Jiba Lamichhane presented Uttam Shanti Puraskar

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, May 29: Writer Jiba Lamichhane was recently awarded the ‘Uttam Shanti Puraskar-2081’ for his travel memoir Akshat Antarctica in Kathmandu.

The book chronicles Lamichhane’s journey to Antarctica, based on his 12-day expedition through the frozen continent last year.

He received the award which includes a cash prize of Rs. 100,000 from the Uttam Kunwar Memorial Award Trust. 

The award was presented by the trust’s chairperson, Dr. Parthibeshwar Prasad Timilsina, along with Dr. Vasudev Tripathi and other dignitaries.

Dr. Timilsina said that the award was given in recognition of the book’s innovative perspective, engaging narration, and fresh literary style. 

He added that the memoir vividly captures the challenging and remote Antarctic landscape while raising important environmental issues.

He also added that the award continues to be supported by the family of the late writer Uttam Kunwar.

Since 2044 BS, the trust has annually been awarding Rs. 100,000 to an outstanding nonfiction work, including essays, memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies published within the year.

Upon receiving the award, Lamichhane said that the honour gave him renewed energy as a writer.

The Uttam Shanti Puraskar was established by Shanti Kunwar, the wife of essayist and editor Uttam Kunwar, who won the Madan Puraskar in 2023 BS for his interview collection Srashta Ra Sahitya. Kunwar passed away in 2039 BS at the age of 43.