10 books shortlisted for Bimal Gurung Kriti Award

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 19: Ten books have been shortlisted for the Bimal Gurung Kriti Award 2080 BS. According to a press statement issued on Friday afternoon by Purna Bahadur Gurung, Chairman of Poet Bimal Gurung Memorial Library, Dharan, the shortlisted books include Nirjoya (a novel) by Daju Gurung, Lahana Ra Teer (a collection of poetry) by Avaya Shrestha, Kewafungko Geet (a collection of poetry) by Gagan Yokpangden, Prasanharu Ta Banki Nai Rahanchhan (a collection of essays) by Momila and Nepalma Surung Yuddha (non-fiction) jointly penned by Jaskumar Rai and Arjun Upreti. 

Similarly,  Antim Selo (a collection of poetry) by Indu Nepal Yonjan, Shabdathum (a collection of essays) by Prakash Thamsuhang, Bora (a novel) by Akhanda Bhandari, Chiyaguff (a collection of essays) by Praveen Khaling and Kuhirobhitra Ghum Jorbanglo (a collection of poetry) by Manjula Tamang Subba are also shortlisted.

The press release read that the  10  books in Nepali were selected from 101 books published within 2080 BS from Nepal and India.

It is stated that one of the shortlisted books will be selected for the Bimal Gurung Kriti Award 2080 BS. The Award carries a purse of Rs. 200,000.

Likewise, 10 poems were shortlisted for the Bimal Memorial National Poetry Festival 2081. It is mentioned that the poems were selected out of 81 received from Nepal and all over the world.

The shortlisted poems are of  Anam Apekshit from Khotang, Season Shrestha from Sankhuwasabha, Anjan Pradeep from Nawalparasi, Shanti Limbu from UK, Samikshya Chhiling Rai from Morang, Deependra Acharya from Ilam, Minjai Rai from Sunsari, Prashanta Upreti from France, Lekali Kanchha Mukkum from Taplejung and  Deepa Magrati from Sunsari.

It is informed that three poems out of 10 will be announced the first, second and third.

The winners will be honoured with the Awards during the Bimal Memorial National Poetry Festival 2081 to be held in Dharan on November 9.

In memory of the late poet Bimal Gurung, his parents Purna Bahadur Gurung and Saraswati Gurung had established the Poet Bimal Gurung Memorial Library in 1991 and started the poetry festival in the very year. The practice of presenting the Bimal Gurung Kriti Award started last year.

Born in November 1971 in Hongkong, Poet Bimal Gurung died in a bus accident in May 1991. He had two poetry collections to his credit such as Aatma Ghosana and Swargiya Bimal Gurungka Kehi Kavita (Some poems by the Late Bimal Gurung).  The latter was published posthumously.