Pokhara Metropolis Marks 67th Anniversary

Pokhara Metropolis Marks 67th Anniversary

Location: Lekhnath, Kaski

Date: 2082 Poush 3

Pokhara Metropolitan City, described as the country’s largest metropolitan city, observed its 67th anniversary on Wednesday with various programs.

At a special anniversary Ceremony, the metropolis honored nine individuals as “Pokhareli Navaratna” for their contributions in different fields of society.

Chief Minister (Gandaki Province): Surendra Raj Pandey

Mayor (Pokhara Metropolitan City): Dhanraj Acharya

During the ceremony held on Wednesday, they honored each of the nine individuals with Rupees: 202,202, along with a copper plaque and a medal.

Pokhareli Navaratna Honorees

• Chandrakant Baral (for leading the campaign to build a giant Shiva statue at Pumdikot)

• Amrit Gurung (of the renowned band Nepathya)

• Chandrakrishna Karmacharya (industrialist)

• Tirtha Shrestha (literary figure)

• Tilakman Gubhaju (journalist)

• Prof. Dr. Buddhi Bahadur Thapa (founding Vice-Chancellor, Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences)

• Prof. Dr. Birendra Singh Gurung (educationist)

• Ramkali Khadka (woman entrepreneur)

• Hariprasad Pandey (industrialist)

Remarks by the Mayor

Mayor Acharya said the metropolis honored individuals who contributed to various sectors of society by establishing procedures and standards.

“Individually, it would be ‘Pokhara Ratna’; because it was given to nine people, it was called ‘Navaratna,’” he said. “Doing good work throughout one’s life is difficult. This is recognition given by the state; it is not merely a certificate.”

Selection Committee

Based on the recommendation of the Talent Selection Committee, the metropolis conferred the Navaratna honor on nine individuals. The committee included:

• Coordinator: Senior artist Durga Baral ‘Vatsyayan’

• Members: Bishwo Sigdel, Prof. Nita Tamrakar, Dipendra Shrestha, and Chief Administrative Officer of the metropolis Mukti Ram Aryal

Previous Navaratna and Ratna Honors

The metropolis previously conferred the Navaratna honor in 2055 BS on:

• Journalist Keshavraj Parajuli

• Singer Jhalakman Gandharva

• Cultural worker Minbahadur Gurung

• Tourism professional Jhalak Thapa

• Industrialist Buddhibahadur Shrestha

• Social worker Amrit Prasad Sherchan

• Physician Kumar Shamsher Rana

• Agricultural scientist Dr. Bhuvan Ratna Sthapit

• Literary figure Ali Miya

In 2059 BS, the metropolis honored the following as Pokhareli Navaratna:

• Tourism professional Haridhwaj Tulachan

• Industrialist Hembahadur Pradhan

• Athletes Ranjit Gurung and Sapana Mall

• Artist Durga Baral ‘Vatsyayan’

• Educationist George John

• Artist Krishnaprasad Shrestha

• Literary figure Dharmaraj Thapa

• Cultural worker Pragyaratna Bajracharya

Likewise, in 2072 BS, the metropolis awarded “Pokhara Ratna” to:

• Linguist Mukundasharan Upadhyay

• Literary figure Sarubhakta

• Folk singer Haridevi Koirala