Airee and Gurung Crowned Players of the Year; Palesha Honored as ‘Trailblazer’ in Historic Pokhara Ceremony

By Sachit Subba • Off-Field • Jan 07, 2026 15:25 PM • 134 views

POKHARA — In a glittering ceremony held for the first time outside the capital, the 22nd NSJF Pulsar Sports Award 2081 celebrated the finest achievers in Nepali sports on Wednesday. The historic event, held at the National Assembly Hall in Pokhara, honored Paralympic medalist Palesha Goverdhan with the prestigious Trailblazer of the Year award. At the same time, cricket sensation Dipendra Singh Airee and karate ace Erika Gurung were named the Male and Female Players of the Year, respectively.

A Historic Night for Palesha

Palesha Goverdhan was the center of applause as she received the Trailblazer honor from Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya. The award recognizes her monumental achievement at the Paris Paralympics, where she secured a bronze medal in Para Taekwondo—marking the first time a Nepali athlete has ever won an Olympic-level medal. This accolade follows her previous win as the NSJF Para Athlete of the Year, solidifying her status as a pathfinder for Nepali sports.

Airee and Gurung Take Top Honors

Cricketer Dipendra Singh Airee claimed the Male Player of the Year title, capping off a phenomenal season. Airee’s year was defined by world-class performances, including smashing six sixes in a single over against Qatar during the ACC Premier Cup—making him only the third player in T20 International history to achieve the feat.

In 2081 B.S., Airee scored 370 runs and took 20 wickets internationally. He was also Nepal’s highest wicket-taker at the T20 World Cup in the USA and was named Player of the Tournament in the inaugural Nepal Premier League (NPL). He edged out nominees including cricketer Kushal Bhurtel, Wushu’s Bijay Sinjali, Kho Kho’s Janak Chand, and Table Tennis player Syantu Shrestha. Abhimanyu Golchha, Director of Golchha Group, presented the award.

On the women’s side, karateka Erika Gurung defended her dominance, winning Female Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. Erika’s stellar season included four international gold medals—notably a double gold at the 8th South Asian Karate Championship in Bhutan and gold at the US Open and the 16th Asia Pacific Karate Championship in Singapore. She also secured silver medals at the 20th Senior Karate Championship in China and the World Karate 1 Youth League in Dubai.

Erika received her award from Kaski Chief District Officer Rudra Devi Sharma and Pokhara Deputy Mayor Manju Devi Guru. She finished ahead of strong contenders, including footballer Rekha Paudel, volleyball’s Salina Shrestha, and Kho Kho’s Manamati Dhami.

Coaching and Youth Excellence

The Coach of the Year award went to Kabi Raj Negi Lama (Para Taekwondo), the strategist behind Palesha’s historic Paralympic medal. He bested fellow nominees Deepak Maharjan (Boxing), Mahesh Rijal (Cricket), and Kushal Shrestha (Karate).

In the youth category, rising cricket star Puja Mahato was named Youth Player of the Year. As captain, Puja led the Nepali U-19 women’s team to their first-ever World Cup qualification. Her season highlights included a century (130* vs. Kuwait) and a match-winning performance against Pakistan in the ACC Women’s U-19 Asia Cup.

Fan Favorites and Special Recognition Volleyball player Himal Sunari won the People’s Choice Award, securing 40.10% of the votes cast via eSewa, Facebook likes, and ballots from NSJF members and head coaches. Other notable awards included:

Lifetime Achievement Award: Veteran athletics coach and Olympian Khadga Bahadur Ranabhat, recognized for his decades of service as a player, coach, and administrator who helped establish the Pokhara Marathon.

Para Athlete Award: Prabha Aangdembe (Athletics), who won a historic silver medal in the long jump (T47 category) at the World Para Athletics in New Delhi.

Special Award: Taekwondo grandmaster Tulsi Kumar Gurung, the first Nepali to receive a 9th Dan Black Belt from Kukkiwon, South Korea.

Team of the Year: The National Men’s and Women’s Kho Kho Teams, honored for their runner-up finish at the first Kho Kho World Cup in India.

Asian Sports Journalist Award: Rana Hasan (Bangladesh).

Prizes and Organization Winners of the five core categories—Male, Female, People’s Choice, Coach, and Youth—received Bajaj Pulsar motorcycles, while winners in other categories were awarded a cash prize of NPR 100,000 each.

Organized by the Nepal Sports Journalists Forum (NSJF), the 22nd edition was promoted by Pokhara Metropolitan City, with Golchha Group continuing as the primary sponsor. This event marked a significant decentralization of Nepali sports awards, bringing national recognition to Pokhara, a sporting hub.