The Nepal Sports Journalists Forum (NSJF) on Wednesday set September 11 as the date for the annual Pulsar Sports Award.

The 14th edition of the annual Sports Award honours sports personalities in eight categories on the basis of their performance/contributions at national and international arena in the past one year. Like the previous year, the award categories include Male and Female Player of the Year (), Coach of the Year, Youth Player of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Para-athlete. Special, and People’s Choice. 

A selection committee headed by NSJF Secretary Raju Tamang will pick the nominees and winners. The NSJF selection committee will announce five nominees each in Male, Female. Youth and Coach categories before disclosing the winners during the award function at the Nepal Academy Hall. Winners of three other categories: Special, Lifetime and Para-athlete awards will be declared directly during the function day on September 11. Five nominees for the Peoples’ Choice award will also be announced separately. The winner of the Peoples’ Choice will be decided through SMS voting and Facebook likes.

Winners of Male, Female, Youth and People’s Choice awards will ride home a pulsar motorbike. NSJF will also present pulsar motorbike to winner of one more category but is yet to decide on who to provide it. “We will decide it in due course, “said NSJF President Mahesh Acharya. The winners of the other four categories will receive Rs 50,000 as well as gift hampers. 

Footballer Nawayug Shrestha and judoka Phupu Lhamu Khatri were the winners of Male and Female Player of the Year in last edition while footballer Anjan Bista had won the Youth category honour. Former national team footballer Bal Gopal Maharjan had won the Coach of the Year. Other winners last year included Sita Bhandari (para-athlete), Sri Ram Ranjitkar (lifetime achievement, football) and Lalit Krishna Shrestha (posthumous special award, football). 

NSJF and title sponsor Hansraj Hulaschand and Company—the manufacturer and distributor of Bajaj Pulsar motorbike in the country—recently inked improved contract that saw the umbrella sports journalists group receive Rs 1.9 million to organise the award this year. The sponsorship amount, which is in cash and kind, is an increment by 40 percent.

Managing Director of Hansraj Hulaschand Shekhar Golchha said that the development of sports was essential is crucial as it is the a strong medium that unites peoples. “We are privileged to join hands with NSJF who is credited to establish this award as the No 1 event in the country,” said Golchha.