29 professionals, including 7 foreigners, honoured at Asian Professional Achievement Awards 2025
NN ONLINE:
Season Media Private Limited has honoured 29 distinguished personalities, including 7 foreigners, with the prestigious Asian Professional Achievement Awards 2025 in recognition of their contributions to various professional fields and social impact.
The grand event was held at The Plaza Hotel, Pulchak, Lalitpur, where the chief guests were former Prime Minister and Chairman of CPN (Maoist Centre) Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Deputy Speaker Indira Rana Magar, who jointly presented the awards. Notably, seven international professionals were recognised for their achievements. Among them were Moinuddin Ahmed, Chief Photojournalist of The New Nation, currently the oldest English daily in Bangladesh; Mashiur Rahman Suman, Managing Director, Hotel Imperial International, Bangladesh; Chen Huan, President of Gaokeng County Photographers Association, Shandong, China; Manimaran A.L. Supiya, Founder of Proness (Promotional Association of Global Networking), Malaysia; Phuntsho Dendup, Technical Advisor to the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Employment, Bhutan; and Khushi Karki, Winner of Mero Dance Season 1, Thailand.
At the event, Balkrishna Shrestha, Chairman of Hama Iron and Steel Industries Private Limited received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Chiribabu Maharajan, Mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City; Rajendra Malla, Chairman of Prabhu Insurance Company; Dr. Vasantha Pant, renowned neurosurgeon; Jyotsna Shrestha, Vice President of FNCCI; and Manoj Gyawali, CEO of Nabil Bank.
Similarly, Sushant Karmacharya, hydropower promoter and chairman of Madam Khola Hydropower Limited; Santosh Prasai, CEO of Prabhu Mahalakshmi Life Insurance Limited; and Milan Malla, executive director of Morang Auto Works, were also honoured.
In the media and arts sector, the honourees included Sushil Arial, editor-in-chief of Newspolar.com; Shivani Thapa Basnyat, senior journalist and television presenter of Nepal Television; Kamala Giri, managing director of White Coral Spa Academy; and popular singer-composer Shiv Pariyar.
Sher Bahadur KC, under-secretary of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration; Delhiraj Pangeni, co-founder and CEO of Blue Chip Securities; Khilendra Paudel, deputy CEO of IME Life Insurance; Lakshmi Thakur, chairperson of Lakshmi Hair and Beauty Academy; Sukhdev Karki, Founder and President of Nepal Youth Fitness and Calisthenics; Actress and Producer Keki Adhikari; Manoj Paudel, Chairperson of FNCCI’s Investment and International Affairs Forum; Simanta Shrestha, Cabin Crew Manager, Himalaya Airlines; and Suresh Rijal, CEO, Omway Technology.
Speaking at the event, Season Media Chairman Pradeep Raj Bhandari said that the aim of the award is to honour individuals whose professional excellence and social contributions inspire others in Nepal and abroad.
From Childhood Passion to Professional Photojournalist – The Journey of Mr. Moinuddin Ahmed
Mr. Moinuddin Ahmed, born on July 25, 1970, in a traditional Muslim family in Dhaka, grew up surrounded by photography. His father was a director at Bangladesh Railways, while his mother took care of the family at home. Photography, however, became a defining part of his life thanks to his extended family’s deep connection to the craft.
To strengthen his craft, he earned a Diploma in Photojournalism from the South Asia Photography Institute in 2013. His dedication and talent have been widely recognized. Among his honors are the Best Photojournalist of the Year Award (2017) from Abasan News24.com, the Bandhu Mahal Donor Society Media Honorary Memorial (2021), and the Tobacco Control Movement Media Award (2022) from the Dhunik Organization. Most recently, he received the Brave/Injured Journalist Honorary Award and Certificate from the Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust (under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting) during the commemoration of the Student People’s Uprising in 2024–2025.
His work has also taken him across borders. For sports coverage, he has traveled to Bhutan, Thailand, and Dubai, and for other assignments he has visited more than ten countries including Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
His contributions have also been recognized internationally: in Nepal, he was honored with the Third National Nepal Live Photojournalism Award, presented by then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Mr. Ishwar Pokhrel, at the invitation of NFPJ.
From a boy fascinated by family cameras to a seasoned professional capturing history through his lens, Mr. Moinuddin Ahmed’s journey reflects a lifelong devotion to photography and an enduring commitment to telling stories through images.
Primarily established as a businessman through paternal lineage, Mr. Mashiur Rahman Sumon was born on December 12, 1980, in the Lakshmibazar area of Old Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. His interest in photography first developed during his student life, and during college he became passionate about sports photography. For a short time, he worked as a photojournalist for Dainik Samachar and Joy Parajay Dotcom. However, after his father fell ill, as the eldest son of the family, he became involved in his father’s business.
In the heart of Dhaka, Gulistan, Mr. Sumon took charge as the Managing Director of Hotel Imperial International, a three-star hotel. Alongside managing the hotel, he and his younger brother established a Hotel Management Training Center. Every three months, students complete cook and chef training courses and receive certificates, enabling them to work in major star-rated hotels across the country as well as pursue chef jobs abroad.
In addition to business, he has remained actively involved in various social organizations. He served twice as the President of Jamuna Club in Sirajganj, Bangladesh. He has been honored by the national-level organization Amra Kuri and has received two honorary awards from the international organization Lions Club.
At present, along with his hotel business, he is a central committee member of Lions Club International, the Vice-President of the Bangladesh Photojournalist Association, and an active member of several other social organizations.