Controversy forces Padmashree provider to cancel both prizes this year

Kathmandu, September 29

Following a controversy about Modanath Prashrit, whom Khemlal Harikala Lamichhane Academy declared as the winner of this year’s Padmashree Sadhana Samman, the academy says it has cancelled both the prizes for this year.

After social media users questioned the rationale behind the decision to award Prashrit, whom a woman had accused of sexual violence about five years ago, Sanjeev Uprety, the winner of the Padmashree Literature Award, had announced he would not receive the award on the same stage where Prashrit would also be awarded.

Following that, Prashrit had also said he would also reject the award this year as some people tried his character assassination.

After these developments, the academy held an emergency meeting last night to decide that both the prizes were cancelled as both the nominees decided to reject the awards, the academy’s chief Jiba Lamichhane informs.