Rai wins National Poetry Competition

Khotang: Tej Kumar Rai of Khotang has won the national poetry competition 2078 organized on the occasion of the 72nd National Democracy Day. The competition was jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and Nepal Pragya Pratisthan in the federal capital Kathmandu.

Poet Rai won the first prize for his poem titled ‘Bhitriyaunu Cha Gharbhitra Saha’ and received a certificate of appreciation along with Rs 50,000 in cash. According to a statement issued by the organizers, the poems titled ‘Pahichan ra Loktantra’ by Basudev Pandey ‘Prabhakar’ of Baitadi and ‘Dhoka Ugharaun’ written by Sabita Baral of Taplejung came second and third respectively.

The second and third place winners of the competition have received cash prizes of Rs 40,000 and Rs 30,000 respectively. It is said that 265 poets from all over the country participated in the nationwide poetry competition.

Earlier, the young poet Rai had bagged third place in the competition organized on the occasion of the 71st National Democracy Day last year. He is a graduation first-year student under the Faculty of Management.

Likewise, Govinda Gopal Khatiwada of Tanahun, Rejina Apgain of Tehrathum and Ganesh Dangal of Kathmandu came second and third respectively in the nationwide essay competition.

A total of 67 people from all over the country had participated in the essay competition. The first, second and third place winners of the competition were awarded cash prizes of Rs 50,000, Rs 40,000 and Rs 30,000 respectively.