On the occasion of its 13th founding anniversary, the Children's Literature and Research Center has honored and awarded artists who have contributed to the field of art through their creations.

Artist Krishnabhakta Maharjan was awarded the 'Sahitya-Srishti Balbangmaya Sadhana Samman-2082' at a program organized at the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts in Naxal on Saturday.

Artist Maharjan was honored with a cash prize of 25,000 rupees, a certificate of honor and a dosalla by senior artist Harihar Sharma, award founder and center advisor Pramod Pradhan, center president Anant Wagle and others. Earlier, creators Shantadas Manandhar, Tekbir Mukhiya, and Nupur Bhattacharya have been honored with this award.

Similarly, Arya Tripathi was honored with the book 'Balapanka Dharsaharu' from the 'Rakupa Balbangmaya Children's Book Award-2081', painter Devendra Pandey 'Deven' from the 'KK Karmacharya Balbangmaya Chitrakuta Samman 2082' and Roshan Pokharel was honored with the book 'Kalgrantha' from the 'Jayahira Balbangmaya Kishore Akhyaan Puraskar-2081'. Senior artist Sharma, Center President Wagle, and award founders KK Karmacharya and Sirjana Sharma presented a cash prize of Rs 10,000 each and a certificate of appreciation to all the honorees.

'Sahitya-Srishti Balbangmaya Sadhana Samman', 'Rakupa Balbangmaya Children's Book Award', 'KK Karmacharya Balbangmaya Chitrakuta Samman' and 'Jayahira Balbangmaya Kishore Sahitya Puraskar' were established by creators Pramod Pradhan, Ram Kumar Pandey, KK Karmacharya and Sirjana Sharma respectively.

It is not difficult to open an organization, but it is difficult to continue it, and artist Sharma wished the center further progress. Sharma believed that the identity of a nation is not only soil. According to him, the art, civilization and culture we have adopted are also a nation. He urged to strengthen its roots. He said, 'Children are the leaders of the future. Whatever the subject, style and presentation of children's literature, it should educate children, be message-oriented and touch the psychology of children for a long time.'

Center Chairman Wagle congratulated all the honorees and awardees and said that the Children's Literature and Research Center should move forward responsibly and consciously as it has been on its journey for 13 years.

Stating that literary creation such as Nepali drama and stories can help in making new children characterful, the center's advisor Pradhan believed that the country can be built through children who are qualified through literary creation.

The founders of the award and advisors of the center, Karmacharya and Sharma, congratulated the honored and awarded personalities and expressed their best wishes for their future artistic creation.

The honored artist Maharjan expressed his gratitude to the center for the honor and also presented a play on the subject of Jung Bahadur.

The center's advisor, Tara Nidhi Bhattarai, discussed the awarded 'Balapanka Dharsaharu' and 'Kal Granth'.

The joint children's story collection 'Manasa', published by Gyanvriksha Publications and created with human emotions and feelings as its theme, was also unveiled at the event. The collection includes children's stories by 20 children's storytellers.

The program, which was attended by writers, painters, journalists, and art lovers, was moderated by the center's general secretary, Shanti Sapkota.