ICT Awards given out

By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, Dec. 25: The ICT Awards for 2022 are given in 14 categories to companies, professionals and applications. Monal Tech Pvt. Ltd. bagged the Huawei Start-up ICT Award at the grand finale of the awards organised by Living With ICT on Friday evening. 

Likewise, Galli Maps won Product ICT Award, Karobar received Rising Star ICT Award, and Digital Education ICT Awards were given to Gyanodaya Bal Batika School in private sector and Gyanodaya Secondary School in public sector. 

Nepal Telecom Pioneer ICT Award was given to Bijay Krishna Shrestha, Entrepreneur ICT Award to Mangesh Lal Shrestha, Nepali Diaspora ICT Award to Dr. Ved Kafle, and Ncell Woman Icon ICT Award to Sheela Kansakar Karki. 

Similarly, Phonepay Payment Services Ltd. won Digital Services ICT Award, Nagarik App received Digital Governance ICT Award, Tech4Billion (Chingari) bagged South Asia ICT Award, Tigg won Public Choice ICT Award, while Dikshant Pandey won Jury Mention ICT Award for Python Voice Assistant. 

Addressing the awards ceremony, Chief Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi, said that although Nepal had made some significant progress in the field of information and communication technology, there is a lot to be done. 

Since every sector could be developed with the help of the ICT, it should be in the priority of the government as well as the private sector stakeholders, he said. ICT Award Coordinator Rajan Lamsal said that the awards have been organised for the past seven years to develop the digital ecosystem in Nepal.

"After six months of tireless hard work and effort, we have successfully completed the ICT Award. Our campaign to encourage new start-ups, ideas and innovations and honour the pioneers will continue in the days to come,” he said. 

Likewise, Secretary of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Dr. Baikuntha Aryal promised the ministry’s readiness to provide necessary support and cooperation for the development of the ICT sector.

Thakur Gaire, a member of the House of Representatives, said that emphasis should be placed on the development of digital infrastructure and promised that he would take initiatives at the policy making level.

This year, more than 550 online applications were received for the award and the selection process was conducted for five months. Start-up and idea fest, mentoring session, story sharing session, field visit, presentation and speed dating were conducted this year in connection with the award.

The winners of Start-up ICT Award, Product ICT Award, Rising Star Innovation ICT Award have received credits worth hundreds of thousands rupees for cloud services from Microsoft and Huawei. Nepal Telecom has given high speed internet service to all the winners for one year, while Ncell has given Rs. 300 thousand cash to the Women Icon ICT Award winner.

Similarly, Silver Lining has given a special support package in the digital services category. Other sponsors and supporting organisations have provided free services in various ways. Different types of networking and meetings will be conducted to create an investment environment for start-ups and products.

Meanwhile, Cura Health from Province 1, Easyits from Madhes Province, Knowledge Exchange from Bagmati Province, Swastik Group (Swastik Nutri Food) from Gandaki Province, Farid Dotcom from Lumbini Province, Surkhet Soft from Karnali Province and Pathibhara Sensor Solution Industry from Sudurpaschim Province have been honoured as the best start-ups in the provinces.