NSJF Pulsar Sports Award: Anjan awarded Best Sportsperson

KATHMANDU: Anjan Bista, member of the Nepali National men’s Football Team, has been awarded the Best Sportsperson of the Year under the male category in the 19th edition of NSJF Pulsar Sports Award-2078 BS.

In the event organized by the Nepal Sports Journalists Forum (NSJF) on Tuesday, Bista was feted with that award.

The nominees for the Award were cricketer Kushal Bhurtel and Deependra Singh Airee, footballer Kiran Chemjong and badminton player Prince Dahal.

Bista was awarded in recognition of his significant contributions in the 13th South Asian Games.
Similarly, volleyball player Aruna Shahi got the Best Female Sportsperson of the Year. Competing with her in the same category were boxer Punam Rawal, athlete Pushpa Bhandari and cricketers Sita Rana Magar and Rubina Chettri.

Shahi had played an important role in securing Nepal a win in the Asian Central Zone Volleyball Competition held in Bangladesh.

Likewise, Manish Dangi was declared the Best Youth Sportsperson of the Year. He defeated his contenders footballer Preeti Rai, boxer Tshiring Wangdi Sherpa, Badminton Rashila Maharjan and volleyball player Usha Bhandari.

Moreover, Former coach of National Football Abdul Almutairi was honoured with the Best Coach of the year award. Other contenders were cricket’s coach Dave Whatmore, para taekwondo coach Kabiraj Negi, boxing coach Deepak Maharjan and volleyball’s Jagadish Prasad Bhatta.

Olympian sportsperson Raghuraj Onta was feted with the Lifetime Achievements Award in the event while Special Award was conferred on Dan Bahadur Tamang and Maya Devi Moktan.

Tamang and Moktan are parents to champion of badminton Ratna Jit Tamang, Saradevi Tamang and Nashladevi Tamang.

Volleyball player Usha Bhandari bagged the People’s Choice Award defeating contenders footballer Anjan Bista, cricketer Aasif Sheikh, tennis player Avilasha Bista and swimmer Dubana Lama.

Furthermore, Qatari journalist Mohammad Hiji was awarded with the Asian Sports Journalist Award for his profound contributions in sports journalism for over three decades.

Each winner of the Best Sportsperson of the Year under the male and female category, People’s Choice, Best Coach and Best Youth Sportsperson received a motorcycle while winners in other categories got Rs 50,000 each. RSS