Top 10 things to do in 2018

Goodbye 2017, Hello 2018

The year 2017 did not go as I had expected it to be. But guess what? It is nevertheless a beautiful and strong year, a milestone chapter in the book of my life. It has taught me so much about acceptance and forgiveness, loving and letting go, and creating beauty in the world. I made endless memories and started out new things like teaching, training, meditating, and cultivating some values to become a better self.

Life took some unexpected turns and initially I was quite overwhelmed, I did not know what to do and how to handle things. But with the grace of the universe and the support of family and friends I overcame my fears and emerged as a stronger individual.

Looking back at my year, I did some really cool stuff and enjoyed my time of 2017. Highlights of 2017 and what I ideas I have for 2018 are here:

a.    Health is Wealth

Your health should be your top priority. If you are not healthy then you cannot achieve anything. But I am not up for extreme and intense workout, I love to hike and trek in the nature and run few kilometres. This year I ran 10 kilometres in the Pinkathon event in the beginning of the year. I hiked few places around the Kathmandu valley and trekked to Muktinath with my students from John Dewey School in 2017.

I plan to run half marathon in 2018 and do some more hiking and trekking.

Health is not just about having an attractive physique but also a balanced mind for which meditation and eating the right quantity and quality of food is a must.I gave up consuming meat in 2017 and I feel awesome about it. I feel more energized and I've lost about 5 kilograms weight.

I have a long, long way to go...
Photo credit: Sudin KC

b.    Meditative lifestyle

Finally in 2017, I got an opportunity to go for a 10 day Vipassana course. I am happy for I could accomplish this ardent mediation. Since, then I have been practising it often.

My challenge in 2018 is to lead a meditative lifestyle.  I plan not just to meditate for an hour a day or 30 minutes a day but to apply the attentiveness in everything I do.

I've met people who claim to be 'spiritual' or even 'spiritual leaders and practitioners' but in their everyday life are quite frustrated and angry at even trivial matters.

Thank you God for Everything!

c.    Relationships matter

I say 2017 was a beautiful and strong year because of the relationships I have in my life. I value my family, friends, teachers, students and everyone I meet in a daily basis. My life would not be as wonderful and amazing as it is now without the people in my life. Shout- outs to all the lovely people in my life who have blessed it with so much love, I want you to know I love you back, even more. J  

In 2018 I will try my best to make you feel more special and proud to have me.

Let's create some magic, let's spread some love.

d.    Education, work and career

Writing, speaking, reading, teaching and presenting are the things that bring life into me. I am among the fortunate people in this world who have built their lives around the things they love. I am continuing to work at John Dewey School; I guide students to improve their writing and presenting skills. A few months back we introduced "John Dewey Talks" a platform where teachers and students collaboratively or individually make presentations on the topic of their choice. Moreover, we also initiated guest lecturing sessions at the school.

I was also invited at DAV school to present on my experience as a writer and media person. Last year I got awarded for my Journalistic works from "Rayamajhi Kuldevta Samiti" which I am quite grateful for.

Even this year I was the Master of Ceremonies for Nepal- Africa Film Festival where distinguished guests from Africa, Europe and Asia were present.

Awarded for my journalistic works

Guest Speaker at DAV School 

And yes I did joined Masters in Business Studies last year and will be appearing for exams in mid- January.

In 2017, I read Malcom Gladwell's "Blink", Kahil Gibran's, "The Broken Wings", Pema Chodron's "Start Where you are", Khaled Hosseini's "A Thousand Splendid Suns" to name a few.

Basically, like always my work, studies, writings, speaking and ventures keep me quite occupied and I love it.

In 2018, I plan to continue all my works, procrastinate less, read more, write more and love even more. I plan work with dedication and love, read at least 30 books, write and publish at least once a month and I have some more plans which I will be sharing with you soon.

e.    Inspiring myself and others

In my strong and beautiful year I have tried my best to keep myself and those around me happy and motivated.

Now in 2018, I plan to be more positive, helpful and giving. I am all excited to start my new year with full energy and enthusiasm.  I have experienced that the little things that we do brings us more happiness than the honors and awards we receive.

I have created 10 things that I will stick by, these are not resolutions exactly but I call them 'Flex To-do List', simple and changeable according to the situation. You can make your own list according to your needs and convenience:

1.    Wake up earlier. No matter how cold it is or how lazy you are feeling just get out of your bed and stop snoozing! (Weekends and holidays are an exception here.)

2.    Be the queen of accomplishments. Don't leave things undone. Be honest and responsible to yourself.

3.    Maintain your exercise and meditation routine and eat right. Avoid junk as much as possible.

4.    Write gratitude journal every single day. By the end of the year you will have enough things to be thankful for and realize how amazing your life is.

5.    Watch the sunrise and the sunset.

6.    Be more giving and helpful, volunteer for a social cause.

7.    Travel to at least 5-6 new places or countries.

8.    Write a letter or make a presentation for your loved one.

9.    Read something interesting every day. Write at least 200 words each day.

10.  Smile more, talk to strangers (don't be too timid or shy) and help as many people as you can.  

I hope you have a great year ahead, a year full of surprises and may you get all that your heart desires for. Thank you for reading it and being there with me.

