KATHMANDU: The government on Sunday honored founding General-Secretary of Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Pushpa Lal Shrestha with the ‘Nepal Ratna’.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari conferred the award on Pushpa Lal Shrestha (posthumously). His son Umesh Lal Shrestha received the award.

President Bhandari gave away various medals, awards, decoration and honors to people from different walks of lives, living or dead at a special program held at the Office of the President, Maharajgunj.

Similarly, the Maha Ujjawal Rasta Deep (first class) was conferred to musician Ambar Gurung (posthumously) and cultural expert Satya Mohan Joshi.

Likewise, Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra has been conferred with the Suprasidda Prabal Janasewa Shree (first class). Lyricist and poet Dinesh Hari Adhikari, singer and artist Hari Prasad Rimal (posthumously) and historian Prof Dinesh Raj Panta were awarded the Sukirtimaya Rastadeep (third class).

A total of 96 persons have been presented the Suprabal Janasewa Shree (third class) while 162 were given the Prabal Janasewa Shree (fourth class) and 74 with the Janasewa Shree (Fifth class).

Litterateur Jhamak Kumari Ghimire was presented with Kirtimaya Rastadeep (fourth class).