Five athletes nominated for Peoples’ Choice at NSJF-Pulsar Sports Award

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 19:The Nepal Sports Journalists Forum (NSJF) made public the five athletes for the ‘People’s Choice’ in the 20th edition of the NSJF-Pulsar Sports Award.

Organising a press meet at the capital on Wednesday, the organisers informed that sports enthusiasts will be voting for footballer Ananta Tamang, karate player Biplov Lal Shrestha, volleyball player Niruta Thagunna, table tennis player Sikka Suwal Shrestha and bodybuilder Rajani Shrestha for the ‘Peoples’ 

Choice Award’.

Athletes selected from 27 games will be feted in a total of nine categories, including the Peoples’ Choice, at the NSJF-Pulsar Sports Award. The players will be adjudged based on their performances during mid-April 2022 to mid-April 2023.

Stakeholders, including the general public, will be allowed to vote in five categories, including the Peoples’ Choice category, while the winners for other categories will be decided by a jury of experts. Nominations for the other four categories is said to 

be made public soon. 

NSJF has coordinated with Hansaraj Hulaschand and Company for the sports award. While the organisers had informed of organising the ceremony on January 26, it has been rescheduled for February 11.

According to the organisers, Peoples’ Choice winner will be decided on the vote counts from eSewa, social media (NSJF Pulsar Sports Award and Pulsar Nepal’s Facebook pages), chief coaches of 27 games and NSJF members.

Votes from eSewa will share a value of 50 per cent while those from social media are valued 25 per cent. Likewise, the votes from coaches and NSJF members will have a value of 12.5 per cent each while selecting the winner of the ‘Peoples’ Choice Award’.

Voting will be open until a day earlier of the award ceremony.

Five nominated athletes

Footballer Ananta Tamang has led different teams to win several domestic leagues. Church Boys United won its maiden A Division league title while debuting in the league under the captainship of Tamang. He also led his team Lalitpur City FC to clinch NSL Season 2 trophy recently. Tamang has also shown his quality in almost every game he has played wearing the national jersey.

Karateka Biplov Lal Shrestha won two bouts in the 19th Asian Games and was able to win a silver medal at the World Shitoryu Karatedo International Championships held in Jakarta, Indonesia. Volleyball player Niruta Thagunna was in the Nepal squad that won the bronze medal at the CAVA Women’s Challenge Cup. She was also the best player in the Keshav Lal Shrestha Memorial National Women’s Volleyball Tournament.

Table tennis player Sikka Suwal Shrestha is a national champion in doubles. She also won the 2023 Stag Global Champions League. 

Bodybuilder Rajani Shrestha was the gold medalist in the category of above 55kg at the 55th Asian Body Building Championship held in Nepal. She was able to show that body building was not only for men by proving herself in the international stage.