The Gopikrishna Memorial Foundation of Birtamode–4, Jhapa, has distributed the Gopikrishna Memorial Award in the Social Service category. The Foundation presented the award today (Saturday) at Gomendra Multiple Campus in Birtamode on the occasion of the 79th birth anniversary of late Gopikrishna Khanal.

The Foundation, which distributes an award in one category every two years, presented the Social Service Award this year. Previously, it had already distributed awards in the fields of journalism and literature, according to the Foundation’s Secretary, Tirtha Sigdel. He informed that earlier, the Journalism Award was presented to journalist Nakul Kaji, and the Literature Award was presented to writer Komal Prasad Sigdel.

This year, Khil Prasad Shivakoti was honored with the Social Service Award. The award ceremony was held under the chairmanship of the Foundation’s Vice Chairperson, Saru Khanal, and the award was presented to Shivakoti by the chief guest, National Assembly member Gopal Kumar Basnet, and the Foundation’s patron Rupa Devi Khanal. Shivakoti was honored with a cash prize of Rs. 50,005 along with a certificate of appreciation.

During the program, Secretary Tirtha Sigdel welcomed the guests and highlighted the significance of the event. Chief guest Basnet, the award recipient Shivakoti, writer Prem Prakash Falari Pokharel, writer Keshav Acharya, and others shared their congratulatory remarks, recalling the contributions made by late Khanal to society through journalism and literature. The program was hosted by Dr. Punya Prasad Sigdel.

The event witnessed the presence of late Khanal’s contemporaries, including Mimalal Sapkota, Chairperson of Sahitya Chautari Jhapa Birtamode Devi Bhakta Shrestha, writer Hari Narayan Bhattarai, along with social workers, educationists, writers, and literary figures. Creators also presented poems and ghazals during the program.