Lots of love,

Yours Abhilasha

Bleeding Dashami, A Confession 

I was 11 when I menstruated for the first time. I was not allowed to stay at my home. I was taken to my relative's place with all my clothes, mattress, quilt and other necessities that I would require for 11 days. I was not permitted to go any other rooms of the house, look directly at the sun and look at any men. I was having winter vacation at that time so I did not miss my school, if I did not have holidays I would have missed my school too.

My mattress was placed in the corner of a room that was full of furniture. I was not allowed to cross the small area and touch any of the items there.  The washroom that I had to use was downstairs and I could use it either in the early mornings when no one was awake or after everyone was asleep. You might be wondering what I did in between. Well, there was a pot placed in the corner of the room.

I was not easy for me to stay there for 11 long days. There would be visitors during daytime that brought me food and gave me company. But at nights I felt quite lonely. The only entertainment I had at that time was a radio. No TV, no mobile, no laptop, only a radio. When I asked why is it that I had to follow all these rules, the only answer I received was this is how it has been since ages, it is a tradition to be followed. Some ladies also said that I was lucky that now the situation is better for me, for I was not kept in the cold outside in a goth, a cowshed or makeshift hut.

In Western part of Nepal Chaupadi, the system of keeping menstruating women and girls outside of their homes is still prevalent. According to a government study around 74 per cent of women were compelled to practice Chhaupadi in Jumla. Women lose their lives in these open huts due to snakebites, cold and animal attacks.

A law to abolish Chaupadi pratha was introduced in 2005. Recently, the Criminal Code Bill passed by the Parliament criminalises the ancient practice. The new law stipulates a three-month jail sentence or Rs 3,000 fine, or both, for anyone forcing a woman to follow the custom according to a news report.

However the law do not seem to be implemented even after more than a decade of its introduction. This still this tradition is alive in our society not only in the rural Nepal but also in city areas among educated population. The severity of the tradition might be low in most urban parts of Nepal but it is still followed in many households.

This is the second year I will not be receiving tika and blessings from elders on the auspicious occasion of Bijaya Dashami because I am menstruating. Yesterday on the day of Navami we were at my uncle's home for Dashain get-together. My aunt called me to put tika as she did not know that I was in my period at that time. But it was me who hesitated and took a step backward and told her that I am on my period. After over years of conditioning and following the tradition I myself did not feel like putting tika. Even though I am against it, a part of me did not allow myself to take a step forward and receive tika at that moment. I am aware that menstruation is a natural process and not a taboo but still I did not want to go ahead and change. I realised that we ourselves think that we are not touchable when we are in our periods. Any tradition that is related with socio-cultural beliefs takes a lot of time sometimes even generations to change.

After a lot of confusions and dilemma I decided that it was okay to receive tika during periods if I wished to. But receiving tika requires two parties. The other party should also be willing to give blessings and support. Today on the day of Dashami, I requested my parents to put tika even though it was my second day of menstruation. I knew they would not agree but still I wanted to know what they would say. They straight away denied it. My mother told me, "Oh so you want to take photos and share it on your facebook so that you can show off that you broke our age-old tradition?" I did not want any further discussions because I did not want to hurt her feelings on this special day. I did not feel like ruining anyone's festive mood.

Even though I did not celebrate the festival this year, I made a progress. First I faced my own doubts and then I also voiced my opinion to my parents. I am sure by next time I will raise my voice even more strongly. If my sister is having her period during festivals and if she desires to still celebrate it, I will support her. I do not want her or any other women to suffer from isolation or humiliation for going through a natural cycle, for being a woman. 

An open letter to my Teachers

Dear Teachers,

If you have ever taught me something this letter is for you. All I want to express is gratitude through this letter on such an auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima or Teacher's Day. Being a teacher is a tough job and being a teacher to a student like me is not an easy task at all. However, you have done your best to make me the person I am today. I don't know how successful I have become in making you proud or happy but your presence in my life has given me a sense of direction. You have influenced me so much that now I am on a path similar as yours; I have started teaching and mentoring students. And it is now that I realise even more how important it is to be a part of a student's learning process and life.

I am grateful to my first teachers, my parents for instilling the joy of learning within me. Parents play a vital role in the learning process. Without proper guidance, support and encouragement learning is always incomplete. Both my parents have invested their time and energies in creating a conducive learning environment for me and my sister. I have observed that some parents push their children too hard to pursue their studies and I have witnessed some do not have enough time for their children. Fortunately my parents have maintained a balance between being too liberal and too strict, being too close and too distant. They have given me love, freedom, understanding and support whenever I needed which is vital for learning and growth.

How can I forget my first teachers in pre-school who helped me adapt to school and classroom systems, the ones who held my hand and taught me write my first alphabet, who introduced me to the fascinating world of digits and the ones who allowed the expressive side of me emerge? I will always be indebted to my teachers who taught me how to read, write, listen and speak in my early years of school life. Without you I would not be writing this in the first place.

There was a time in my life when I lacked confidence. I did not have confidence to speak in public, to write and tell my stories as I can do it now.  I want to express gratitude to the teachers and mentors who always trusted on me. "I see a spark in you; you will reach places and do great things," a teacher once said to me. Similarly there are so many other teachers who have always seen me as a person with potential, ability and credibility to bring positive changes in the society. When teachers and mentors trust you, you trust yourself and you don't want to let them down.

