Deuba positive about ‘surprise package’

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 23: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has assured the 8th South Asian Federation (SAF) Games medal winners to grant them the surprise package in due time.

According to National Sports Council Member Secretary, Prime Minister Deuba has told the players that he would discuss the matter and would look after the appropriate lands and jobs which will be granted to these players in due course.

A group of about thirty players who had won medals in the 8th SAF Games went to the Prime Minister office to submit a memorandum in which they wrote about the pledges made by Nepali congress Government led by Krishna Prasad Bhattarai for the surprise package to the medal winners.

After the conclusion of the 8th SAF Games in 1999 in Kathmandu where Nepal had won 31 gold medals, the government had agreed to provide a surprise package to Nepalese medal winners. The package includes a line of telephone, a piece of land for making house and a permanent job to all gold winning players.

However, none of these package has been provided to any of the medal winners as of yet.. Because of this, the players earlier had warned not to participate in the 9th SAF Games to be held in Pakistan from October this year. The players had already met Minister of Education and Sports to press for the surprise package.

" Prime Minister Deuba is positive to the request of these players,’ Palikhe, who led the players into the Prime Ministers office today said. "The Prime Minister said that he would ready to provide telephones immediately but had said that he had to look after appropriate lands and jobs to be given to these players," said Palikhe, who looked hopeful that the government would provide the package this time around.

Palikhe apprised the Prime Minister about the pledges made by Bhattarai led government to these players for the surprise package, apart from the cash prizes. The players have already received the cash prizes.

Taekwando gold medalist Deepak Bista read out the memorandum on behalf of players before the Prime Minister. In the memorandum the players has expressed their grief that they are still not getting any of surprise package gift offered by the then government. In the memorandum the players made request to the Prime Minister to make arrangements so that these players can benefit from the surprise package.

Young Prem Maharjan draws with computer

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 23: The Rambir Memorial Open Chess Tournament got underway today at the Makhan Tol’s Tarini Bahal where, apart from 102 chess players, a computer with 2350 rating points is also contesting.

In the first match of the day, young Prem Krishna Maharjan drew with the computer. Likewise, the current Nepal Champion Badri Lal Shrestha defeated Nepal’s number two player Krishna Thapa in the another match.

Similarly, Navin Tandukar beat Keshav Shrestha while veteran Sita Ram Aggrawal was forced to play a draw with GaneshMan Duwal.

Meanwhile, in other matches of the day, Rajan Chhettri, Arun Baidhya, Bhagwati Sharma, Purna Krishna Dangol, Janardan Shrestha, Digesh Malla, Hitkar Pradhan, Umesh Buddahcharya, LK Shrestha, Rajendra Prasad Shrestha, Bhuyu, Buddhi Lama, Nhuchhe Maharjan, Prachand Malakar, Rakesh rauniyar, Prakash Shrestha, Krishna Prasad Shrestha, Krishna Ranabhat, Prem Ratna Bajracharya, Suresh Bajracharya, Bikash Dangol Yogendra Shrestha, Ramesh B, Mohan singh Pradhan, Arjun Mahrjan, babu Raja Mahrjan, Dinesh Shrestha, Raj Man Maharjan and Madhav Sharma won their respective matches in the opening day today.

Earlier today, Kathmandu Metropolitan City Corporation Mayor Keshav Sthapit inaugurated the tournament. " Sports is the one sector which can help lift Nepal’s status more than any leader of the nation," he said after opening the tourney.

He said that Nepal could be a centre of world of sports but far sightedness is needed for this, he added.

He assured that Kathmandu Metropolitan City Corporation is ready to assist the chess association and is also ready to provide land and money for membership fee for International Chess Association.

The meeting chaired by chairman of Ward No. 29, Bikash Bhakta Shrestha was also addressed by Nepal Chess Association Chairman Anirudra Joshi, Shree Shrestha and Journalist Sita Ram Agrahari.