Nepal Sports Journalists’ Forum (NSFJ), an umbrella organisation of Nepali sports journalists, honoured veteran journalist Mukunda Dahal and Govinda Raj Nepal on the occasion of its 26th anniversary on Sunday.

NSJF honoured Dahal, who is also the founder of the organisation, with the NSJF Journalism Award. He was given a cash prize of Rs25,000 along with a letter of appreciation. The organisation has been recognising senior journalists for their dedication and contribution to sports journalism with the award every year on its establishment day that falls on September 12.

The NSJF honoured Nepal with the Suman Bomjan Memorial Youth Sports Journalism Award. The award is presented annually to promising youth sports reporters. He was given a laptop and a letter of appreciation.

Bomjan, a sports reporter at the Gorkhapatra daily since 2011 and member of the NSJF, had lost his life during the April 2015 earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people and injured more than 21,000 in Nepal.

National Sports Council member secretary Ramesh Kumar Silwal, Nepal Olympic Committee president Jeevan Ram Shrestha, and Federation of Nepali Journalists general secretary Roshan Puri, among others, distributed the prizes.

Dahal recalled that they had formed the NSJF nearly three decades ago to unite sports journalists and raise collective voices for their betterment. “It gives me immense pleasure to be feted by the organisation that we formed nearly three decades ago. It will definitely motivate me to continue journalism,” said Dahal

All Nepal Football Association president Karma Tsering Sherpa lauded the role of journalists in the development of Nepali sports. “NSJF has contributed hugely to the professional growth of the country’s sports sector. ANFA is ready to join hands with the NSJF for orientation and other programmes for enhancing the quality of sports journalists.”