Some teachers taught me the hard way. Great lessons come in difficult situations. Some teachers have a very unusual way of teaching and they are misunderstood at that moment. But later you come to realise why that teacher said such thing to you. Medicines are always bitter and so are good advices. I apologise for taking you wrongly at that moment. You did not want to be popular among the students but show us the right path even if that meant being the disliked. I respect you for being that way.
I am thankful to the teachers, inspirers and motivators who are always present in my life. I may not be always in touch with you but your actions inspire me to do great things.

Every situation, every person that I have come across, the books I have read, the friends I have made, the places I have travelled are all  my teachers.  Nature is my teacher. My students and mentees also inspire me and teach me new things every day. The people I have not met or witnessed through the virtual world have also taught me great lessons. The life that I am living at the moment is my greatest teacher. Every day, every moment I am learning new things and I am grateful for all that.
You might think why I have not mentioned the names of the special people in my life here. It is because there are so many teachers who have taught me till date and I do not want to miss out anybody's name here. But you know who you are and I give you the credit for shaping me into the person I have become.

Now I somewhat understand the challenges of being a teacher. You have to be prepared, patient and giving and most of the times all your efforts go unnoticed. But please don't stop doing your thing. You have the power to gift the light of education and values.

Respectfully yours,

Abhilasha

Why Vipassana meditation?

10 days of noble silence, pure vegetarian food and 100 hours of meditation

Abhilasha Rayamajhi

"Why did you go for 10 days Vipassana meditation? What problem did you have that you needed an escape?" "You are already such a calm person why did you need to meditate?" These are some of the remarks I received when I returned from the 10 days Vipassana course.

I have always been fascinated by saints and the spiritual world. I got to know about the Vipassana meditation through my father. He undertook this course a few years back and had been meditating at home. I was not quite eager to go for Vipassana back then but I wanted to learn more about it. I thought taking 10 days off from my normal college and work life was not possible for me back then. However, I would meditate for a few minutes every now and then before I went to sleep. Further I have a close friend who also happened to be a Vipassana meditator. He was always calm and observant and that attribute was praiseworthy. I felt there was something in this technique of meditation.

Last year I got an exciting and awakening opportunity to travel to Bodhgaya where Buddha got enlightened, Sarnath where he gave his first sermon, Rajgir, Nalanda and other sacred places. I meditated for a while under the Bodhi tree and visited the Mahabodhi temple. This year on the Nepali New Year I trekked to Muktinath which is situated in lower Mustang. All these spiritual journeys and experiences prepared me and paved my way for this intense meditation.

My curiosity to know myself, the need to understand how my body and mind functions and how I can become a better version of myself led me to Vipassana meditation centre.

I was quite excited to leave everything behind and go for this meditation. We are not supposed to take our gadgets, cosmetics or jewelleries. Leaving these items was easy for me. In fact I was looking forward to my days without gadgets. The difficult part for me was detachment with my dear books and diary.  We are not supposed to carry anything that distracts us from our meditation practice. I always have a book by my side and as a journalist I have the habit of taking notes. So leaving my books and notebook was painful. However, the rules are there for our own good and it is for our best that we follow it. So, I packed a few clothes, toiletries, an umbrella and a water bottle and was set for my adventure.

Inside the centre we were requested to strictly follow the five precepts or Sila that are:
1. To abstain from killing anyone
2. To abstain from stealing
3. To abstain from sexual misconduct
4. To abstain from wrong speech
5. To abstain from all intoxicants

When I read the first precept I thought to myself, "This is so stupid. Why would anyone go there to meditate and kill another human being?" Killing insects intentionally or unintentionally had not even crossed my mind! At Vipassana centre I became cautious that I had to move gently and make sure not even an ant was killed.

 I love eating spicy and oily non-vegetarian food items. I had already paid a price for my obsession with meat. I suffered from constipation which resulted in haemorrhoids or piles. Every time I ate a plate of chicken momo or spicy pani puri, the next morning I would have a really difficult time. One morning I had to be taken urgently to the hospital because I had rectal bleeding and periods at the same time which made me really weak.

We were served hygienic and pure vegetarian food thrice a day. The food served there helped me reduce constipation to a great extent. I understood what my body really demanded. Even after the course I have not consumed any non-vegetarian food and I have been aware about what is going inside my system.

The first few days we were taught to focus on our breathing. This technique is called Anapana. It was challenging to stay in one place 10 hours a day and just observe my breathing. Later we were taught the wonderful technique of Vipassana where we observed the sensations in our body from head to feet and in reverse order. Every day from 7 to 8:30 pm we had S.N. Goeka's discourses which were quite informative with a hint of humour and lots of witty stories.

I was coping up with being with myself and observing my sensations. However, on the sixth day I felt terrible. I suffered from severe cough and cold and headache. I was annoyed at almost everything around me and mostly myself for choosing such a path where we were not allowed to speak or do anything. I wanted to escape. But I consoled myself saying that it was already the sixth day and only four days were remaining. Later on the sixth day in the discourse, Goenka mentioned that it is normal to have such feelings and it takes a strong mind to come this far.

Finally on the seventh day there were moments when I felt ecstatic while meditating and afterwards as well. I could feel numerous sensations on my body. There are so many sensations that are happening in our bodies and till 23 years I was ignorant about what was happening in my body. I was overjoyed to experience these pleasant sensations. I thought this was it, now I am enlightened. But on the eighth day while meditating I did not feel the same, in fact I didn't feel any such sensations. At that moment I felt like I fell down after reaching a certain height. I understood at an experiential level that nothing stays forever whether it is a pleasant sensation or an unpleasant one we are always changing and we must maintain equanimity at all times.

