After receiving the award Pradhan said, “This award has fuelled my desire to work even harder and better in the coming days.’’

For the 18th edition of the FM’s annual musical event, artistes were awarded in 18 different categories. The nominations were announced on July, and after the final judging process by a panel of experts, the winners were announced on Monday.

Singer Nattu Shah was announced Best New Artist while Astha Raut and Dharmendra Sewan were awarded for Best Female Pop Vocal and Best Male Pop Vocal Performances respectively. Anjan Babu Sharma won the award for Folk Record of the Year for his song Chari Laija Samachar while Robin Sharma won the award for Best Male Vocal Performance for the song Malai Soddhai, which also won Sumit Biswokarma award for Best Arrangement.

Veteran lyricist, filmmaker and mediaperson Yadav kharel was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his undisputed contribution to the Nepali music. After receiving the award, Kharel said that he was pleased to see the past being resurrected and honoured, referring to the video clips played in tribute of late singer/composer Krishna Man Dangol  minutes before, and his own

felicitation by Hits FM. ‘’Creations are timeless, they never wilt,’’ added Kharel.

The award ceremony was accompanied by performances of a host of artists like Astha Raut, Manoj Raj, Sashi Rawal  (who sang late Krishna Man Dangol’s compositions), Cadenza Collective, Mukti and the Revival and Robin Sharma, among others. At the ceremony, video clips of different musicians playing some of the disappearing traditional Nepali folk-musical instruments like binayo, arbajo  and mahuri baja were also played.