August 31, 2021
President of the Nepal Olympic Committee Honorable Jeevan Ram Shrestha unveiled a half-length statue of Gajraj Joshi who was the first international sprinter of Nepali sports, during a special program on Tuesday.
The statue made by kit metal is at Olympic Musium in the Olympic Building at Satdobato. On the occasion, Preisdent Shrestha thanked Prsident of Nepal Olympic Musium Mr. Chitiz Arun Shrestha for taking the initiative to make the statue and stressed on the need for Nepali sports to remember the old players. Secretary General of NOC Mr. Nilendra Raj Shrestha and Mayor of Tokha Municipality Prakash Adhikari spoke about Joshi's contribution to Nepali sports. Vice President and Executive Director of NOC Mr. Chaturanantaraj Baidya and other key office bearers were present on the occasion. Mr. Gajraj Joshi is one of the first generation players in the history of Nepali sports to participate internationally. The Nepal Sports Journalists Forum has also given him the 'Life Time Achievement Award' for his incomparable contribution to Nepali sports. He participated in the first Asian Games in 1951 in New Delhi, India. He was also a member of the team participating in the South Asian Games representing Nepal in his youth. He had participated in the race. He also played football for Mahavir and NAT. Mr. Joshi was born in Tokha on the day of Gaijatra in 1979 BS. As a young man, he enlisted in the Indian British Army and even served in World War II in Verma. At the end of World War II, he returned to Nepal and enlisted in the Nepal Army. When the army was given the responsibility of constructing the Kathmandu ring road, he was also a member of that team. He passed away on March 3, 2008.
In the program Family members of Mr.Gajraj Joshi were present along with Ms. Jyoti Rana, Vice President, Mr. Ram Awale, Executive Member, Mr.Ramesh Shiwakoti, and Executive Member.
