The Madan Puraskar Guthi announced the winners of Nepal's most prestigious literary awards on Wednesday. Novelist Buddhisagar Chapain won the main Madan Puraskar for his novel 'Himal Basne Manchhe,' which explores the impact of climate change on high-altitude communities in the Karnali region.

The Jagadamba Shree Puraskar for poetry was awarded to Bimala Tumkhewa for her collection 'Maatoko Geet,' which weaves together indigenous Limbu perspectives with contemporary feminist themes. The collection has been praised for its linguistic innovation.

In the young writer category, 24-year-old Anisha Ghimire received the award for her debut short story collection examining the digital lives and anxieties of Nepal's urban youth. Critics hailed it as a fresh and necessary voice in Nepali literature.

The awards ceremony at the Nepal Academy Hall was attended by over 500 literary figures. The Guthi also announced increased prize money of 1 million rupees for the main award and plans to translate winning works into English and Hindi.