Meanwhile, five players-Bharat Khawas (football) Aslesha Lissanevitch (tennis), Shakti Gauchan (cricket), Sabita Chaudhary (athletics) and Ramila Tandukar (volleyball)-have been picked as the nominees for popular player of the year. [break]As the popular player will be picked on the basis of SMS votes, the nominees are engaged in a fierce campaign to secure maximum votes.
BHARAT KHAWAS (FOOTBALL)Bharat Khawas does not need any introduction in the Nepali sports arena. Khawas shot to fame after joining Nepal Police Club. “My father and relatives are busy distributing pamphlets in a bid to garner support for me,” said Khawas. His colleagues in the national football team have contributed at least Rs 1,000 each to garner support for him. “Sahara UK has provided me Rs 20,000,” Khawas added.
ASLESHA LISSANEVITCH (TENNIS)A great fan of Maria Sharapova, Aslesha Lissanevitch is busy seeking support. “We’ve been seeking support through social media like Facebook, too,” Lissanevitch’s mother Kabita said. Aslesha had recently given an interview about her achievement in a local newspaper. However, no banner or pamphlets have been used in her campaign, Kabita added.
SHAKTI GAUCHAN (CRICKET)Shakti Gauchan is once again is in the news after Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals called him for a trial. Though he did not play for the team in IPL, he left an impression that Nepali players have the potential. “Bhairahawa (home town), Rupandehi and Butwal districts have extended their support for me,” Shakti said. A short ad where Shakti Gauchan pleads for votes is time and again broadcast through Buddha TV, a-Rupandehi-based TV station.
SABITA CHAUDHARY (ATHLETICS)
National record holder of two events in the National Games, Sabita Chaudhary has always been the center of attraction. Far-western region has begun a campaign to garner support for her. Visiting schools and giving interviews to the media --local FMs and newspapers -- has become her routine. Locals from Kailali, Mahendranagar and Kanchanpur have stood in her support. She has also been participating in interactions and door-to-door campaign.
RAMILA TANDUKAR (VOLLEYBALL)Volleyball player Ramila Tandukar gained national fame after she was declared the best player in the sixth and seventh editions of Dhorpatan National Women´s Double League Volleyball. An SLC graduate, Ramila’s school New Diamond Academy has left no stone unturned in garnering support for her. A charity match between her school team and Armed Police Force team has been scheduled for Saturday at Dhorpatan Volleyball Training Center, Balaju.
DEEPAK MAHARJAN(Player of the year (Male), 2067)
Boxer Deepak Maharjan bagged the award for his achievement in the 16th Asian Games (Asiad) held in Guangzhou, China in 2010. He avoided an embarrassing situation for Nepal in the Asian sporting extravaganza as he managed to win the one and only medal for the country in the event. He broke a 20-year medal drought of Nepali boxing to claim bronze in Guangzhou. Besides his bronze medal in the Asiad, he had also finished third in the Kings Cup Boxing held in Thailand in April 2010. Nepal had achieved bronze in Kings Cup after 32 years.
JAMUNA GURUNG(Player of the year (Female), 2067)
Nepal’s women’s football team skipper Gurung had scored 10 goals in the First SAFF Championship held in Bangladesh in 2010. Nepal had finished second in the tournament.
COACH OF THE YEAR
JAGAT TAMATA (CRICKET)
- Nepal qualified for the ICC U-19 World Cup during his tenure
- Nepal finished second in the ICC U-19 World Cup Qualifiers
NAVIN SINGH (CRICKET)
- Nepal completed hat-trick with his guidelines in ACC U-19 Women’s Championship in Kuwait
- Guided Janakpur to lift the U-19 Women National Tournament
PUBUDU DASSANAYAKE (CRICKET)
- Nepal entered ACC T20 Cup semifinals for the first time
- Nepal played in the ICC World T20 Qualifiers
- Nepal jumped to the seventh position from the 16th in the Qualifiers
BIR BAHADUR RANA (JUDO)
- Nepal won two gold, four silver and four bronze medals in the South Asian Judo Championship
- Achieved the biggest win for Nepal at the South Asian level after 1995 South Asian Games held in Madras
ISHWOR KARKI (SWIMMING)
- Central Region clean swept all 27 gold medals available in Swimming during the Sixth National Games under Karki
- Karki was official coach for Sailesh Rana and Shreya Dhital during the Sixth National Games
PLAYER OF THE YEAR (YOUTH)
SHIRISH GURUNG (SWIMMING)
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- Four gold, four silver and two bronze medals in the Sixth National Games
- Gold medals in 100 m freestyle and 200 m individual medley in the Swim Life International Swim meet held in Bangalore, India.
