Kathmandu: The Sharad Chandra Shaha Memorial Foundation (SCSMF) successfully hosted the second edition of its annual “SCSMF Sports Award” today, June 28, during a grand ceremony at the Hotel Royal Singi in Kamaladi, Kathmandu. Established to honor established icons and emerging talents for their contributions to Nepali sports, this year’s award ceremony also recognized one veteran and one contemporary athlete.
This year, the prestigious ‘SCSMF Sports Award 2025’ was conferred upon Nepali football legend and former national team captain, Raju Kaji Shakya. He was honored in recognition of his unparalleled and outstanding contribution to Nepali football, both as a player and a coach. Under Shakya’s captaincy, Nepal secured a historic gold medal in the South Asian Games, and he remains an inspirational figure in Nepali football.
In the same ceremony, Aruna Shahi, the captain of the Nepali Women’s National Volleyball Team, was also honored with the ‘SCSMF Sports Award 2025’. She was recognized for her significant contribution to the development of volleyball in the country and for inspiring a new generation of female athletes. Under her leadership, the Nepali women’s volleyball team has achieved remarkable success at the international level.
Both awardees received a cash prize of NPR 250,000 along with a certificate of honor.
About the Sharad Chandra Shaha Memorial Foundation:
The Sharad Chandra Shaha Memorial Foundation was established on November 30, 2020, by the family of the late Sharad Chandra Shaha. The late Shah is renowned as a key figure who brought about a major transformation in the history of Nepali sports. He was the first Nepali to serve as the Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
The late Shah was the visionary who initiated Nepal’s National Games and the Olympic Movement. He served as the Member Secretary of the National Sports Council from 2034 to 2045 BS (1977-1988 AD) and as the President of the Nepal Olympic Committee. He was also the architect behind the planning of Nepal’s National Games and the South Asian Games.
The main objective of the foundation is to encourage, support, identify, and honor individuals and organizations dedicated to the improvement and development of the nation’s sports sector. In the past, the foundation, in collaboration with the Nepal Sports for All Commission, organized a photo exhibition titled “The Dawn of a New Era in Nepal Sports.” Additionally, on Ashar 26, 2080 (July 11, 2023), the foundation launched a book titled “Nepali Khelkudko Britanta” (An Account of Nepali Sports), written by Nabin Aryal.
