There was much enthusiasm in the air for the eighth South Asian Games two decades ago, similar to what is being witnessed for its 13th iteration.

Mina Pathak, a karateka, had just turned 21 years old when she participated in the Games, then known as the South Asian Federation Games. She had clinched the gold by defeating her Sri Lankan opponent in the semifinals and an Indian opponent in the final. “It is the most unforgettable moment of my life,” says Pathak, a resident of Birtamod in Jhapa district. “I thought it to be my country’s victory.”

It was the first time karate was included in the Games. There were no high expectations from those participating for the first time. However, of the 16 events of karate, Nepal won 14 gold medals, surpassing the expectations of many.

After winning the gold, Pathak’s fame shot up. Besides her family and friends, the entire sport-loving community of Jhapa honoured her, and she received the Gorkha Dakshin Bahu, one of the highest honours given by the king, from the then King Birendra.

The then Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai had announced a special package for all gold medalists and vowed to provide a residence to each one of them. But that never happened, as the initial euphoria of the wins died down. Pathak merely received a cash prize of Rs300,000 from the state for winning the gold.

“The government had planned to build a sports village where all the winners were to be housed. But the plan went in tatters,” Pathak said.

Prior to participating in the eighth South Asian Games, Pathak, at the age of 17, had participated in the 12th Asian Games in Hiroshima, Japan. She was joined there by Sita Rai and Durgaraj Niraula, both trained from the same Dojo as Pathak. “Nine players were participating in the Asian Games from Nepal, and the three of us were from Goldhap Dojo,” says Pathak, who finished fifth at the Games.

Pathak started learning Karate in 1987 when she was only eight years old. The Panchayat government at that time had banned karate, but Pathak would secretly attend karate classes and learn the form of martial arts.

“We used to attend classes at 3 in the morning,” she said. “We were done with the classes by the time the sun came up.”
Pathak, who could not take part in other competitions due to personal reasons, to this day has not given up on karate. She is an assistant trainer at the National Sports Council, and trains her students, morning and evening.