Anjan Bista named best male sportsperson at 19th NSJF Pulsar Sports Awards

KATHMANDU, March 8: At the 19th NSJF Pulsar Sports Awards held on Tuesday, Anjan Bista, a member of the Nepali National men's Football Team, was awarded the Best Sportsperson of the Year under the male category. The Nepal Sports Journalists Forum (NSJF) organized the event, and Bista was given the award in recognition of his significant contributions in the 13th South Asian Games. The nominees for the Award were cricketer Kushal Bhurtel and Deependra Singh Airee, footballer Kiran Chemjong, and badminton player Prince Dahal.

Aruna Shahi, a volleyball player, won the Best Female Sportsperson of the Year award, while Manish Dangi was declared the Best Youth Sportsperson of the Year. Former coach of National Football, Abdul Almutairi, was honoured with the Best Coach of the Year award. Olympian sportsperson Raghuraj Onta received the Lifetime Achievements Award, while Dan Bahadur Tamang and Maya Devi Moktan were conferred with the Special Award. Qatari journalist Mohammad Hiji was awarded the Asian Sports Journalist Award for his profound contributions in sports journalism for over three decades.

Winners of the Best Sportsperson of the Year under the male and female category, People's Choice, Best Coach, and Best Youth Sportsperson received a motorcycle, while winners in other categories got Rs 50,000 each. Volleyball player Usha Bhandari won the People's Choice Award, defeating contenders such as footballer Anjan Bista, cricketer Aasif Sheikh, tennis player Avilasha Bista, and swimmer Dubana Lama.

Overall, the 19th NSJF Pulsar Sports Awards recognized the significant contributions made by athletes and coaches in various sporting events held throughout the year.