The 12th South Asian Games gold medal winning football team coach Raju Kaji Shakya on Friday was honoured with the Gajaraj Joshi Ideal Sports Personality award.

Nepal National and International Players’ Association (NNIPA) honoured Shakya for his contribution of over four-decade to Nepali football. A former national team skipper, Shakya’s coaching was pivotal in handing Nepal its first gold in the Games after 23 years.

The recognition carried a cash purse of Rs 25,000. It was Shakya who had led Nepal to gold in the 1993 SA games gold in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Amidst a ceremony at the open space in Bhaktapur Durbar Square, NNIPA also honoured the best players of the year from 14 sports disciplines.

Nepal’s lone medallist (bronze) in the 17th Asian Games, Bimal Maharjan of karate, was among those 24 honoured. Sneha Shrestha (basketball), Nawayug Shrestha (football), Jit Bahadur Moktan (archery), Gopi Chandra Parki (athletics), Nangsal Tamang (badminton) and Puran Rai (boxing) were named the best form their sports disciplines.

The ceremony was held at the open space in Bhaktapur to give the message that the country has recovered from the April 25 Great Quake. Bhaktapur was one of the worst hit areas in earthquake.

Other award winners included U-19 cricket team skipper Raju Rijal, Ajaya Pandit Chhetri (cycling), Ram Bahadur Shahi (fencing), Tanka Bahadur Karki (golf), Resika Shrestha (gymnastics), Ramesh Magar (judo) Saroj Yadav of wrestling, Samrak-shyan Bhushan Bajracharya (tennis), Dip Saun (table tennis) and Sneh Rajya Laxmi Rana (shooting).

Each individual got Rs 10,000. Nisha Rawal (taekwondo), Rudra Katwal (triathlon), Anil Gurung (sepak takraw), Pradip Khati (soft tennis), Sirish Gurung (swimming), Tara Devi Pun (weightlifting),  Jharan Gurung (wushu) and Niv Bahadur Magar of rafting and canoeing also won.