Wave 16th Year Anniversary Special

From rockstars to lawyers, writers, activists and fashionistas, we bring you 16 of Nepal’s most inspirational men and women. Turn the page and meet the extraordinary personalities, each one a trendsetter in their field.

FROM ISSUE # 176 (August 2010) | IN THIS ISSUE
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Amrit Gurung: Gandhian musician

ALL IMAGES: ANUP PRAKASH

The frontman of Nepathya, Amrit Gurung wears Gandhian frames and spreads messages of peace and harmony through his folk and rock infused pop melodies. The band was "accidentally" formed in 1990, when three guys from Pokhara including Amrit came together during their college days in Kathmandu, though Amrit is the only remaining band member.

Nepathya has released eight albums since the self-titled Nepathya hit the market in 1991. Their exhilarating fusion caters to all tastes from clubbers who want to dance away to the track 'Resham' to country lovers who wish to indulge in the patriotism of 'Mero Desh'.

But Amrit offers to the world much more than just a good voice. He shares his success through charity concerts namely Shanti Ko Lagi Shikchya (Education for Peace) which started in 2002 to help raise funds for school children, and through Sundar Shanta Nepal- Shanti Sangeet Yatra in 2003, as part of which he has traveled to over 70 districts on foot carrying inspiring messages of peace and love.

Amrit wishes to make a film based on his life experience, maybe as a gift to himself for his 50th birthday – though he still has a long eight-year wait! If he continues (walking!) at his current pace, he will have a great deal more worthy accomplishments to capture on celluloid when the time finally comes.

Anil Shah: Mega Miracle

Anil Shah's career started as a teller in 1991, where he made Rs. 3,500 per month. As if that wasn't insulting enough to his "ivy-leagueish" education from Georgetown and FMS Delhi, he was repeatedly told by friends and family that he was making a mistake. Having been born to diplomat parents but wanting to try something new, he says "People told me it would take ten lifetimes to make the money invested in my education. But I have always wanted to get out of my comfort zone."

Anil excelled at Standard Chartered, and his career advanced rapidly, proving his sceptics wrong. He rose to become the General Manager of the bank and in 2004, he was appointed as CEO of Nabil Bank – the first Nepali CEO of a joint venture bank in Nepal. But he didn't exactly become complacent: at Nabil, he doubled the amount of loans and deposits, making it the largest bank in Nepal.

To celebrate his success, Anil, in his characteristic style, quit this position to start a new venture called Mega Bank, of which he is the CEO. Anil says he wants to use a "plough to power" economic model in his bank to include not just the big asset clients but also the country's farmers and the teashop owners. "We want inclusion from the roots. We want to lead new Nepal's economic agenda," he says. And something about him makes you think, he might be just the man to do it.

Bhawani Rana: Lone business woman

As the President of Sneha Group, which operates Sneha Hotel in Nepalgunj as well as Sneha Tours and Travels, Bhawani Rana combines both business success and an active concern for the social issues of women.  Bhawani became the first female member of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), in which she heads the Women Entrepreneurs Development Committee. She also sits on the Board of Saathi, an organization working to eliminate violence against women.

Why did you want to become a businesswoman?
When I was 11, I visited a remote village in Palpa with my father. There I saw a woman who had been brutally beaten by her husband. She had a small child in her arms and another one holding onto her hand. It sparked something in me. I felt I had to do something for other women who do not have a decent economic status and are facing some of life's greatest adversities.

How hard is it being a woman in the business sector in Nepal?
It is almost a nightmare. I am the first elected female member of the FNCCI and dealing with males, who are also my competitors, can be hard.

What is the most challenging part of your job?
Women from villages and other remote areas where they know me, look up to me a lot and expect me to uphold their rights. Doing justice to these hopes and expectations is the most challenging thing for me.
 
What would you say is your biggest professional achievement?
Being elected to the FNCCI. I am the first woman to get there and I am very proud of this and what I have been able to do.

Where do you see yourself in, say five, years? What would you like to accomplish?
I would like a woman to be the president of FNCCI. It does not necessarily have to be me, but could be any other businesswoman. This would be a good thing to witness in five years.
 
Is there a certain philosophy you have in your approach to business?
I prefer hiring women instead of men. This is the least I can do, to give a stable job to another woman. I believe in employing a local work force instead of bringing in people from other parts. This makes a lot of difference to the lives of these people.

