April 24, 2016 Sunday
Nepal Olympic Committee organized Earthquake Memorial Day on Sunday to pay tribute to the sportspersons and people from other walks of life who died in the devastating earthquake of April 25 last year.
During the occasion, Nepal Olympic Committee President Jeevan Ram Shrestha handed over cheques worth Rs 40,000 to 23 people related to the sports sector who either lost their lives or were affected by the quake. “Today we are recalling a forgettable day that we cannot forget. We hope that such devastataion never befalls on people of any country,” said NOC President Shrestha while addressing the sportspersons gathered on the Nepal Olympic Committee premises.“We need to learn lessons from the devastation and we organized this program to give this message. We will give continuity to this program every year to mark the anniversary of the quake that killed over 9000 people across the country,” added Shrestha.President Shrestha further said that the country is yet to rebuild the sports infrastructures damaged by the quake and this program was a reminder for that as well.
“Players are still training in risky condition. We hope that such situation ends soon,” he said. NOC member Nilendra Shrestha said that altogether 10 athletes lost their lives during the quake. According to him, NOC had already distributed relief to 57 athletes and this was the second time NOC was providing help to those who missed out on the first time.
Those who received support on Sunday were Dilip Kumar Karki (athletics), Ang Babu Lama (wushu), Sulachana Sujakkhwa (karate), Hira Thapa (squash), Tej Bahadur Shrestha (boxing), Gyanendra Shakya (boxing), Sewak Thapa (karate), Birendra Ranjit (judo), Gyan Bahadur Bohara (athletics), Phatta Bahadur Lama (wushu), Sanjay Ranjit (karate), Ishwor Karki (swimming), Mohan Das Basukaral (table tennis), Surya Narayan Shrestha (judo), Mohan Karmacharya (athletics), Milan Bhakta Hada (football), Mohan Sunuwar (judo), Kamal Bhandari (tennis), Krishna Basnet (athletics), Laxmi Magar (cycling), Binod Prajapati (athletics), Keshab Shrestha (volleyball) and Suman Bhomjan (journalist).
NOC also organized painting and pottery workshop to mark the first anniversary of the quake. Likewise, the participants lit candles forming the shape of Nepal in memory of the departed souls.
Former NOC President Dhurba Bahadur Pradan, vice-presidents Purendra Bikram Lakhe and Jyoti Rana and Secretary General Lama Tendi Sherpa were present during the program. Executive members of NOC Ashok Bajracharya, Ramesh Kumar Shrestha, Nilendra Shrestha, Sanjeev Tuladhar, President of Nepal Wrestling Association Raj Mohamod Ansari, Vice President of Nepal Judo Association Ramesh Maharjan, Secretary General of Badminton Association Ramji Bahadur Shrestha, Secretary General of All Nepal Lawn Tennis Association Manohar Das Moll, President of NNIPA Dipak Bista, Secretary General of NNIPA Dipak Shrestha, Olympians Jit Bahadur KC, Bimla Rana, Krishna Bahadur Basnet, Pushpa Raj Ojha, administration chief of NSC Madhu Sudan Basnet were also present.
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