NB Bhandari announced for Bhanu Puraskar 2012

NEPALI SAHITYA PARISHAD ANNOUNCES NAMES OF NEPALI SEWA SHREE AWARDEES AS WELL
GANGTOK, 05 July: The 198th Bhanu Jayanti Celebration Committee 2012 of the Nepali Sahitya Parishad has announced the name of former Chief Minister, Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee president Nar Bahadur Bhandari for the Bhanu Puraskar 2012 for his contributions towards Nepali literature and language.
Mr. Bhandari’s name was announced by the 198th Bhanu Jayanti Celebration Committee, Road and Bridges Minister, RB Subba, today during a press conference here at Nepali Sahitya Parishad.
On the occasion, he also announced the names of the awardees in different fields: Nepali Bhasa Sewa Shree award to former Chief Secretary PK Pradhan; Nepali Bhasa Patrakarita Shree to Wangchuk Bhutia, North District Correspondent of NOW!; Nepali Kala Sangeet Shree to Madhusudan Lama; Nepali Kala Natya Shree to Thaman Naubagh; Nepali Kala Chitrakala Shree to Hem Khawas and the Nepali Sahitya Srijana Shree to Chandra Dulal.
Addressing the press conference today, the Minister informed that after long deliberations and discussions, the five-member selection committee shortlisted the names of the awardees. Speaking on Mr Bhandari’s selection for the Bhanu Puraskar, he highlighted Mr Bhandari’s contributions towards the recognition of Nepali language by placing it in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution which happened during his term as CM in 1993. Mr. Bhandari’s contributions towards “Bhasa Manyata” cannot be ignored apart from his role as a writer and poet as well, he said.
The Bhanu Puraskar includes an Anga Vastra, Tamra Patra, certificate and cash prize, while the Bhanu Shree Puraskars also have Anga Vastra, Tamra Patra and certificate but no cash prize.
Literary Secretary, NSP, Biru Bangdel, further informs that the celebration committee has tried to include all four districts in the state-level Bhanu Jayanti celebrations lined up for Gangtok. He informed that the first event of the celebration, the Junior High School level Painting Competition was held today at Gangtok, which saw the participation of 10 schools from all four districts. On Friday, a debate competition is scheduled between Gyalshing Government College and Namchi Government College.
Mr Bangdel adds that on public demand, the committee has also included open poem recitation and Ramayan recitation competitions, which are scheduled to be held on 09 and 10 July. Bhanu Jayanti falls on 13 July
Likewise, eleven schools have confirmed their participation in the inter-school Folk Dance Competition scheduled to be held on 11 July at SDF Bhawan.