Bhumika Shrestha: The queen of minorities

Almost everyone, men and women alike, does a double take when 23-year-old Bhumika Shrestha passes by. Tall, slim, and bearing a long graceful neck, most people would have agreed that she is hottest woman in the café we're sitting in. Except Bhumika isn't really like the other women. She was born a man.

"I liked dressing up as a girl from an early age," she says. "I liked all kinds of womanly stuff. In fact I like being a girl. That was always 'me'."

So it came as no surprise when she won the Miss Pink Pageant held in Nepal in 2007, the first transgender beauty contest in the country. She then went on to represent Nepal in Miss International Queen, held in Thailand. Her achievements and her struggle for equal rights for the transgender community also became a subject of the documentary called Other Nature.

As the human rights coordinator for Blue Diamond Society, Bhumika has been active in LGBT rights advocacy for over six years. She was recently sworn in as a member of Nepali Congress and won an election to represent her party in the regional conference. This victory has made her the first transgender representative to reach such a high level in a major political party in Nepal and the person most like to translate the legal decrees that have offered protection for LGBT community into an everyday reality.

Bidhata K.C.: A woman in a hurry

Bidhata K. C. is a woman in a hurry. Since graduating from Lalit Kala Campus with a Bachelor's in Fine Arts in 2001, she has held five solo exhibitions, seven installation projects and participated in 27 group exhibitions.

It would be an understatement to just say Bidhata is an artist to watch. Her work has been exhibited as far away as Korea and Italy and she has already been awarded the Arniko National Youth Art Award, which honours artists below the age of 40. When it comes to her work, Bidhata is truly a force of nature, something that is made more impressive given that she has not been able to use her right hand since birth.

She didn't grow up wanting to be an artist. During her teen years Bidhata K.C was into volleyball, and was once awarded the Birendra Shield for best performance at a district level tournament. Her father encouraged her to join Lalit Kala Campus. This was her turning point. After studying sociology, she eventually came back to the drawing board and found here what she would come to love the most.

Bidhata's work is inspired by the softer aspects of life, such as joy, pain, sorrow and so on; these she expresses through simple elements like a leaf, which she believes can represent the physical and emotional cycle of human life. Unusual but fascinating in her ideas, we look forward to many more works from this energetic and talented artist.

Jumanu Rai: The police striker

This 23-year-old is today one of the top footballers in the country. Having begun by playing for local clubs in Sarlahi, Jumaunu was selected to play for Mahendra Police Club in 2003. In 2009, he won the Nepal Sports Journalist Forum's Player of the Year Award. Vyansa, a Division A football club from the Maldives, offered Jumanu to a place on the team after his outstanding performance at the 2009 SAAF Championship, but unfortunately he was unable to accept the offer due to Asian Football Confederation (AFC) regulations.  

It was Jumanu Rai's goals against Macau and Cambodia in 2009 that got Nepal selected for the second AFC Challenge Cup. Besides scoring a hat trick against Bangladesh, he also scored a goal each against Tajikistan and Pakistan, which led to Nepal's entry into the semi-finals of the 2010 President Cup held in Malaysia. As well as bringing glory to his country, Jumanu's 12 goals helped his team, Mahendra Police Club, top the Shahid Smarak League in 2006.

Jumanu is busy preparing for the 2010 AFC President Cup semi-finals, being played in September. Pretty happy with his success thus far, the sub-inspector striker is hopeful that Nepal's tremendous potential in the football field will continue despite political upheavals. We hope so too, both for Nepal and for Jumanu.

Kabita Pandey: In line for justice

It wasn't the way she planned it, but things happened pretty quickly to Kabita Pandey. Married at 17 and giving birth at 19, she was widowed at the tender age of 21 and suddenly found her life staring straight at her – what could have been a terrifying prospect for most people put in that situation.

But Kabita didn't let fear stand in her way. Leaving her young child in the safe hands of her parents, Kabita went to attend a law school in India. With a postgraduate degree from Delhi University, she returned to Nepal with a specific agenda to change discriminatory practices in Nepal's legal system and joined ProPublic, a public interest law firm.

Her victories at the court have been real life victories for traditionally marginalized groups like women and children. Working with Women for Human Rights, an organisation that works to address the rights of widows, she won the battle to change property rights laws in 2004, finally allowing widows to inherit property. In 2008, she fought and won the battle to obtain legal representation rights for minors. Between such instances of transforming the nation's legislation, Kabita has achieved justice for young girls like Min Min Tamang, falsely accused of murdering her own child.

