BP Koirala National Prize presented

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, July 25:The government has awarded the BP Koirala National Prize to four personalities, including Nepali Congress senior leader K. B. Gurung.

Issuing a press statement on Monday, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation informed that Kul Bahadur Gurung from Ilam, Dhundiraj Poudel of Arghakhanchi, Devi Prasad Upadhyaya Regmi of Syangja and Giriraj Acharya of Sunsari were awarded the national prize for the Nepali year of 2079 BS.

Gurung, popularly known as K.B. Gurung, and Poudel, popularly known as Dhundiraj Shastri, were jointly presented the award under the political philosophy category, and Regmi and Acharya under the literature category.

Gurung is the former general secretary of the Nepali Congress party and was the Minister for Education in the Girija Prasad Koirala-led cabinet in 1997. He also served as Health Minister. Shastri is also an NC leader and former minister. 

Each category carries a purse of Rs. 100,000.

The awards were handed over on the 41st BP Memorial Day on Saturday at the BP Koirala Museum, formerly the Sundarijal Jail. 

The four personalities were awarded by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Purna Bahadur Khadka.