President confers awards

Kathmandu - President Bidya Devi Bhandari has conferred awards under various categories instituted by Nepal Bidyapati Award Trust here on Wednesday. 

The Maithili Language and Literature Award carrying a purse of Rs 200,000 has been conferred on the Mithila Art Council while Nepal Maithili Research Award carrying a purse of Rs 100,000 has been given to Professor Dr Birendra Pande. Similarly, Muralidhar Bishwokarma has been given Nepal Bidyapati Maithili Translation Award; Nawin Kumar Mishra the Nepal Bidyapati Maithili Art and Culture Award and Abadhesh Pokhrel given Nepal Bidyapati Maithili Manuscript Award. Each of the awards carries a purse of Rs 100,000. 

It is the fifth edition of the handover of award which was set up by Nepal government in 2068BS in honour of adikavi of the Maithili language. The government had provided Rs 10 million to the Trust for distributing the award. 

On the occasion, President Bhandari said appreciated the role Bidyapati played to lay the foundation of Maithili language and link the cultures from southern plains and the hills. She pointed out the need of making new generation aware of Bidyapati's personality and literary creations. 

She also suggested the State that it continued the culture of awarding those who devote to protect and promote language and literature. 

Chancellor of Nepal Academy Ganga Prasad Upreti said government's respect to all languages, cultures and literatures equally helps ensure inclusive development of the country.