On the final day we were taught Metta where we filled our mind and body with feelings of good-will for all beings. We could finally break noble silence on this day and talk to fellow meditators. We also had a book exhibition and donation program on the same day. Vipassana courses are run solely on donation basis and the courses are free of cost.

So what did I gain from Vipassana?
1. I feel healthier and happier.
2. I have a new energy to achieve great heights of success in life.
3. I have the urge to serve others.
4. I have experienced that change is the only thing that is constant.
5. I have become a more balanced and calmer person.

The things that I have gained cannot be expressed in words. I am still in the process of reflecting what I learnt there and what I've gained. My time there was wonderful. It was challenging but worth it. I absolutely recommend Vipassana meditation to everyone. I would also like to inform that Vipassana is not for you if you are going for an escape or to cure your disease. There is no guarantee that your mental and physical health will drastically improve because of this course. I still am in the process of knowing myself better. However, these 10 days have helped me a lot in my personal development; I am at peace with myself and willing to share my peace and happiness with all beings.
Bhavatu Sabba Mangalam
May all beings be happy!

Photo: i.ytimg.com

Should we Lean In?

Writing is something I am quite passionate about. However, many  times I find myself struggling to find the right words to express what I feel exactly. Therefore, to sharpen my writing and analytical skills I have decided to read more. To be more precise, one book a week. Recently I completed reading Lean In by Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sheryl Sandberg.

“Women, work and the will to lead,” is the tag-line of this book. Sandberg describes her international bestseller as, “feminist manifesto that inspires men as much as it inspires women.”  

I  did my research for Summer Project Work in undergrad level on the topic, ‘Challenges faced by working women in Kathmandu’. The goal of my project work was to find out why there are so few women leaders in Nepal and the world. After interviewing around 30 women in various levels and sectors I realised that there are several obstacles both internal and external for a woman to succeed in her career. The problems were verbal abuse, sexual assaults, lack of confidence and gender roles. This work opened myself up more questions rather than giving me one definite answer. Lean In did try to answer some of my queries. 

When I was doing profile reporting for a national daily, and interview for Youth in Entrepreneurship, I realised that the situation is worse than I had expected it to be. When I approached young women entrepreneurs to interview them, they said they were not ‘interview’ ready even though they had worked for years. On the contrary, men would themselves approach me to be interviewed for the radio show as well as national daily, even if they had not yet started their business! Yes, they only had an idea and they were ready to be featured in the media so that they would get investors who would be willing to invest in their business.   Women are underestimated because in a way we ourselves underestimate our capacities and this is also something that the book talks about. In many ways I could deeply connect to what the author was trying to convey the readers.

Once, my closest male friend said to me, “Men and women should do what they are meant to do. Women are the ‘weaker’ sex, they should stay at home and look after their babies. There is unbalance in this world because women want to do everything.” Well, I don’t blame him for thinking this way, gender roles and society’s expectations have a significant impact in our thoughts, words and actions. But I disagree with what he said. How can a woman who brought you into this world from her womb be ‘weaker’ than you? What is the role of a man in this world? What is the job of a woman?   

I watched Sandberg’s TED talk on why we have too few women leaders. Her speech was an eye opener and her book has given me some insights not just about work but also managing personal life. So here are some of the things that I have taken from this book:

1. More women in the decision making positions and power lead to better working conditions for other women and men.
2. “Opportunities are rarely offered they are seized.” Keep moving and do your best work.
3. Finding the right partner will not only make your personal lives easier but also help you in your career.                                                                                                                                        

The book misses to address is how can men learn to cope up with the changing dynamics and traditional roles? How can women truly internalise the revolution? Moreover, the book is 232 pages long but it ends at 173. Almost 60 pages of acknowledgements and references! 

 However, I recommend ‘Lean In’ to each and every girl and woman who is willing to work and lead. I also want more men to read this book and understand the challenges a woman faces and be a true partner in every way possible.The author beautifully presents personal stories that are quite relevant. Provides data and analyses and interprets them perfectly. The writing style is quite simple yet powerful.

Enjoy leaning in!

(Photo: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com)

Lessons to learn

Abhilasha Rayamajhi

With the objective to promote Buddhist pilgrimage in India, 5th International Buddhist Conclave 2016 was organised by the Government of India, Ministry of Tourism.  State Governments of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar played an active role in the international conclave. Around 300 delegates from 39 countries participated in the event which took place from October 2 to October 6.

Buddhist monks, scholars, journalists, travel writers, government officials, travel agents, tour operators and other delegates from around the world were invited to the prestigious programme. Fortunately I received this opportunity to witness this spiritual conclave as a representative from Nepal. The inauguration was held on New Delhi and the delegates visited Varanasi, Saranath, Nalanda, Rajgir and Bodh Gaya in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

All the delegates were warmly welcomed and hosted by the Government of India. Chavanee Tongroach, Vice Minister of Tourism and Sports of Kingdom of Thailand shared that the conclave was an enriching and spiritual experience. Visiting places like Bodh Gaya and Sarnath was quite fascinating for almost all the delegates.

