Garisa Silwal: A basketball prodigy aspires to bring more trophies to Nepal

Garisa Silwal

National basketball player Garisa Silwal, 23 years old, has experience playing both full court and 3×3 format, representing Nepal. 

In 2019 during the 13th South Asian Games, which was held in Nepal, she made her debut in 3×3 format and won bronze for Nepal.  

She also participated in 3×3 basketball during the Asian Games in China. Last year, she played in the 3×3 Open Basketball Tournament, organised by the Nepal Basketball Association, representing Lalitpur Champion and became the tournament winner. 

Silwal was announced as the most valuable player (MVP). 

Beginning

Relatively, activities in basketball have increased because of which players like Silwal are getting chances to showcase their talents. Similarly, the growing competition has also helped in exploring new players. 

Five feet 10 inches tall Silwal plays from the centre position. Usually, the tallest player in the team plays from this position. The major responsibility of Silwal in the team is to create a chance for score and disallow the opponent to score. 

Silwal, a native of Surunga, Jhapa, came to Kathmandu with her family at a young age. Since grade 10 she started playing basketball. Now she is studying at the bachelor’s level. Back then Nitish Raj Pathak encouraged Silwal to play basketball. “Playing basketball made me feel good,” says Silwal, “Alongside, Nitesh Dai also encouraged me to play sports.” 

Afterwards, she went to Noble Talent Hunt. There she was trained by Ashish KC. Silwal also played for Xaviers College, where she went for her high school. Besides the college team, she also played for Royal Sports Central, Tribhuvan Army Club and Lalitpur. 

Her career took another level when she played in the 8th National Game held in 2019 in Dang. Back then she played for Tribhuvan Army Club and secured the third position. 

After that, she got into the national team. “As a national player, I got a better opportunity to learn basketball,” says Silwal.  

Then, in 2022, during the SABA Championship in Maldives, she made her debut for Nepal in full court. Nepal secured a silver medal in the championship. Last year, during the 9th National Game she played for Tribhuvan Army Club and won the gold. 

Taking sports and studies together

For many players, it is hard to take sports and education parallelly. But Silwal stands out in the context. Even while studying science and architecture, she is actively playing basketball. And she wants to continue her further education in the same way. Silwal’s family is supportive of it. 

“Initially, they were doubtful, but later they supported me,” says Silwal to Onlinekhabar. 

Similarly, Silwal also received support from her college. During the 19th Asian Games, she managed to do her basketball practice and college assignments parallelly. “I initially thought I would stop playing if the game hampered my education. But it didn’t as I continued both parallelly,” says Silwal.  

Nevertheless, Silwal aspires to win more and more trophies for Nepal. 

Studying and playing

In a conversation with Onlinekhabar, Silwal shared her experience playing in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. She says participating in the 19th Asian Games was a great lesson. As a student of architecture, Silwal was attracted by the architectural structure made for the sports during the Asian Games. 

For Silwal participating in an Asian Games was like a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Silwal is currently a fifth-year student of bachelor’s in architecture at Himalayan Engineering College. Being a student, she has prepared a report on the architecture of the sports complex as her assignment. “Nepal has an old architectural structure for sports. Players are always compelled to play in the same hall. So we need different kinds of infrastructure,” says Silwal. 

Moreover, utilising her knowledge as an architecture student, Silwal is designing a sports complex in Surunga, Jhapa.