Shrestha donates prize money to yoga organisation

By A Staff Reporter,Bhaktapur, Aug. 3: Poet and short story writer Avaya Shrestha has donated the prize money he received from the Sahitya Sangam Makwanpur Kriti Samman for his poetry collection 'Lahana ra Teer' to the Patanjali Yoga Samiti (PAYOS) Nepal.

In the presence of PAYOS Nepal’s President Balmukunda Suwal, Senior Vice President Nawaraj Kafle, and others, Shrestha handed over the prize amount of Rs. 25,000 to PAYOS Nepal Treasurer, Gita Prasad Nepal, during the 7th anniversary celebration of the Gundu Yoga Meditation Centre in Bhaktapur on Saturday.

The award was conferred by the Sahitya Sangam Makwanpur, which had selected 'Lahana ra Teer' as the best poetry collection published in BS 2081-82. The honour was officially conferred on May 23 in Hetauda. The collection was published by Bookhill Publications in 2080 BS. 

Poet Shrestha stated that he donated the prize money as a contribution to the construction of PAYOS Nepal’s new building, which is currently under construction in Tathali of the Changunarayan Municipality in Bhaktapur. A certified yoga instructor himself, Shrestha also serves as an advisor to the central committee of PAYOS Nepal.“Yoga helps prevent diseases from arising in the first place,” he said. “That’s why I am personally committed to the study, practice, and training of yoga and natural healing.”

Previously, Shrestha had returned the prize money of the 'Garima Prose Award 2069', established by the Sajha Prakashan, to the financially struggling Sajha Prakashan itself. His short story 'Bhuichalo', which was published in Garima monthly, was announced the best prose work of the year.