KATHMANDU, Sept 21: Sanjay Memorial Foundation has felicitated national volleyball players Sanjay Aryal and Manju Gurung on Wednesday. 

Naya Shakti Nepal Party's President Baburam Bhattarai feted the players with Rs 25,000 each on behalf of the foundation. Sanjay and Manju are successful players in the Nepali domestic volleyball. 

Manju has won two bronze medals with the national women's team in the 10th and 12th editions of South Asian Games (SAG) held in Sri Lanka and India respectively. Similarly, she was the vice captain of the team when Nepal won silver in the 1st South Asian Invitational Volleyball tournament held in Kathmandu two years ago. She has won the Dhorpatan Volleyball Tournament for five times with Gyanu Baba Higher Secondary School. She was also awarded with the best player and most valuable player of the tournament awards for two times in the same tournament. Manju was also voted popular player of the year during the Pulsar Sports Award some years ago.  

After felicitating the players, Bhattari said that he was very proud for felicitating the national players. “Players have always played important role to boost the nation's pride. There is need of such programs to fete the players,” said the former prime minister.      

Sanjay took part in the SAG for two occasions representing Nepal. He was vice captain of the team when Nepali men's team won silver in the 1st South Asian Invitational Volleyball Championship held in Kathmandu two years back. 

Sanjay and Manju currently play for Nepal Police Club and Western Region respectively in the domestic volleyball.   

Organizer Sanjay Memorial Foundation's President Biswo Bijay Joshi said that the foundation has been motivating the players since its establishment. 

“We have been conducting different social activities in remembrance of late Sanjay Maskey, including felicitating players. We feel very happy felecitating players who have contributed to the national sports. We hope this motivates them to perform better,” said Joshi. 

Sanjay said that it is very hard to make a living as a player in Nepal. “If there weren't departmental teams, it would have been very hard for players to sustain,” said Sanjay. 
Two years ago, the foundation had felicitated Im Rana, captain of the national volleyball team and Neeta Shah, former captain of the women's national volleyball team. 

 
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