NSJF Pulsar Sports Award to Be Hosted Outside Kathmandu Valley for the First Time—Pokhara to Stage 22nd Edition

By Sachit Subba • Off-Field • Jul 25, 2025 14:25 PM • 215 views

In a landmark shift for one of Nepal's most prestigious sports honours, the Nepal Sports Journalists Forum (NSJF) has announced that the NSJF Pulsar Sports Award will be held outside Kathmandu Valley for the first time in its history. The scenic city of Pokhara will host the 22nd Edition of the award ceremony on Bhadra 29 (September 14, 2025). The decision was revealed at a press conference in the capital on Friday, marking a significant milestone for an event that has honoured the nation's top sporting talent since 2061 BS (2004 AD). NSJF, the umbrella body of sports journalists in the country, has been organising the event annually as a celebration of athletic excellence across disciplines. Launched to recognise Nepal's standout athletes, coaches, and contributors to sports over the year, the award continues to be powered by its longtime title sponsor, Bajaj Pulsar, under the Golchha Group. This year marks the 17th consecutive year of collaboration between NSJF and Golchha Group.

The 2025 edition will present honours in 10 categories, including:

• Best Male Athlete

• Best Female Athlete

• Youth Player of the Year

• Coach of the Year

• People's Choice Award

• Para-athlete Recognition

• Special Award

• Team of the Year

• Lifetime Achievement Award

• Asian Sports Journalist Award Nominations for five competitive categories—Best Male, Best Female, Best Youth Athlete, Best Coach, and People's Choice—will be made public in the coming days. The remaining five categories will not have nominations, and the winners will be revealed directly during the award ceremony. As per the main sponsorship deal, Bajaj Pulsar motorcycles will be awarded to winners in five categories: Best Male, Best Female, People's Choice, Best Coach, and Best Youth Athlete. Winners of the other four categories—Team of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Special Award, and Para-athlete Recognition—will each receive a cash prize of Rs. 100,000. To ensure a successful event in Pokhara, NSJF has formed a central organising committee under the leadership of its President, Niranjan Adhikari, alongside several subcommittees to provide logistical, technical, and promotional support. Last year's awards saw cricketer Rohit Kumar Paudel named Best Male Athlete and karate's Erika Gurung take the Best Female Athlete honour. Kushal Shrestha, also from karate, was named Best Coach, while cricketer Dev Kumar Khanal was recognised as the top youth player. The People's Choice Award went to volleyball star Kabita Bhatt.

Other honours included:

Special Award: Volleyball coach Kumar Rai

Para-athlete Recognition: Para-taekwondo player Palesha Goverdhan

Asian Sports Journalist Award: South Korea's Hee Dong Jong

Lifetime Achievement Award: Former CAN President Binay Raj Pandey

Team of the Year: Nepal Women's Kabaddi Team for their historic bronze medal at the Asian Games.

As Pokhara prepares to roll out the red carpet, the 22nd NSJF Pulsar Sports Award promises to be a vibrant celebration of sporting excellence and a significant step in decentralising Nepal's sports recognition culture.