12 July 2009

Politics comes to the aid of sport

Two positive signs this week from the political front. First, President Ram Baran Yadav's in his Policies and Programmes of the Government of Nepal speech laid out the government's sport policy. While the strategy is pretty much a rehash of NSC's plan, it is encouraging to us sports fans that it was mentioned.

Second, PM Madhav Kumar Nepal promised Rs. 5 Lakhs for the medical costs of former national team volleyball player Dinesh Baniya's kidney operation. Along with the PM's promise a charity match between the who's who of politics and entertainment was organized to raise additional funds. It was truly a sight to behold watching Prachanda, Ram Chandra Poudel and Jhala Nath Khanal running around in shorts -playing football. An amazing accomplishment to pull such an event together by the organizers - the Television Artists Forum. (Photo: with permission from Sanjeeb Shilpakar)