The international conclave was held in New Delhi and Bodhgaya in February 2004, Nalanda and Bodhgaya in February 2010, Varanasi and Bodhgaya in September 2012 and 2014. The programme included presentations, B2B meetings, cultural performance, site visits, networking, and meditation sessions.

One of the major arguments in almost all the presentations was to develop and promote Buddhist Circuits in India and in the SAARC region where Buddhist monasteries and heritages are present.

The Ministery of Tourism, Government of India has sanctioned an amount of IRs 132.17  till date for development of Buddhist circuit in India under its 'Swadesh Darshan Scheme'. The Tourism Minister of India, Dr Mahesh Sharma stated that Uttar Pradesh, the Ministry of Tourism will sanction IRs 99.97 million for infrastructure development of Buddhist circuit covering Saravasti, Kapilvastu and Kushinagar.

The four major sites of pilgrimage for followers of Buddha are Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Khusinagar. Lumbini where Buddha was born, Bodh Gaya where he attained enlightenment, Sarnath where he gave his first sermon and Kushinagar where he chose for his final exit from the earth. Additionally, Nalanda, Rajgir, Vaishali and Sravasti are other scared sites in India where Buddha had travelled.

Buddhist Circuit is not complete without Lumbini. Therefore, this international conclave has definitely helped in promoting Lumbini and tourism in Nepal. It also provided a platform for the Nepali delegates to promote Lumbini as the birthplace of Nepal.

The travel and tour operators from India, Srilanka and other countries complained that Lumbini lacks proper road connectivity and communication facilities. During a networking session one tour operator from Srilanka said that they used to have Lumbini in our package but now they are not including it because of the poor road connectivity, lack of communication and coordination from concerned authorities. There is no information on whom to contact if they need facilities such as wheelchair for those who are unable to walk inside the pilgrimage. 

Political interferences and personal interests must not come in the way of development of such a sacred site. It is high time for the holistic development of Lumbini for economic prosperity of the nation.

Government of India, Ministry of tourism has a clear vision of how to promote the right destinations to the right markets. They understand the global market for cultural and religious tourism. It is high time for the Government of Nepal to learn lessons from the Indian Government and aggressively market Buddhist pilgrimages in Nepal.

Many people in the world still do not know where the birthplace of Buddha is and even numerous Nepali have not visited Lumbini. During my conversations with journalists from South Africa and United Kingdom I realised that even they are not aware about the birthplace of Buddha. In such scenario how can we tap even the spill over tourists from India in such a scenario?

Therefore, the Government of Nepal and private sector must be serious about promoting Lumbini as the birthplace of Buddha to the national as well as in the global market. Rather than just creating slogans and speeches stating ‘Buddha was born in Nepal’, we should take immediate actions for the development of Lumbini by learning lessons on how to promote destinations and reach out to the global markets from our southern neighbours.

 (The printed version of this article was published on The Himalayan Times on October 20, 2016) 

Writing to Inspire

Anita Sharma, Writer and Cancer Patient needs your help

One evening I was scrolling through my facebook wall and I bumped into this status from Anita Sharma who is an award winning author and a Cancer patient:

खै किताब बन्ने शब्दहरू त ल्यापटपमा भरियो । तर कसरी निकाल्ने किताब ? पक्कै पनि यी शब्दले सबैको मन जित्ने थियो अनि जानकारी पनि प्राप्त हुन्थ्यो जस्तो लाग्छ । अघिल्लो किताबको अनुभवबाट कलम केही तिखारीएको अनुभुती भएको छ मलाई । खै मलाई कस्ले सहयोग गर्ला ?? पब्लिकेसन्स सम्म जान पनि अरुको सहयोग माग्नुपर्ने आफ्नो अबस्थामा ?? उपचार गर्न जाउ कि ?? के गरौ गरौं ?? मन भए पनि आट आएन यसपटक मेरो ।

(The words that would fill a book are now inside my laptop. But how do I publish a book? I am sure that my words will win your heart and provide you with some information. My experience from writing my previous book has sharpened my skills. But I wonder who will help me?? Even to reach the publication I need help from others. What do I do, my treatment or publish my book? Even though I have the heart to publish my book, I lack the courage this time.)

I immediately commented, “You can start a crowd funding campaign and collect funds for the publication of your book.”

Within minutes she messaged me asking how she could do that. She even urged to meet and discuss this with me. Despite her poor health conditions she was ready to come to meet me at my place and the next day she was at my home. I found out that she is suffering from ovarian cancer since almost seven years now. 

 Sharma started writing early in her school days. However, she started writing her first book in 2010 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The book, “Jivan ek Sangharsha anek” (One life, many struggles) got published in 2012 for which she received good response from the readers. She received Ramraja Pant Memorial Award for her book. In her book she has included her sufferings and how determination and positive thoughts has helped her overcome it.

 (Ramraja Panta Memorial Award, Photo Courtesty: Anita Sharma)

The author is a mother of two daughters. She contributed a decade of her life teaching primary level school student. She recalls, “I used to be very active during my teaching days. I was involved with my students and I miss them the most.”

Besides writing she likes to engage herself in drawing and sewing. Before being trapped by the illness she used to sew her own clothes.

She truly believes that every person has the right to freedom of expression. Especially women should be more vocal about what they want to pursue in life.

