Development Heroes Awarded

 Kathmandu, Jan. 5

Ten individuals who have made significant contributions across ten different sectors have been honoured as Development Heroes.

They were recognised – for earning national and international recognition and contributing to nation-building – at the Development Hero Awards Ceremony organised by Bikas Media in Lalitpur on Sunday evening. Finance Minister Rameshwar Khanal conferred the honors to the winners.

Among the awarded are Lalitpur Mayor Chiri Babu Maharjan, from political culture, good governance and development sector, Chairperson of Golchha Group Shekhar Golchha from industrial sector, Chairperson of First Choice Foods Limited Krishna Prasad Paudel from agriculture, Chairperson of the RM Group Krishna Acharya from energy sector, and Executive Director of Dhulikhel Hospital Dr. Ram Kantha Makaju Shrestha from professional service sector.

Likewise, Founder of the IME Group Hemraj Dhakal is awarded hero for his contribution in the information technology sector, Director of the Sanima Group Jiba Lamichhane for his creative and ethical entrepreneurship, Vice-Chancellor of Nepal University Professor Dr. Arjun Karki for education sector development and actress Surakshya Pant for her exceptional contribution to the arts and entertainment sector.

Finance Minister Khanal said that at a time when the morale of industrialists and businesspeople has weakened, such recognition would provide them a motivation and renewed energy to do more. According to him, boosting morale is essential to creating an investment-friendly environment in the country.

Minister Khanal noted that dissatisfaction among young people has been growing in recent times, and stressed the need for leadership capable of delivering good governance and making optimal use of limited resources and assets.

Speaking at the programme, Development Media Chairperson Ram Krishna Paudel said that at a time when despair is spreading on all sides, creative and motivational initiatives through the media can further encourage individuals. Likewise, Krishna Hari Baskota, Coordinator of the Development Hero Selection Committee, said that individuals who had performed excellently in their respective fields were selected and honoured in an impartial manner.

Similarly, Vice-Chair of the National Planning Commission Dr. Prakash Kumar Shrestha said that frustration has emerged as development in Nepal has not progressed as expected. “From a policy perspective, almost everything appears to be in place, but the problem lies in implementation. There is even confusion over who is responsible for carrying out implementation,” he said.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 6 January 2026.