Football journalist Himesh Ratna Bajracharya’s book “Swarnakatha Nepali Footballko” (The Golden Stories of Nepali Football), which chronicles the history of Nepali football, was launched amid a function in Kathmandu on Sunday.
The book touches on the century-long history of football in the Himalayas, but mostly focuses on the Nepali squad that won historic gold in the inaugural and sixth editions of the South Asian Games (SAG) in 1984 and 1993, respectively.
The book was unveiled by Raju Kaji Shakya, a key member of Nepal’s gold-winning squad in 1984 and 1993, at a function at Hotel Royal Singi in Kathmandu.
Although Nepali football has a century-long history, this is the first-ever book documenting the golden era in such detail. Himesh, who calls football his first love, said publishing the book fulfilled a long-held dream. Himesh has been working for Kantipur, the Post’s sister daily, for over two decades.
At the launch, All Nepal Football Association’s General Secretary Kiran Rai said that reading the book made him realise how little he knew about Nepal’s football past.
“ANFA will buy the books and send them to all the district associations and empower them to read them,” Rai said.
NSJF’s president Niranjan Adhikari and former president Ajay Phuyal praised the book as an important contribution and a gift to football lovers. Veteran journalist Yubaraj Ghimire said that such literature reflects a country’s sporting prosperity.
Olympian Santoshi Shrestha, who also won the 13th Kantipur Half-Marathon on Saturday, said the book represents a much-needed beginning for sports literature in Nepal.
Shrestha said that inspired by ‘Swarnakatha’, she would now attempt to write about her career as well. “I love literature,” said Shrestha, an avid reader herself. “I believe our life is literature in itself.”
Shrestha added, “Himesh is a gem in Nepali sports, especially football. I hope to see sports literature and research flourish because it is highly beneficial for all.”
“Swarnakatha Nepali Footballko” is published by Book Hill Publications.
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