KATHMANDU: Khemlal-Harikala Lamichhane Social Welfare Foundation has canceled the award ceremony this year following a controversy.

The foundation had decided to confer Padma Shri Literary Award on narrator Sanjeev Upreti and Padma Shri Sadhana Samman on Modanath Prasrit.

The controversy arose after Upreti said that he could not take the award sharing the same platform with Prasrit, who was accused of sexual violence.

After that, Prasrit also issued a statement announcing that he would deny Padma Shri Sadhana award this year.

Each winner will get Rs 3,00,000 in cash along with letters of appreciation.

Chairman of Khemlal-Harikala Lamichhane Social Welfare Foundation Jiva Lamichhane informed that it has been decided not to give Padma Shri award to anyone this year.

Stating that there was no intention to hurt anyone’s feelings while announcing the award, Lamichhane apologized for hurting the self-esteem of the creators.

Khemlal-Harikala Lamichhane Pratisthan Chitwan has been awarding Padma Shri Sahitya Puraskar every year to the book of Nepali literature nominated by the jury Since 2063 BS.

Similarly, since 2067 BS, the Foundation has been awarding Padma Shri Sadhana to senior seekers who have done long sadhana in the fields of literature, art, music, acting, etc.

Both honors and awards were presented on the full moon day of Kojagrat every year.