Bastola bags US President Gold Medal Award

New York: Bishwa Raj Bastola of Pokhara Metropolitan City-25 has been conferred with the US President Gold Medal Award.

He has been honoured with the Award in recognition of his contribution to the Nepali and the American communities in New York State US, through various humanitarian works, including a blood donation programme, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A citation undersigned by US President Joe Biden states that the country recognizes the humanitarian service provided by Bastola at times of difficulties in the United States of America.

Nepal’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Amrit Bahadur Rai handed the Award to Bastola at a programme organized in New York. The programme was held to commemorate the completion of 75 years of Nepal-USA diplomatic relations.

Born in 2028 BS in Hemja, Kaski district, Bastola followed the footprints of his father and was active in social and political sectors from a small age.

He was active in the Nepal Students Union, the student wing of the Nepali Congress, since 2044 BS. He also actively participated in the first people’s movement for the restoration of democracy in 1990 and the second people’s movement in 2006.

Bastola also served as a member of the Special Education Council under the Ministry of Education in 2066 BS. He has been associated with a dozen of social organisations such as the Society for Democratic Thought, the Human Rights and Peace Society, Amnesty International, Red Cross, and Lions Club and also held leadership positions in some of these.