"Banishing discrimination from the law might be easy, but it is harder to do so from the hearts of people," she says. But she is motivated by young people, she says, like her own son Nripendra Jung Basnet, who wants to follow his mother's lead and become a lawyer who fights for the underdogs. What a role model he has to follow.

Kesang Tseten: Intrepid storyteller

Kesang Tseten is bashful, but not when it comes to his storytelling. His portrayal of mystic shamanic ritual and forbidden love in Mukundo (for which he wrote the original screenplay) was Nepal's entry for the 2000 best foreign language film at Academy Awards. On the Road with the Red God: Machhendranath won the Grand Prize at Kendal Mountain Film Festival and the Special Jury Award at the Slovenian Mountain Film Festival. We Homes Chaps, a story of a Scottish Presbyterian orphanage-school in Kalimpong, India, was among the highlights at the prestigious Margaret Mead Film and Video Festival in New York.  His latest project is three films about Nepali migrant workers in the Gulf: In Search of the Riyal, which received a grant by the Pusan International Film Festival Asian Cinema Fund, The Desert Eats Us, and Saving Dolma.

When did you start your filmmaking career?
I started by diving into the deep-end of a pool not knowing how to swim. I started by making two films in one go, not having a clue as to what to shoot. My partner was supposed to take care of all that and I gave him practically all the money, but it turned out he didn't know how to construct a documentary, so I winged it. Needless to say, they weren't good films.

You are known mainly your documentaries. However, you also wrote the screenplay for Mukundo. Do you prefer the process of making one type of film to the other?
I would say that I don't think the processes are essentially all that different. Of course, in fictional films you use actors and in documentaries you don't enact. But documentaries are similar in that you cast a wide net and then select and juxtapose different elements to build a story.

What do you consider your biggest achievement?
I think of each film as a puzzle. Of course the ingredients of the puzzle are the subject and the material you've gone and captured, which is the result of the decisions you've made – some aesthetic and conceptual, some totally practical and circumstantial – so you end up with this pile of mud. After that you look at the material very carefully and see what speaks to you. The point is that with each film, I feel satisfied, or at least feel that the job is done, when I think I've found the answer to the puzzle.

Any words of advice for the young, aspiring film-makers?
Believe in the process.

Malvika Subba: The go-getter

Despite there having been five new winners since, there is a reason people still talk about Malvika Subba as if she was crowned Miss Nepal this year. Malvika is sexy and smart. She knows what she wants and, well, she gets it.

Seven years after her pageant victory, Malvika continues to grace the covers of magazines including this one, as the ultimate fashion icon. But her résumé goes far beyond that. She has anchored television shows including a brief stint as a presenter and producer with the Voice of India news channel in Delhi. She has made more than a few appearances in music videos, including Nima Rumba's Auna Sangai Nachau - one of the most talked-about music videos during the time of its release. She was also seen in God Lives in the Himalayas, a movie which has been shown in major international film festivals, including Cannes and Pusan.

To top it all off, she is the face of several campaigns on critical social issues. She was named MTV EXIT campaign's ambassador against human trafficking to raise awareness about the issue in the region. In this role she has traveled to India, Singapore and the United States. She has also been named a HIV/AIDS Youth Leader by UNICEF, and the youth spokesperson for Action Aid's Hunger Free Campaign.

Manjushree Thapa: Workaholic scribe

Since the publication of her first book in 1992, Manjushree Thapa has become one of Nepal's most prolific and critically acclaimed writers.

Since that first book, Mustang Bhot in Fragments, Manjushree has published half a dozen books – both fiction and non-fiction. Besides the unforgettable Forget Kathmandu and her latest novel, Seasons of Flight, she has also worked on creations spanning a number of genres – short stories with Tilled Earth, translation with This Country is Yours and biography with A Boy from Siklis. She spoke to Wave about her work:

What's the hardest thing about being a writer?
It takes me about three to four years to write a book of fiction. During this time there is no guarantee that the book is going to work out, in terms of its content and the critical response it generates. The hardest part is believing in what I'm doing for all those years, and coming up with the patience – and the funds! – to keep going.

