Mahendranarayan Nidhi national award to former minster Dahal

KATHMANDU: Senior journalist and former minister Homnath Dahal is to be honoured with the Mahendranarayan Nidhi national award for the year 2076 BS.

Dahal has been continuously active in the democratic movement and journalism for the past six decades. Dahal is also the former President of Federation of Nepali Journalists.

The Mahendranarayan Nidhi Memorial Foundation has instituted the award in the memory and respect of Nidhi – an untiring warrior for non-violence, peace, harmony among communities, social justice and democracy.

Foundation Chairperson Prof Puruswottam Dahal told RSS that the same award for the year 2077 BS is to be presented to Dr Ram Dayal Rakesh who has been consistently effortful for freedom of expression, language, literature and culture for the past five decades. Likewise, the Premsagari Devi Nidhi award-2076 BS will be handed to Gyanu Prasai who has been continuously active in the democratic movement of Nepal.

The same award for the year 2077 BS will be provided to Kashidevi Jha. Both the awards carry a purse of Rs 100,000. The award nomination committee coordinated by Dr Bimal Koirala with Dr Diensh Bhattarai, Dr Kumar Koirala, Durga Ghimire and Prof Nabendra Nidhi took the decision to this effect. The awards will be handed over to the nominees on the birth centenary of the late Nidhi which falls on coming February 26.

On the occasion, a talk programme will be held on February 24 while the inauguration of Mahendranarayan Nidhi memorial hospital building and unveiling of a monument erected in the commemoration of Nidhi will be undertaken on February 25.

The 100-bed hospital which has been operational since 2068 BS is based in Basundhara. The patron of the Foundation is Nidhi’s son and Nepali Congress vice-president Bimalendra Nidhi.