Nepal’s domestic football remained in headlines for the last one decade with its popularity most of the times overshadowing the absence of international achievement. The domestic football owes much to Shrestha for building the base of that popularity. Shrestha, as the president of Three Star, established the trend of putting the sponsor’s name in front of the club.

When Three Star players took to the field at the Dashrath Stadium wearing ‘Nabil Three Star’ in their jersey for the 2005-06 ‘A’ Division League, Shrestha became the front runner in sowing the seeds of professionalism in Nepali football. Shrestha also formed a strong team assembling top notch players of the time. His decision to sign contract with star players offering them huge amount was another stepping stone in domestic football.

At a time when corruption allegations on the All Nepal Football Association (Anfa) leadership have resulted in the slide of Nepali football, Shrestha, as the acting president of the football governing body, was in an attempt to revive the sport. But Nepali football has lost Shrestha forever.

Shrestha has always stepped in as a savior whenever football plunges into trouble. His approach of toeing the middle path has always been a solution. Off late, he was prepared as an alternative of embattling President Ganesh Thapa, on a self-imposed suspension, to clear out the clouds of dispute and uncertainty. Shrestha was tipped to be a unanimous pick for the leadership of football governing body in times of crisis because of two reasons. He had been pretty transparent in terms of finance and lived with only friends, not foes.

But no one even imagined that this friend would leave everyone so abruptly. Shrestha passed away at the age of 49 on Friday night due to a rare accident – electrocution – at his new home the day he had shifted. The entire football fraternity is shocked and grieving. The reactions to his untimely demise make it all clear.

Shrestha was actively involved in Nepali football before current President Ganesh Thapa. Thapa was still a player when Shrestha was in the football leadership. He served football through its leadership soon after the knee injury brought a halt to his playing career. Shrestha has served Nepali football for more than a decade. Shrestha served as manager of the national team for a long time. He used to be the team leader most of the times whenever the national team left for tournaments in foreign land. He was also supervising the works at the Anfa Academy after it got into several problems.

Shrestha was preparing for a tour to Canada to attend the ongoing Women’s World Cup but he missed the flight. His final rites were performed at the Pashupati aryaghat on Saturday after people from all quarters of life—political leaders, athletes, artists-paid final tribute to him at the Anfa Complex in Satdobato.

Shrestha is survived by a son and a daughter. His six-year-old son Shreyash was in Pashupati for the final rites and asked unknowingly: ‘Who is going to be the Anfa President now?’ The magnitutde of the question was not a bigger one but it offered an even emotional farewell to Shrestha. His loss cannot be compensated.