NATIONAL10 [RELIGION (Spotlight Weelky)]

Pioneer In Golf

This year's Soaltee Challenge Trophy concludes pledging commitment to uplift the sport in the country

By A CORRESPONDENT

Soaltee Hotel Limited has not only the history of promoting tourism in the country, it has also promoted golf for the last 13 years.

One of the aims of the tournament was to promote the game among Nepalese audience and hone new talents in this otherwise neglected sports.

Winners awarded by Minister Bhandari : Promoting golf

Among the total of 65 participants, who took part in the tournament, T.B. Limbu won the tournament at Royal Nepal Gulf Club. Jamling Ghale emerged as runner-up of this year's tournament.

D.B. Shahi won in the seniors' category and Eu Hazur Thapa won in the ladies category. Sameer Amatya bagged the award in junior category.

Among different other categories, Prachanda Shrestha grabbed elegant golfer award and T. Fislec bagged longest drive award. Likewise, Tashi Ghale won in the closest to pin and Shrikhar Rana won in the closest to the pin. S.K. Singh was awarded for hitting most birdies, G.M. Lama for lucky seven and D. T. Sherpa for best gross.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Sarat Singh Bhandari distributed the prize to the winners.

"The ministry is ready to support the expansion of golf course as there are very few golf courses in the country," said Minister Bhandari distributing the prize.

"Soaltee Hotel is proud to support the open Golf championship," said Prabhakar SJB Rana, chairman of Soaltee Hotel Ltd.

VALENTINE'S DAY
Love Is In The Air

The young Nepalese urban youths have embraced the Valentine's day celebration with gusto

By A CORRESPONDENT

Five years ago, rarely any youth even in Kathmandu city had any knowledge about the Valentine's day. But in the last few years, coinciding with the advent of MTV and FM radio stations, the youths from urban centers in the country have rapidly started adopting the purely western culture of observing the day that celebrates Valentine's Day or the Cover's Day.

Not only the couples in love but also those seeking benign attention of Cupid were seen exchanging greeting cards and flowers in the city. Though the culture of celebrating Valentine's Day is a fairly new one in Nepal, it is fast catching up among youths in the country particularly of the new FM generation.

Five years ago shopes and record companies barely sold special Valentine's day cards or music albums. Today, hundreds of teen-aged boys and girls flock these shops. Nothing could be stronger proof for this than the mushrooming number of new shops like Hallmark and Archies in different parts of the city.

"Few years ago nobody had a clue about Valentine's day. Now, the Valentine culture is fast seeping in the urban areas," said Rakesh Shrestha, a shopkeeper at Kamaladi.