Devan Rai, Ranjit Tamang.
