Former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal felicitated the players amidst a function in the capital on Tuesday.[break]
It is the first ever official medal won by Nepali basketball team. Nepal had defeated the Maldives and Bhutan in the tournament to claim the bronze medal. NeBA awarded a total cash prize of Rs 80,000 to the players, Rs 10,000 to coach Dinesh Chandra Nakarmi and Rs 8,000 to assistant coach Bikash Shahi. Sadish Pradhan, Bikram Joshi, Sanjay Byanjankar, Binod Shrestha, Rajiv Joshi, Sanjay Byanjankar, Yukta Ram Bhakta Mathema, Binod Maharjan, Subrat Rajopadhyaya, Sujan Pun, Sushil Gurung and Paresh Krishna Shrestha were the members of the national team. Assitant coach Shahi announced to donate his prize money to the organizer of the Naya Bazaar Cup First Double League Basketball Championship being held in Kirtipur.
Likewise, NeBA felicitated the players who participated in the 3x3 Youth World Championship held in Italy and the 3x3 World Championship held in Greece last year. The 3x3 team that participated in the Youth World Championship comprised Bijay Burja, Norbu Tsering Sherpa, Manish Tamang and Sujan Pun.
Likewise, the men´s 3x3 team comprising Sadish Pradhan, Binod Maharjan, Rajiv Joshi and Robin Khatri and the women´s 3x3 team comprising Sadina Shrestha, Luniva Singh, Sneha Shrestha and Samichin Bista had participated in the World Championship.
Lifetime achievement award
On the occasion, NeBA also felicitated veteran players Bipindra Maharjan and Rabindra Man Joshi with the lifetime achievement award. Jeevan Ram Shrestha, general secretary of the IOC-recognized Nepal Olympic Committee, handed over Rs 10,000 each along with letters of appreciation to Maharjan and Joshi.
Maharjan and Joshi were part of the Nepali team that participated in the First SAF Championship Basketball, the first international tournament contested by Nepali basketball team. Maharjan and Joshi played basketball for a decade.
NeBA President Lama Tendi Sherpa said that Maharjan and Joshi were felicitated for their invaluable contribution in popularizing basketball at the college level.
Maharjan, 33, said he was happy to have received the honor while Joshi, 36, requested NeBA to develop professionalism in basketball.
Maharjan and Joshi had played for the national team in seven different international tournaments.
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