The Standings: A One-Minute Gap at the Top
After six group rounds, two names sit virtually inseparable at the summit of the leaderboard.
Suman Maharjan of Maitighar leads with a cumulative total of 37:41, followed by Nur Mohammad of Phutung with an almost identical 37:40. Just one minute separates the two competitors after the entire group stage — a margin so thin it sets up what could be the most closely contested Super Six final in recent memory.
Maharjan, who won the 26th National Tournament last year with a dominant total across eight rounds, has arrived at the Super Six once again showing the same hallmarks of consistency. His pigeon2 2083 delivered the second-best single flight of the entire group stage — an extraordinary 10:37 in Group B.
Nur Mohammad, the ever-dangerous competitor from Phutung, showed a different but equally impressive strategy. Rather than one standout flight, his five named birds — Kaldumi Ilahabadi, Khurram Bhurja, Jonsira, Toofan Black Tag, and Fathen Tauke — flew with remarkable consistency in Group B, all five landing between 07:15 and 07:44. It is a loft-wide endurance that makes him formidable in the final.
Top 8 After Group Stage
| Rank | Participant | Location | Total Time | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suman Maharjan | Maitighar | 37:41 | Group B |
| 2 | Nur Mohammad | Phutung | 37:40 | Group B |
| 3 | Dil Krishna Munankarmi | Banepa | 36:56 | Group E |
| 4 | Rajan Shrestha | Thimi | 34:26 | Group D |
| 5 | Santosh Kumar Gupta | Phutung | 33:37 | Group B |
| 6 | Birendra Shrestha | Thimi | 32:47 | Group D |
| 7 | Sandip Ranjit | Yatkha | 32:34 | Group F |
| 8 | Kabin Shrestha | Paknajol | 32:17 | Group B |
Best Flight of the Group Stage: Harish Kojoo Stuns in Group E
The single most impressive flight of the entire group stage came from Harish Kojoo of Bhaktapur, whose pigeon4 2083 stayed airborne for a breathtaking 10:43 in Group E — the longest single flight of the tournament so far. That performance places Kojoo among the memorable performers of the 2083 season despite his overall total of 26:47 leaving him outside the Super Six.
Interestingly, Kojoo was similarly impressive last year — his pigeon2 2082 flew for 09:26 in the 26th tournament — yet failed to qualify both times. A reminder that endurance flying rewards consistency across all five birds, not just one extraordinary performer.
Santosh Kumar Gupta of Phutung also deserves mention for flying his birds under their actual names — Bungy Golden Tag, Teddy Blues, Khurram Bhurja, Sherdil Nokra and Chini Patha. His Chini Patha flew for 07:43 in Group B, the best of his five birds and one of the finer individual performances of the round.
Weather Disruption: Group E Chaos
One of the most significant stories of this year's group stage was the weather disruption in Group E. The round was scheduled for 11 participants but rainy conditions allowed only 3 participants to compete on the original day. The remaining 8 were transferred to an extended Group F, making it the largest and most competitive group of the tournament.
The transferred participants were: Raj Kumar Manandhar, Raju Manandhar, Dharma Manandhar, Arosh Manandhar, Raghuvar Pradhan, Nirajan Karanjit, Ravi Taujale, and Shyam Shrestha. This gave Group F an unusually large and diverse field, producing some of the most competitive flying of the season — including Arosh Manandhar's impressive 09:15 with pigeon4 2083 and Sandip Ranjit's 08:51 with pigeon5 2083.
One Super Six Round This Year vs Two Last Year
A notable structural difference in 2083 is that the Super Six will feature only one final round, compared to two Super Six rounds in the 26th tournament. This significantly changes the competitive dynamic.
Last year, the two Super Six rounds told a fascinating story of resilience. In Super Six Round 1, Suman Maharjan had pigeon5 disqualified — flying only four birds for a round total of 20:38. Yet he recovered emphatically in Super Six Round 2, posting 33:03 including a stunning 10:35 from pigeon5 and 08:22 from pigeon4, ultimately claiming the title comfortably.
With only one Super Six round this year, there is no such safety net. A disqualification, a bird that lands early, or an unexpected change in conditions could be the difference between champion and runner-up. Every single flight in the final counts more than ever before.
This format change particularly benefits competitors who have built large group stage leads — like Maharjan and Nur Mohammad — and puts enormous pressure on challengers who need a single dominant round to close the gap.
Old Guard vs New Blood: Who's Back and Who's Out
Comparing this year's Super Six to last year's reveals a fascinating shift at the top of Nepal's pigeon flying scene.
Returning Super Six qualifiers from 2082:
- Suman Maharjan — champion last year, leading again
- Nur Mohammad — 3rd last year, now joint leader
- Santosh Kumar Gupta — 6th last year, 5th this year
New Super Six faces in 2083:
- Dil Krishna Munankarmi — had just 13:45 total in 2082 and did not qualify. This year he has 36:56 — an almost unbelievable transformation that makes him the most improved competitor in the tournament
- Rajan Shrestha — only 12:45 last year. Now sits 4th with 34:26
- Birendra Shrestha — 22:44 last year, did not qualify. Now in 6th place with 32:47
Notable absentees from last year's Super Six:
- Ramesh Prajapati (2nd last year with 84:05 total across all rounds) — not in top 6 this year
- Ayush Lakhemaru (4th last year, produced the best single flight of 2082 at 11:38) — currently outside the Super Six with 29:54
- Bikram Tako (5th last year) — 23:21 this year, also outside the top 6
The absence of Prajapati and Lakhemaru — both formidable competitors — from the Super Six is one of the biggest surprises of the 2083 group stage.
The Dark Horse: Dil Krishna Munankarmi
Perhaps the most eye-catching performance outside the top two came from Dil Krishna Munankarmi of Banepa, who sits third with 36:56 after Group E. His pigeon5 2083 flew for 09:16 and pigeon4 2083 for 08:55 — two birds sustaining exceptional endurance in the same round.
The improvement from last year's 13:45 to this year's 36:56 represents the kind of loft transformation that only happens when a keeper has bred or acquired significantly better birds. Munankarmi enters the Super Six as the competitor most likely to upset the established order.
What to Expect in the Super Six
With only one Super Six round this year, the stakes are immediately high from the first release.
Maharjan and Nur Mohammad enter as co-favourites, separated by just one minute of accumulated flight time. Any single dominant flight from either could swing the title decisively. Dil Krishna Munankarmi's birds have shown they can sustain 08:00+ flights — in a single final round that level of performance from multiple birds could overhaul either frontrunner if they have an off day.
Santosh Kumar Gupta, the sole survivor from last year's lower half of the Super Six, brings proven final-stage experience that the new qualifiers lack. And Birendra Shrestha and Rajan Shrestha — both from Thimi, both new to the Super Six — add an element of unpredictability that makes this the most open final in years.
Follow the live results at pigeonnepal.com/en/tournaments/27th-national-tournament-2083.
Full group stage results, individual flight data and live Super Six scores are available on Pigeon Nepal.