Nepali photojournalist Keshab Raj Thoker has won a silver award in Asian Press Photo 2023.

His photo story on Buddhist nuns stood second under the women’s rights category in the photo competition organised by the Asian Art Association, Singapore.

Thoker’s work was based on Buddhist nuns from one of the monasteries in Kathmandu who were defying the century-old tradition of discrimination against women and promoting gender equality.

“I’m delighted to have won the award. The fact that photojournalists from Nepal could also compete at an international level and get their works recognised makes me feel even more pleased”, says Thoker.

Thoker is the first from Nepal to secure a medal in the competition.

A Bangladeshi photographer stood first in the category.

The jury of the photo contest were Chung Yi Chieh from Taiwan, Mohammad Rakibul Hasan from Bangladesh, Bruce Lui from Hong Kong, Fabeha Monir from Bangladesh, Jimmy Domingo from the Philippines, Emre Kuheylan from Turkey and Rohit Vohra from India.