Gauri Tamu Literacy Award presented to poet Gurung

BY A STAFF REPORTER,Kathmandu, Apr. 5: Internationally acclaimed Nepali poet Chandra Gurung was honoured with Gauri Tamu Literacy Award at a function organised at Lwang village of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality-8 on Wednesday.

Founded by author and founding chairperson of Gurung Literature Forum Gauri Tamu, the award carries a purse of Rs. 35,555.

Chairman of Machhapuchhrre Rural Municipality-8 Ram Bahadur Gurung, author Gauri Tamu (Gaurisara), chairman of the Gurung Literature Forum Tej Bahadur Gurung, former IG of Nepal Police Hem Bahadur Gurung, chairman of Lhongo Tamu Sewa Samaj Hitkaji Gurung, social worker Pushpa Gurung jointly handed over the award to poet Gurung on the occasion of the 7th establishment day of the Forum. 

"Poet Chandra is the pride of not only Gurung community but also of the country," announced Gauri Tamu at the function. According to General Secretary of the Forum Samrat Gurung, the Forum honours an author biennially with the award for his/her significant contribution to the field of literature and literacy. 

With the money received from the sale of her first book 'Samai Darbani' and other cash prizes she received, author Tamu founded an endowment fund of Rs. 355, 555 for the award some years back. 

Before this, the Forum had honoured poet Chham Gurung and novelist Tirtha Gurung. 

Born in 2031 BS at Majhgaun of Aarughat Rural Municipality-1, Gorkha, poet Chandra lives in Dharan nowadays. He has many books of poetry to his credit, including Usko Mutubhitra Deshko Naksa Nai Thiyena (There Was No Country Map in His Heart), My Father's Face, Jaba Euta Manchhe Harauchha (When A Man Gets Lost). The last is popular among Nepali poetry lovers which had received the 'Bimal Gurung Literature 

Award-2079'.  

Moreover, a collection of poetry by him translated in Hindi titled ‘Budhe Majhi Ka Desh’ (The Country Of Old Fisherman) is also published from India recently. Likewise, two of his poems are included in an international anthology titled 'Best Asian Poems-2021". He has translated many Nepali poems in English and Hindi and English and Hindi poems in Nepali. Meanwhile, an interaction on the topic 'Why is the Gurung mother tongue disappearing' was also held on the occasion.