SIDDHANTA ADHIKARI (ATHLETICS)
- Three gold, a silver and a bronze medal in the Sixth National Games
- Gold in 1500 m, 800 m and 4×400 m relay
- Silver in 400 m and bronze in 4×100 meter relay
BISHWARUPA BUDHA (ATHLETICS)
Gold in 5,000 and 10,000 m races in the Sixth National Games with improved timing
PRITHU BANSKOTA (CRICKET)
- Captain under whom Nepal qualified for the ICC U-19 World Cup
- Scored 155 runs and took nine wickets during the ICC U-19 World Cup Qualifiers in Ireland
- A three wicket haul in ACC T20 match against Kuwait to take Nepal to the semifinal
- Mustered 83 runs in World T20 Qualifiers and took two wickets
RUBINA CHHETRY (CRICKET)
- Captain when Nepal completed hat-trick in the ACC U-19 Women Championship
- Contributed 24 runs and took three wickets against Thailand in the final
- Awarded as the best player of the tournament
PLAYER OF THE YEAR (FEMALE)
PRAMILA RIJAL (ATHLETICS)
- Four gold medals in the Sixth National Games
- Two gold medals each in Onta Memorial and Open National tournaments
SHREYA DHITAL (SWIMMING)
- Eight gold and four silver medals in the Sixth National Games
- Seven gold in the 11th Galaxy Cup Swimming
- Four gold and one silver in the Open and Age-group Swimming Championship
TARA PUN (WEIGHTLIFTING)
- National record holder in women’s 69 kg weight category
- Won gold medal in the First South Asian Weightlifting Championship held in Nepalgunj
- National record holder and gold medalist in Open Weightlifting Grand Prix
NABITA SHRESTHA (TABLE TENNIS)
- Winner of Sonakshi Cup Ranking Table Tennis Tournament without a single defeat
- Champion of four TT events in the Sixth National Games
NANGSALDEVI TAMANG (BADMINTON)
- Four gold medals in the Sixth National Games, without losing a single set
- Winner of mixed doubles and ladies doubles event in Krishna Mohan Memorial Badminton tournament
PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MALE)
PARAS KHADKA (CRICKET)
- Captain to uplift Nepal to the seventh rank in the ICC T20 Ranking of associate member nations from the 16th position
- Scored 254 runs and took seven wickets in the World T20 Qualifiers in UAE
SHIVA RAM SHRESTHA (GOLF)
- Highest earning Nepali player of 2068 BS
- Winner of seven out of 11 tournaments in the Surya Nepal Golf Tour 2011/12
- Runner up among the foreigners of the Qualifying School of Professional Golf Tour of India 2012
SHAILESH SJB RANA (SWIMMING)
- Won 14 medals with ten gold in Sixth National Games
- Set a national record in 200 m individual medley (2 minutes 31.87 seconds)
- Seven gold medals in the 11th Galaxy Cup
TILAK RAM THARU (ATHELETICS)
- Two gold medals each in the National Open Championship and Onta Sprint
- Set a national record in 400 meters (48.32 seconds)
- Clinched four gold and a bronze medal in the Sixth National Games
DHRUBA PD ARYAL (EQUESTRIAN)
- A gold and a bronze medal in the individual section of the equestrian during the First South Asian Beach Games in Hambantota, Srilanka. The only gold by Nepali athlete in Hambantota
- Two bronze medals in the team events
