KATHMANDU, Sept 13: The Government of Nepal has officially honored Palesha Goverdhan, Nepal's first Paralympic medalist. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has honored Palesha with a certificate of appreciation in a meeting held at the Prime Minister's Residence in Baluwatar.
During the same time, the government deposited Rs 6.5 million in her bank account as a cash prize. The government deposited the amount in her account through the digital medium. Likewise, the government honored coach Kabi Raj Negi with a cash prize of Rs 585,000 and team manager Ram Chandra Shrestha with Rs 292,000.
Now, we can proudly say that Nepal has an Olympic medal: Palesh...
The government has awarded the prizes in accordance with the National Sports Development Regulations of 2022. Previously, the Council of Ministers had decided to award Palesha a cash prize of Rs 6.5 million with tax exemption.
Palesha won the historic bronze medal for Nepal by defeating the Serbian player in the women's under 57 kg Taekwondo event under the K-44 category match in the Paralympics, 2024 held in France.
According to the National Sports Development Regulations, 2079, medal winners in the Summer Olympics, Winter Olympics, Paralympics, Special Olympics, or World Cup football are entitled to cash prizes from the government. The regulations state that individuals winning a gold medal will receive Rs 13 million, those winning a silver medal will receive Rs 9.7 million, and those winning a bronze medal will receive Rs 6.5 million. Accordingly, Palesha received Rs 6.5 million as a cash prize from the Nepal government.
