He is a first-generation player in Nepali sports, making Pokhara his home base. He is also a first-generation coach.
Khadga Ranabhat, who has dedicated his entire life to Nepali sports, was presented with the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' at the NSJF Pulsar Sports Awards 2081 on Wednesday.
He is a first-generation athlete of Nepali sports, who has been making Pokhara his home. And he is also a first-generation coach. As he enters his eighth decade of life, he has seen more than half of the history of Nepali sports with his own eyes.
His sports career itself was not long. Due to injury, he was unable to play in the 1972 Munich Olympics. He is a contemporary of Ganga Bahadur, Bhakta Bahadur to Jit Bahadur KC. This is the same generation that laid the foundation of athletics in Nepal.
He remained active as the chief coach of the National Sports Council in the 1960s and 1970s. He also played an important role in forming an organization of national and international athletes and helped establish the Pokhara Marathon.
The greatest achievement of Nepali sports is Baikuntha Manandhar's historic performance in the 3rd South Asian Games held in Kolkata, India in 1987. Manandhar set a record of two hours, 15 minutes and 03 seconds in the marathon, which has not been broken yet.
Ranabhat was the coach of the Nepali team participating in that competition. He was also the flag bearer when the Nepali team participating in the Olympics held in Los Angeles, USA, marched past during the opening ceremony.
