Nepal Sports Journalists Forum on Sunday finalised July 2 date for the annual Pulsar Sports Award.

The 16th edition of the award ceremony will be held at the Nepal Academy Hall in Kamaladi. The NSJF will award individuals and team in 10 different categories including male, female, youth and coach of the year. Other categories include para-athlete, people’s choice, lifetime achievement and special award. The NSJF will also fete a team for their outstanding performance throughout the year.

NSJF has also added international sports journalist award this year which will be presented to one best sports journalist from Asia. While the award for the journalist will be presented as per the recommendation by the AIPS-Asia, federation of Asian sports journalists, a selection committee headed by NSJF secretary Gobinda Regmi will pick up nominees for other categories.

Lifetime achievement award will be presented to a sportsperson for his/her long-term contribution towards sports and special award will be presented to special achievement and contribution in sports. NSJF will pick up five nominees each in male, female, coach, youth, peoples’ choice and special award categories while the winners of lifetime, para-athlete, team of the year and international journalists will be directly revealed during the award function. Peoples’ Choice award will be picked up on the basis of votes from sports journalists, SMS voting and Facebook likes.

The winners of male, female, coach and peoples’ choice award will be rewarded with Pulsar motorbikes while the winner of youth, special, para-athlete and lifetime achievement awards will receive Rs 50,000 each.

Meanwhile, NSJF inked the sponsorship deal with Hansaraj Hulaschand and Company Pvt Ltd for the award on Sunday. As per the agreement, Hansaraj Hulaschand will provide Rs 2.8 million, 1.1 million of which will be in cash apart from four Pulsar motorbikes and gift hampers. NSJF President Durga Nath Subedi and Hansaraj Hulaschand Executive Director Abhimanyu Golcha signed the deal. It is the ninth year that the company has been associated with the award.

“It has nearly been 10 years that we have contributing to this award and there is an increment of around 20 percent this year,” said Golcha. “It is crucial to recognise achievements and contributions of athletes as sports is a strong tool that unites nation.” NSJF President Subedi said that the award has got national award recognition by the President and they face a tough challenge to make it bigger and better.