Kathmandu, April 11 -- First, a question: who won Nepal's first international gold medal?

For years, the answer was elusive. With little in the way of a definitive written history of Nepali sport, it lingered in conjecture rather than record.

Clarity came only in 2019, when Nepal hosted the 13th South Asian Games (SAG). As the event unfolded, curiosity resurfaced over who had secured the country's first gold at the region's premier multi-sport meet-an answer that would also identify Nepal's first international gold medallist.

After considerable debate, the conclusion was clear: Baikuntha Manandhar.

Nepal staged the inaugural South Asian Federation (SAF) Games in 1984, winning four gold medals-one in the marathon, two in boxing and one...