First ‘APF Mahindra Sports Award 2081’ ceremony concludes

KATHMANDU: The first ‘APF Mahindra Sports Award 2081’ ceremony, organised in collaboration between Nepal APF Club—a unit of Armed Police Force, Nepal—and Agni Incorporated, concluded on Friday.

The event, held at Krishna Mohan Smriti Building located at Nepal APF Club in Halchowk, Kathmandu, recognised athletes and sports personalities for their significant contributions to the organisation and nation through outstanding performances in sports.

The ceremony saw attendance from media personnel, players, and prominent dignitaries. Guests included Minister for Home Affairs, Ramesh Lekhak; Minister for Youth and Sports, Teju Lal Chaudhary; Member Secretary of National Sports Council, Tanka Lal Ghising; Inspector General of Armed Police Force, Raju Aryal; Inspector General of Nepal Police, Deepak Thapa; Chairperson of Armed Police Family Women’s Association, Anita Lamichhane Aryal; Chairman of Agni Group, Cabinet Shrestha; Managing Director of Agni Group, Susan Vaidya Shrestha; Executive Director of Agni Group, Arjun Prasad Sharma; Country Head for Mahindra & Mahindra in Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, Chaitanya Kagalkar; Vice President of Agni Group, Veda Satasha Shrestha; and Head of Research and Development at Agni Group, Vedant Shrestha.

Addressing the audience, Executive Director of Agni Group, Arjun Prasad Sharma, stated, “Agni Group and the APF Club have organised an award to encourage athletes in Nepal’s sports sector. Through this award, our aim is to recognise and honour players and sports personalities who have delivered exceptional performances and made remarkable contributions to the pride of the nation. Starting this year, we are committed to continuing this platform in the years to come to identify and celebrate outstanding athletes.”

Awards were presented to top performers in various categories. Home Minister Lekhak handed over the title ‘APF Mahindra Player of the Year 2081 – Female’, along with a cash prize of Rs 50,000, to footballer Renuka Nagarkoti, and the title ‘APF Mahindra Player of the Year 2081 – Male’, along with Rs 50,000, to badminton player Prince Dahal.

Similarly, the title and certificate for ‘Most Popular APF Mahindra Player of the Year 2081 – Male’, along with Rs 25,000, were presented to karate player Mohammad Sekhu Alam by Minister Teju Lal Chaudhary, as stated in a press release by Agni Group.

Additionally, the Chief Minister of Bagmati Province conferred the title and certificate for ‘Most Popular APF Mahindra Player of the Year 2081 – Female’, along with Rs 25,000, to footballer Preeti Rai. The title ‘APF Mahindra Team of the Year 2081’, accompanied by a cash prize of Rs 50,000, was awarded to the APF Women’s Football Team.

The awards for ‘APF Coach of the Year 2081 – Male’ and ‘APF Coach of the Year 2081 – Female’, along with Rs 25,000 each, were presented to football coach Jibesh Kumar Pandey and karate coach Ganga Devi Adhikari, respectively. Similarly, the titles ‘APF Mahindra Young Player of the Year 2081 – Male’ and ‘APF Mahindra Young Player of the Year 2081 – Female’, along with Rs 25,000 each, were given to U-16 footballers Tenzing Sherpa and Sabitri Kishan, respectively.

Inspector General of Armed Police Force, Aryal, awarded 'APF IGP Commendation' certificates to former coaches and players of Nepal APF Club. Tokens of appreciation and certificates were also presented to individuals and organisations who supported the initiative. All recipients received recognition certificates and tokens of appreciation.

The ceremony, organised by the APF Club for the first time, seeks to inspire athletes and contribute to the development of sports in Nepal by recognising and promoting exceptional talent. Agni Group has played a key role in advancing Nepali sports through sponsorships and collaborations, and it continues to work closely with the APF Club to support sports development in Nepal.