Award Honouring TV Journalists Killed in Nepal Chopper Crash Opens for Entries

Applications have been invited for this year’s Hem-Sunil Risky Television Journalism Award, an annual prize presented by the Nepal Journalists Federation Nepal Television Chapter.

The award carries a cash prize of 100,000 Nepali rupees and a certificate of honour.

Television journalists working for any channel across Nepal can submit a news report, news story or other broadcast material covering a risky subject aired between August 17, 2025 and August 16, 2026.

Applications must be submitted by September 165.

The submitted works will be evaluated by a six-member award selection committee comprising two experts, the central president of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, the executive chief of Public Service Broadcasting Nepal Television, the head of the Nepal Television News Channel and the chairperson of the Federation’s Nepal Television branch.

The award was established in memory of Nepal Television journalists Hem Bhandari and Sunil Kumar Singh, who died while covering the 2006 helicopter crash in Ghunsa, Taplejung.

The crash, on September 23, 2006, also killed then Minister of State for Forests Gopal Rai and several prominent conservation figures.

The Nepal Television Establishment Branch established the Hem-Sunil Risky Television Journalism Award Fund in their memory and has presented the award annually since October 7, 2007.

The 20th edition of the award will be presented at a special ceremony at the Nepal Television premises on September23.