Tamot, Manandhar honoured

Lalitpur, July 24: Scholars and researchers Kashinath Tamot and Prof. Dr. Triratna Manandhar have been honoured with the Baikuntha Lakaul Award.Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha handed Tamot and Manandhar the award at Tribhuvan University’s Central Department of Nepal Bhasa on Friday. This award was established by Lakaul in 1985.

The Lakaul Award is usually handed out every two years. However, it had not been given for the past six years due to various reasons.

On the occasion, the female students who completed their masters in Nepal Bhasa and ranked first, second and third among all their peers were given the Chain Lakaul, Tara Lakaul and Rajani Lakaul awards respectively. The recipients for the past three years were awarded jointly this time.

Tejmaya Maharjan, Srijana Maharjan and Kabina Nepali received the Chain Lakaul Award, Renu Shrestha, Jashna Rajbhandari and Silva Pradhan received the Tara Lakaul Award and Nerina Sikhrakar, Arik Mala Pradhan and Karuna Pradhan received the Rajani Lakaul Award.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Shrestha said that he aimed to promote tourism by developing Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur as cultural cities and expressed his desire to work with the Nepal Bhasa Department.

Similarly, an agreement has also been reached between the award’s patron Lakaul family and the Department for the formation of the Baikuntha Lakaul Award Committee under the coordination of Nepal Bhasa Department head Rajan Lal Joshi. Malti Lakaul, Srikantha Lakaul, Sriranjan Lakaul and former head of the Department Prof. Dr. Omkareshwar Shrestha are other members of 

the committee.On the day, Gauri Lakaul also announced that she would provide Rs. 200,000 as an incentive to students choosing to focus on Baikuntha Lakaul for their doctorate.