Dr. Bhagwan Koirala and Gargi Kanya Gurukul Honored with Service and National Awards

Kathmandu. This year's 'Sewa Puraskar Nepal' has been awarded to heart specialist Dr. Bhagwan Koirala. At a program organized here today by the Karmayogi Badri Bikram Thapa Smriti Sewa Guthi, he was honored with a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 222,222 in recognition of his contributions to the treatment of heart disease and pediatrics.

Similarly, this year's 'Badri Bikram Rashtriya Gaurav Puraskar Nepal' has been awarded to Gargi Kanya Gurukul, located in Devghat, Bharatpur Metropolitan City-1, Chitwan. The award was given to the Gurukul for providing Sanskrit education to girls of all castes.

The prize money for this award is Rs 222,222 along with a certificate. The award was received by Bhagwati Upadhyay, chief patron and chairperson of Gargi Kanya Gurukul Pratishthan.

At the program, Manmaya Lama of Patan, who operates a vegetable shop at the age of 80, was presented with a labor honor including a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 25,000. Shyam Lal Maharjan of Lalitpur, who is over eighty years old, was also honored with a labor honor including a cash prize of Rs 25,000 for still selling pure mustard oil by visiting homes.

Thapa Smriti Sewa Guthi has provided financial assistance of Rs 25,000 to the Nagendra Raj Sharma Literary Journalism Award Fund this year. Pawan Alok received the assistance on behalf of the fund.

Addressing the program, Swami Atmananda Giri Ji Maharaj expressed happiness that honoring individuals and organizations who work with religion, culture, tradition, and service as their main foundation is a positive step. He stated that even after renouncing worldly life, he continues to practice religion, culture, tradition, and service in his life.

Former Vice-Chancellor of Kathmandu University and Guthi's Chairman Prof. Dr. Suresh Raj Sharma said that Badri Bikram Thapa's contribution to the fields of education and culture is unforgettable. Guthi's Secretary Dr. Chintamani Yogi emphasized the need to build and honor human resources who work with religion, culture, tradition, and service as their core foundation.

Navina Bhattarai, a student studying in class 11 at Gargi Kanya Gurukul, said that Sanskrit is the language of knowledge and science, and everyone needs it. Dr. Man Kafle, Vice-Chairman of Gargi Kanya Gurukul Pratishthan, informed that 85 girls are studying Sanskrit from class 6 to class 12 at the Gurukul.

Awardee Dr. Koirala informed that children's hospitals have already been established in Koshi and Bagmati provinces, and one is about to be established in Karnali Province. He pledged that such children's hospitals, opened with the aim of treating all kinds of diseases in children, would be expanded to all seven provinces of the country.

Guthi's Treasurer and Badri Bikram Thapa's son, Kiran Thapa, informed that the organization, established on Kartik 1, 2053 BS, publishes a special issue called 'Sewa Nepal' every year. He mentioned that this year's special issue is dedicated to senior journalist Bhairav Risal and that this is the 25th issue.

Stating that his father served the nation throughout his life, Kiran informed that the Guthi is moving forward with the goal of doing some special work in 12 places in Nepal. He said that the cooperation of the concerned bodies is necessary for this.

Guthi member Shriom Shrestha informed that Badri Bikram Thapa was established as a justice-loving administrator who even arrested his own father-in-law when he was an Anchaladheesh. He said that as an Anchaladheesh, Thapa used to put money received from various sources into service without touching it himself.

On the occasion of the 104th birth anniversary of Badri Bikram Thapa, individuals and organizations from various fields were honored at a program organized here today.