What's the most challenging thing you've had to do in your profession?
At the beginning, I found public readings and talks, and giving interviews about my writing, very difficult. I began to write because I was essentially a very shy person. Writing is an intensely private and solitary activity. In this, it's the opposite of the performing arts. Having to present myself to a live audience, in the manner of a performer, was quite jarring at the start.

What were you doing 16 years ago? What were your goals or dreams? Are you happy with where you are in life?
I made the decision to become a writer with great difficulty – leaving visual art, freelancing as a writer, doing NGO work, and mulling over the prospect of studying anthropology. The decision to become a writer snuck up on me one day. I woke up realizing that was what I wanted to do. It ended all my confusions.

When are you happiest?
In general I'm a driven and determined person, and a bit of a workaholic. But I've been lucky to have spent time at several meditation retreats, where the calmness, presence of mind, and open-heartedness I've felt have been unparalleled.

Namrata Shrestha: The Little Beauty

Sano Sansar launched Namrata Shrestha to acting fame but it was Pramod Upadhyay's music video "Aakha ma Lukauki" that convinced Alok Nembang to invite Namrata for the auditions of his first silver screen venture.

As student, Namrata acted in school plays and dramas, where her talent was noticed by her teachers; despite this, she never thought she would be where she is now. "Acting was never my cup of tea, it just happened", says Namrata, who was also offered a role in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Little Buddha starring Keanu Reeves. Though she rejected the role, karma did no harm to the star of Sano Sanar and Mero Euta Saathi Chha.

Namrata is courageously exploring new ground, and the actress' future roles will be different from typical mainstream Nepali characters. She's playing an HIV positive drug-addict in Prachanda Man Shrestha's Purple Days, for which she will be undergoing a considerable amount of tanning to fit the lead part. She is also starring in Dilip Rayamajhi's Miss U, which is already grabbing attention for being the most expensive production in the country. "People are accepting new things in Nepal", says Namrata of her edgy roles.

Despite being one of the most celebrated actors in the Nepali film industry, Namrata is keen to pursue her initial ambition of becoming a child psychologist and plans to enroll in studies soon. Whatever she chooses to do, it's certain that things look golden for Namrata Jean Piaget.

Narayan Wagle: Champion of the commoner

Before Narayan Wagle became a runaway success as a novelist, he was the reporter every rookie reporter wanted to be. He walked across western Nepal in the 1990s chronicling the silent epidemic of famine in the area and became single-handedly responsible for creating awareness of their plight. His knack for turning complex stories into a simple narrative, along with his easy demeanor and unbeatable charm made him a household name when he returned to become a high-profile reporter in the capital and began penning the immensely successful Coffee Guff column in Kantipur daily.

In 2004, he went on to head the newspaper as its editor and moved to captain the newly-established Nagarik daily shortly afterwards. But it isn't just journalism. Most things Narayan touches turn to gold. In 2003, he traveled with Nepathya in search of the roots of the song called "Bheda ko oon jasto", which became the basis of a documentary watched by over 10,000 people. In 2005, he published his first novel, Palpasa Café, which went on to become the highest selling novel in the Nepal's history.

A new novel Mayur Times followed five years later, selling more than 10,000 copies within two weeks of its release in 2010. In fiction, as in his reporting pieces, Narayan has become a rare champion of the commoner, chronicling the daily lives of everyday people in a harsh land, during harsh times.

Paras Khadka: Natural leader

There is a lot of hope riding on Paras Khadka, 23-year-old captain of the Nepali cricket team. Following his selection for captaincy in 2009, the Cricket Association of Nepal said, "Since Nepal's performance is not very good, we hope that the new thoughts of the new captain may change things."

A natural leader who exhibits a calm and mature temperament, Paras has done well so far. Earlier this year he led his team to victory in the World Cricket League Division Five, which led to the team being promoted to the Fourth Division– a step closer towards participation in the World Cup. During the tournament, Paras won two 'Man of the Match' awards, two half-centuries, and thus, two blazing victories for his team.

Paras started his career as a member of the Under-15 squad in 2002. Since then he has had a part to play in major victories in Nepali cricket, including the win at the ACC Under-19 Cup in 2005 and 2007. In 2008, Paras led Nepal to victory in the ACC Elite Cup, qualifying the team for the Youth World Cup for the fifth consecutive time. In the end Nepal lost to West Indies in the Plate Championship, but Paras was a contender for the Player of the Tournament award until the last match. All this has led to international recognition, with the International Cricket Council dubbing him as "arguably good enough to be in the line-up of any test-playing countries".