                                                

Her words and her actions have truly inspired me. She is not just a housewife or teacher or a writer, she is a fighter. She has been constantly writing and inspiring her readers despite her pains.

But now she lacks the courage to publish her next book due to financial and health reasons. Publishing her next book is her dream.

Would you help her make her dream come true?

 Short video interview where she talks about herself and her book...

Writer Anita Sharma’s facebook profile https://www.facebook.com/anitasharma.pkr

Following the footsteps of Buddha

5^th International Buddhist Conclave 2016 was organised by the Government of India, Ministry of Tourism in association with State Governments of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Over 300 delegates from 39 countries participated in the event which took place from October 2 to October 6, 2016. 

The main objective of the international conference was to promote and project Buddhist pilgrimage and heritage in India.

Buddhist monks, scholars, journalists, travel writers, government officials, travel agents, tour operators and other delegates from around the world were invited in the prestigious programme. The inauguration was held on New Delhi and the delegates visited Varanasi, Saranath, Nalanda, Rajgir and Bodh Gaya in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. 

Here is a short video of my journey at International Buddhist Conclave 2016:

Hiccups in the herbal industry

Illegal trade is a major challenge in the local herbal industry

Abhilasha Rayamajhi

Herbs have always been an indispensable part of our lives since ancient times for holistic wellbeing. They have immense healing power for almost all illnesses and increases immunity and balances overall human system. The Himalayan region of Nepal is a rich reservoir for medicinal plants and aromatic herbs that have exceptional benefits to the human body and mind. Similarly, rich bio-diversity and climatic conditions makes it possible for thousands of herbs to grow all over the country.

There are numerous herbal companies that have emerged and there are a few well-established local industries in Nepal. But the herbal industry of Nepal is dominated by foreign companies and the industry is fragmented. Despite numerous advantages of herbs and medicinal plants the herbal medicines and food supplements do not occupy significant market share. The herbal industry of Nepal struggles and faces uncountable challenges.



Illegal trade of herbs

Govinda Sharma Dhakal, Senior Pharmacist of Sighadurbar Vaidyakhana, oldest ayurvedic and herbal government owned company in Nepal run under Ministry of Health, says, “Illegal trade is a major problem in ayurvedic and herbal industry. Some of our valuable raw materials are traded illegally to India and we again have to purchase them back at a higher rate”. He adds that due to this difficulty they do not get the quality and quantity of raw materials required to manufacture standard herbal and ayurvedic products. This challenge further creates price fluctuation in the market.

Lack of standardised certification

Most of the herbal products are limited only to the local market. The Nepali food supplements and ayurvedic medicines do not get access to international markets because of certification issues. As per the industrialists, there is no institution that provides certificate of standardisation to the herbal products. Similarly, according to Abeeral Thapa, Owner of Nepal Sanjiwani Herbal Industry, “There is no proper lab in Nepal where we can certify or test our products which makes it difficult for us to export in the international market”.

Dr Pankaj Raturi, Head of Medicinal Plant Division, Dabur Nepal, says, “Herbal adulteration is one of the common malpractices in trading herbal products in Nepal. As there the laboratories in the country have limited capability to test and certify the herbs, there is a practice of mixing or substituting the original herbs with inferior and even with similar looking plants. Furthermore there are challenges with respect to storage and packaging of these herbs.”



Ambiguous legal policies

Dhakal also emphasised on the delay in operations created due to ambiguous policies and bureaucratic hurdles. He says, “The legal policies regarding allopathic and herbal products are unclear”. He adds that private herbal companies enjoy freedom in pricing and decision making. However, the government companies cannot make prompt decision which is a setback to the entire industry.

He shares, “Shringa Bhasma is an ayurvedic medicine prepared from deer horn which helps cure gastric and abdominal pain. Now, government has put a ban on trading deer horn but some private companies still manufacture and sell it”. The laws are ambiguous and strict monitoring is not in place, according to him.



Competition in the domestic market

“The market for herbal industry is limited to domestic market and competition is stiff,” says Lumesh Kumar Mishra, Marketing Manager, Gorkha Ayurved, a private joint venture. He says that it is difficult for small herbal companies to compete with giant multinational players in the market. He suggests that the government must make strict policies to support the growth and expansion of local herbal industries. Dhakal says that the government has allocated less dealer margin. Therefore, they struggle to compete with other medicinal products in the market.



Lack of technology and innovation

Foreign companies brand and package their products using advanced technologies. However, the local companies struggle in packaging and labelling as advanced technologies are yet to be introduced in Nepal. In the words of Thapa, “We have to import packaging materials from other countries as it is unavailable in the Nepali market.” He also claims that herbal companies produce similar products and lacks innovation.


Nil marketing and branding

Herbal products and food supplements of local industries are ignored by majority of the customers also because of lack of marketing and branding efforts. Mishra says, “The local herbal industries must aggressively market its products if it aims to increase its market share.” Marketers must come up with innovative ideas and strategise to promote its products. In case of herbal industries mostly traditional media has only been used to create demand.

What can be done?

Industrialists suggest that government should be clear about segregation of policies for allopathic and herbal products. Further, certification system, testing labs and research centres must be encouraged to be established. Moreover, the government should introduce policies specifically to product the local herbal industries of Nepal as per the industrialists.

