Rama Adhikari, TGT
24 September, Kathmandu
Sharad Pokharel, a Nepali poet based in Japan, has won the International Nepali Poetry Contest, organized by International Nepali Literary Society (INLS) to commemorate the 102nd birth anniversary of poet Madhav Ghimire. Pokharel won the position together with a cash prize of 500 USD for his poem ‘Euta Charako Suicide Note’. Shuvachandra Rai from Nepal won the second place with a cash prize of 300 USD, while three poets, Keshav Raj Gyawali from the US, Ganesh Khadka from Africa and Bandana Bhattarai from Nepali shared the third place, each winning a cash prize of 200 US dollars each. The jury had three members: Prof. Dr. Sabitri Malla Kakshapati, Dr. Ramji Timalsina and Surendra Astafal.
In an event held virtually on ZOOM on 23 September, chair of the event and INLS President Prakash Poudel and chief guest, senior poet Tulasi Diwasa congratulated the winners and appealed them to give continuity to their creative flair and authorial honesty. Dr. Ramji, speaking as a member of the panel of judges, suggested the winner and participants to pine for better finery in the days to come.
According to INLS official source, as many as 301 poets had taken part in the global contest.