The response from the fans is overwhelming, says Paras. "I receive hundreds of messages and well-wishes on Facebook. But it is hard to live up to the expectations." The trick might be to retain his temperament and just keep doing what he's been doing so far.

Robin Tamang: Voice of Change

Robin Tamang has defined Western genre for Nepali audiences, proving that rules are different for different games. It was Robin and Looza that began merging Nepali tunes and Western motifs with a hint of patriotism, an instant trendsetter amongst emerging young artists. His team started an era of revolution in the stagnant Nepali music scene in 1998.

In 1999, their first album, Nepal, packaged the soulful songs of Arun Thapa, Danny and Om Bikram Bista as Nepali Blues; the album topped the Nepali music charts for six months and stayed on it for a year! Their second and third albums, Adhunik Aagan Ma (2001) and Bhool Ma Bhulyo (2003) stayed on top of the charts for three to six months. They grabbed the Hits FM Award for Best Song in Foreign Language in 2003 and the Rara Music Award for Best Live Act Performance in 2004.

With a desire to do something different on his sunburst fender, Robin parted from Robin and Looza in 2004 and teamed up with three music artists to form Robin and the New Revolution. And yet again, he ventured and gained! The team's debut album Keta Keti was a big hit and was followed by another successful album, Tera Hazar, dedicated to the thirteen thousand people who lost their lives during the political insurgency of Nepal. Long may Robin and his band mates continue with their musical revolution!

Shailee Basnet: Eco-warrior

An average-height Nepali towers over the diminutive Shailee Basnet, although her energy is by no means low-scale. She has just returned from the conquest of Mt. Kosciuszuko in Australia, the first in the series of climbing seven mountains in seven continents, and oozes an envious amount of zeal and stamina.

Shailee wasn't always a climber. She used to be (and still is) a journalist. While interviewing the team leader of the first women-only expedition to Mount Everest for Himal Khabarpatrika, Wave's sister magazine, she felt an urge to join the women in their quest. She became the first female journalist to successfully climb the world's tallest mountain in 2008.

Climbing Mount Everest changed something within these women. The effects of climate change were acute, clear, and frightening. "Usually in April the springs around the camp are frozen. When we were there in April, they were all gushing," said Shailee. So the nine women made it their mission to highlight the issues of climate change globally and chose an ambitious mission –climbing seven mountains in seven continents – to do so.

As the coordinator, Shailee has become the face of this important expedition. Their project will be made carbon-neutral by carbon offsetting. The team has already made an effort to plant trees in the Himalayan region, and raises awareness about solar lanterns and biogas. "All we want to do is to spread the message of the impact of climate change in the Himalayas. We have no international experience or much idea on what kind of response we will receive," says Shailee. Knowing her and the fervour of these women, we are sure they're going to do just great.

Sunil Pokharel: The guru of theatrics

Sunil Pokharel started acting when he was 18, and has been active in the theatre scene for more than 30 years. He is the founder of Gurukul theatre and the director of Aarohan Theatre Group.

How many countries have you performed in?
I have been to a number of countries and appreciate how people love our plays. I think I have been to around six countries. I am leaving for China today.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced?
At the beginning, when I started out acting in plays, my parents were not supportive of my decision. Acting was not even considered a career option three decades ago. That would probably be the biggest challenge.

Do you think Gurukul has revived and redefined theatre in Nepal?
Theatre has always been here, it's just that people forgot about it. The young generation now is looking back to the past to find the true cultural identity of Nepal. If it had not been me then it would have been someone else who would have tried reviving theatre and blowing life into it.

What are you most proud of?
Frankly speaking, 'Nothing!'  I do not understand why I am considered the founder of modern theatre in Nepal. I have just been a part of it, that's all. I am quite proud of the fact that people have started considering theatre and artists professions in their own right. Even people in theatre have to work and feed themselves. My friends, my family and everything else that I have are because of theatre.

What makes you happy?
I am very short-tempered by nature, and people I work with are used to my ways. I suppose that I am happy when things happen the way I want them to happen! I also enjoy painting, reading books, music and travelling. 'Ma ghumna jada bahulaera ghumchu, tesai ma majja chha'. Overall, I am a happy person; nothing else can make me happy.