According to Raturi, to ensure sustainability of the herbal industry in Nepal certain policies must be made at the governmental level outlining the norms of both herbal trade and its usage. He says, “As adulteration and substitution has become a major issue, these policies should also incorporate stringent quality control measures and requisite procedures to counter the same. Furthermore, necessary infrastructure needs to be set up in order to facilitate proper production, storage and processing of herbal products.”

(The article was published on September 6, 2015 on The Himalayan Times Perspectives, page 5, industryinsight.)


photo: plentywell.com

A man who wears different hats

“Consulting brings all my diverse interests and knowledge into one place ”


Abhilasha Rayamajhi
Kathmandu

Sohan Babu Khatri since the beginning of his career knew that 9 to 5 jobs were not for him. He understood that it would be difficult for him to work under someone and follow specific procedure. As a student he never believed in mugging up formulas, he always enjoyed deriving them. Connecting the dots and problem solving always fascinated him. He is an excellent communicator who expresses his ideas freely without being calculative.


Khatri currently spearheads Three H Management as the CEO of the company. He is a man wearing different hats and has performed all his roles to the best of his ability. He is a Licensed International Financial Analyst (LIFA) charter, an MBA in Finance and Marketing from Bangalore University, a Civil Engineer from the Institute of Engineering (IOE), Pulchowk. He is a lecturer at reputed universities in Nepal and a Technical Advisor and Consultant at a number of national and international organisations. Further, he is an avid reader and a passionate painter. He has done four painting exhibitions all for social causes.


He shares, “I am a critical thinker. I analysed even hoarding boards, their positioning and their marketing strategies.” He says that everything has a meaning and he likes to reflect on them. As a person with a management background, he felt that the modern concepts of management are not yet applied in organisations in Nepal.

“I chose consulting other organisations because I observed that management practices are quite poor in the country. Consulting brings all my diverse interest and knowledge into one place and helps organisations solve their existing or potential problems.”

Talking about his leadership technique he says he follows one grand style, “I strive to develop people along with me as they are the greatest asset of the organisation. As a leader I value the human side and to be more empathetic.” He also mentions that as a leader he focuses on the process of any work rather than the end result. He points out, “You cannot use human beings just as a tool to get your work done. I don’t even like to use the term ‘resources’ to refer to people who are working in my organisation.”

According to him, in this day and age it is irrelevant to simply delegate work and expect them to complete it just because you pay them. He adds, “Every human being has aspirations, families and societies. It is very crucial to treat human beings as human beings.” He further adds that people have short term, medium term and long term aspirations. In short term they make sure that they are compensated fairly. In the medium and long term their job enrichment, learning, challenges and growth are considered.


He questions, “Nobody can compensate people at work for the negative externalities that come with the work. For instance, how will I pay for the sacrifice for the social life that my juniours have made for working in my organisation? How will I pay for the mental and emotional burnout that person has gone through for my organisation?” He believes that he cannot put a value on these things; however he tries his best to make sure that his employees are treated right.
Lastly he concludes, “My vision is to see my organisation as a top consulting firm that works not only with the big branded businesses but also with the bottom of the pyramid.”

Khatri’s management tips
1. Have the 3 Cs (Confidence, Capability and Credibility)
2. Nothing can substitute hardwork and diligence
3. Be empathetic to employees


Three H Management at a glance


Three H Management, established in 2010, is a 360 degree professional service organisation that specialises in business/management consultancy, research and training. It thrives on solving existing and potential organisational and management related problems, issues and dilemma through innovation, better methods and the application of the best of human faculties - Head, Hand and Heart.


The core service profile of Three H consists of business management advisory and structuring, strategy formulation, planning and audit, business modeling and business plan development, financial portfolio management and restructuring, strategic brand management, policy formulations, marketing management and solutions, digital marketing solutions, commercial and social research, customised training related to various aspects of management skills, design, documentations and graphics solutions.

Photo: Samir Limbu

(The article was published on The Himalayan Times Perspectives on September 18, 2016)

(With Sohan Sir after the interview in front of one his painting..Interviewing and writing about him was a great experience.)

Don’t bank on it

BANKS FACE A STEEP UPHILL TASK TO RAISE PAID UP CAPITAL BY FOUR FOLDS IN TWO YEARS

Abhilasha Rayamajhi

Kathmandu

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has directed commercial banks to raise their paid- up capital four folds to Rs eight billion with the main objective to strengthen their capital for a sound and stable economy. The minimum paid-up capital that must be maintained by commercial banks until date is two billion. The Monetary Policy for the fiscal year 2015/16 requires that capital be increased four-folds within two years.

Development banks and finance companies must also in- crease their capital requirements as per the recent policy. National-level development banks will have to raise their paid-up capital to Rs 2.5 billion, while development banks that work in four to 10 districts must raise paid-up capital to Rs 1.2 billion. Likewise, development banks that have work in one to three districts will have to increase their capital base to Rs 400 million.

AIM TO CREATE FINANCIAL STABILITY

The Governor of NRB, Chiranjibi Nepal says, “This policy aims to create a stable financial sector. We envision banks and financial institutions (BFIs) with stronger capital base that can invest in big projects and infrastructure.” He further said that investors and stakeholders are content with this decision of the central bank and even Governors of other SAARC nations are positive regarding the policy. He elaborates that BFIs had mushroomed in the past. NRB introduced this policy to control the quantity BFIs in the country. He adds, “The consolidation of BFIs will also strengthen their public image and reputation. In addition there will not be liquidity risks and the management can be innovative.”

To raise the required capital, BFIs will need to go for merger and acquisitions and issuing of right shares or bonus shares. Since NRB has also introduced regulations to allow the entry of foreign banks in Nepal, this could also be an option to raise capital. Another option is the issue of Follow on Public Offer through which shares can be issued to the public.

DIFFICULT TASK AHEAD

“The explicit purpose of this policy is to strengthen the capital base of banks for financial stability. However, it is difficult for some banks to increase paid- up capital by four folds by mid July 2017,” says Upendra Poudyal, President of Nepal Banker’s Association. He adds, “There are limited options to raise capital. NRB’s direct indication is towards mergers and acquisitions.”

Anil Shah, CEO of Mega Bank Nepal Limited says, “In order to increase paid-up capital we strategise to use more than one method of raising capital in the coming two years.”

Poudyal says the Supervision Department of NRB has actively worked towards formulation and implementation of rules to create an effective and transparent banking system and he believes that NRB is a strong regulator. Similarly Shah shares that the central bank has been an effective regulator and BFIs have followed the rules set out by NRB and the banking sector has continuously improved. All BFIs have been supportive and responsive to the policies. How- ever, according to experts the success of this policy hugely depends on effectiveness mergers and acquisitions.

THE PROBLEM WITH MERGERS

According to Poudyal the major problem that comes along with mergers is human resource and value system integration. The process of a merger is complex and must be well-planned and strategised which requires time. The strategies, vision and culture of merging institutions must have common ground.

He shares, “A merger is like a marriage between two or more institutions. If it is not planned systematically it can affect the entire economy.” Every institution has its own value system and culture. It is often difficult for human resource to adapt and adjust to the integrated organisation structure. Operational risks and failure to address each customer’s need is also a setback in a merger.

“Each and every BFI has different products and approach towards its customer. An integrated bank does not ensure financial inclusion,” he says. He further says the prime focus of every financial institution is its customers. A policy cannot be successfully implemented if the customer is not satisfied. He elaborates, “For instance, a regional bank may be providing door-to-door facilities to its customers, which might be the need of customers in that area. Now, it is not possible for larger institutions to work on a local level.”

Besides, Shah also pointed out complexity in the integration of i n f o r m a t i o n t e c h n o l o g y platforms. Each institution has incorporated different software and systems which become difficult to amalgamate.

REQUIRES REVISION

Economist Bishwamber Pyakurel says, “The monetary policy to raise paid-up capital by four times must be reviewed and revised. Escalating the paid- up capital is not the solution to

reduce the present eco- nomic problems. The monetary policy cannot operate in isolation.” He explains that there must be linkage in the mone- tary policy and fiscal poli- cy for long-term healthy growth of the overall economy.

He further clarifies, “There must be a stable lending and borrowing environment in the finan- cial system of the country for collection of such huge amounts of wealth in a limited time frame.” He adds, “There are many bureaucratic hurdles that will hinder the process of raising capital.”

MERGERS CAN FAIL

Mergers and acquisitions encourage partner- ship, synergy and open doors to opportunities. However, according to re- search, the rate of failure of mergers is at least 50 per cent. Factors such as corporate culture, capacity of the management, strategies and resources must be considered before entering into a contract of merger according to experts. The evaluation of these factors requires adequate time and such decisions cannot be made forcefully.

The central bank aims to decrease the number of BFIs and enhance financial ability. By mid July 2017 it is expected that there will be 15-20 BFIs depending upon the success of these mergers and acquisitions.

STATUS OF PAID UP CAPITAL IN COMMERCIAL BANKS AS OF JULY 2015

List of commercial banks	Current Paid up	Capital Required
		Capital (in Billions)
Agriculture Development Bank Limited	9.86	-
Rastriya Banijya Bank Limited	8.58	-
Nepal Bank Limited	6.46	1.54
Global IME Bank Limited	5.01	2.99
Nepal Investment Bank Limited	4.77	3.23
Nabil Bank Limited	3.65	4.35
Himalayan Bank Limited	3.33	4.67
Prabhu Bank Limited	3.2	4.8
Prime Commercial Bank Limited	3.14	4.86
Nepal SBI Bank Limited	3.05	4.95
Civil Bank Limited	2.88	5.12
Machhapuchhre Bank Limited	2.77	5.23
NIC Asia Bank Limited	2.65	5.35
Mega Bank Nepal Limited	2.6	5.4
Sanima Bank Limited	2.55	5.45
Kumari Bank Limited	2.43	5.57
Nepal Bangladesh Bank Limited	2.43	5.57
NMB Bank Limited	2.4	5.6
Sunrise Bank Limited	2.39	5.61
Citizen Bank International Limited	2.37	5.63
Laxmi Bank Limited	2.33	5.67
Standard Chartered Bank Limited	2.24	5.76
Everest Bank Limited	2.13	5.87
Bank of Kathmandu	2.12	5.88
Century Commercial Bank Limited	2.12	5.88
Janata Bank Nepal Limited	2.06	5.94
Siddhartha Bank Limited	2.03	5.97
Lumbini Bank Limited	2	6
Grand Bank Nepal Limited	2	6
NCC Bank Limited	2	6

				Source: Compiled

 (This article was published in The Himalayan Times Perspectives on August 30, 2015)