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Simrik Air has completed 23 years of successful operation, marking a journey fueled by innovation and determination. The rotary-wing operator, which was established after the government adopted the open sky policy in the mid-1990s, began operations with Mi-17 helicopters. The company initially focused on cargo operations, transporting cargo and passengers to remote and backward districts that lacked road access. 

Over time, Simrik embraced evolution, swapping its older helicopters for sleeker, nimbler choppers, ushering in a new era of aerial prowess. Today, Simrik's fleet boasts the elegant Bell 407 GXP, the versatile Airbus H125 (formerly known as B3e), and the agile Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, each a testament to the company’s commitment to excellence.

Capt Rameshwar Thapa, the visionary at Simrik’s helm, paints a picture of helicopters as the lifelines in Nepal’s challenging terrain. “Overcoming the challenges of the early days, we will continue working to further develop the helicopter industry,” he said on the occasion of the company’s 23rd anniversary. He also hinted at Simrik’s plans to introduce nighttime and other services in the near future.

Over the course of 23 years, Simrik Air has etched its mark across Nepal’s skies, a guardian angel in times of strife and a beacon of hope in the face of adversity. From airlifting the wounded amidst internal conflicts to ferrying food to remote and isolated pockets of the country, from orchestrating swift disaster responses to transporting patients, Simrik has been a steadfast ally.

“During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Simrik Air was the first in Nepal to bring in a biological isolation chamber to transport Covid-19 patients. The service benefited around 250 patients,” the company said in a statement.  Simrik Air was also among the first helicopter companies to conduct aerial surveys and rescue missions in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake. The company also brought a specialized medical team from different hospitals to the US Bangla crash site at the Tribhuvan International Airport in 2018 and successfully evacuated passengers to different hospitals. 

Ever the vanguard of progress and the champion of environmental responsibility, Simrik has also invested in firefighting equipment. It has successfully controlled three major wildfires in the past three years. And now, with aerial construction support technology on the horizon, Simrik aims to rewrite the rules of infrastructure development, a pioneer in the skies.

“Under the ‘easy heli access for all’ campaign, the company has started chartered services based on group booking to join hands with the government to promote internal tourism. Thousands of Nepalis are benefiting from the service,” the company said. And as the sun sets on another year of triumphs, Simrik Air stands on the cusp of history, laying the foundation for Nepal's first heliport, a testament to its commitment to the nation's future.

In celebration of its 23rd anniversary, Simrik Air launched Nepal’s first helicopter magazine. On the occasion, it also felicitated Dr Sanjaya Karki of Nepal Mediciti Hospital’s Emergency Department; Fanindra Raj Khanal, former director general of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation; Chhiring Dhenduk Bhote, Simrik employee; Suraj Paudel, mountaineer and helicopter rescue coordinator; and Karuna Manandhar, Simrik’s senior marketing manager.

‘Link heli rescue operations to insurance’

- Capt Rameshwar Thapa, Chairperson, Simrik Air

Nepal’s rugged topography presents significant challenges to road infrastructure, often disrupted by natural calamities such as floods and landslides, resulting in prolonged shutdowns that impede ambulance services. Since airplanes require airports, they cannot adequately serve emergency medical and rescue needs. Consequently, helicopters, capable of landing without designated infrastructures, stand as the sole option for such operations. To ensure accessible medical services for all Nepalis, it is essential for the government to integrate helicopter rescue operations into medical services and link them with insurance coverage. This approach would facilitate prompt and efficient medical assistance. By implementing this strategy, countless lives can be saved. As a helicopter operator, we are eager to collaborate with the government and insurance companies to realize this plan.

Vice-president Ramsahay Prasad Yadav was paid a courtesy call Friday by Ambassador of Pakistan to Nepal Abrar H Hashmi at the Vice-president’s office in Lainchaur.

Bilateral relations, trade and economic cooperation, educational and cultural cooperation and regional and international cooperation were discussed, says the Embassy.

Vice-president Yadav said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations on 20 March 1960, Nepal and Pakistan have had close and harmonious relations.  He said, “We have established the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) at the Finance Minister level and the Bilateral Political Consultation Mechanism (BCM) at the Foreign Secretary level.  It is necessary to continue dialogue and contact through these mechanisms. He also said that the exchange of high-level visits between the two countries has always increased the dynamics and quality in all aspects of our relations.”

Ambassador Hashmi said that the relationship between Nepal and Pakistan is very strong and said that the two countries should move forward together. He emphasized that the interrupted air service between Nepal and Pakistan should be resumed. He said, “Pakistan is ready to help Nepal in the fields of tourism, trade, etc.”

The price of gold has increased by Rs 700 per tola in the domestic market on Monday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 137, 500 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 136, 800 per tola on Wednesday.

Similarly, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 136, 850 per tola. It was traded at Rs 135, 150 per tola.

Meanwhile, the price of silver has increased by Rs 15 and is being traded at Rs 1,715 per tola today.

Thakur Prasad Dangi, who was injured in the protest of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), died on Monday.

Dangi (65), Chairman of the Madhuban Municipal Committee, Baridya breathed his last in the course of treatment at the Chhauni Hospital this morning, party spokesperson Mohan Shrestha informed.

He had participated in the demonstration organized by the RPP in Kathmandu on April 10.

Dangi was critically injured after he was hit by the teargas shells during the demonstration.

His mortal remains will be kept at the RPP Central Office in Chabahil for final tributes, the RPP said.

Police have arrested four persons for allegedly cutting down a tree of precious Bodhichitta (Buddhachitta) at Roshi Rural Municipality-5, Nagbeli in Kavrepalanchowk district.

The arrestees have been identified as Prabhat Tamang, Shyam Krishna Mainali, Man Bahadur Tamang and Durga Lal Tamang, spokesperson at the District Police Office, Dhulikhel, DSP Raj Kumar Shrestha informed.

The group had cut down a tree of Bodhichitta in the Nagbeli-based garden of Thakurani Tamang on Thursday night with explosives.

Tamang said this year the Bodhichitta grain grown on the particular tree was to be sold at Rs 30 million this year. She had already received an advance for this.

According to her, a group of around 20 people armed with weapons cut the Bodhichitta tree at around 1 am on Thursday.

Mainali and Durga Lal were arrested from Banepa of Kavrepalanchowk on Sunday, while Prabhat was arrested from Banasthali of Kathmandu on Saturday and Man Bahadur was arrested on the same day the tree was cut down, said DSP Shrestha.

According to the police, four socket bombs were planted on the door and courtyard of the house after the tree of Tamang was cut down.

Dhulikhel-based Kalijung Battalion of the Nepal Army had defused the bomb. A search is on for others involved in the incident, police said.

Meanwhile, victim Thakurani lodged a complaint at the District Police Office on Sunday against eight persons, including four arrested. The fruit grown on the tree was looted four years ago. Police suspected that the group that cut trees may have looted the fruit at that time.

The Bodhichita-made garland has special religious and cultural importance in the Tamang community and Tibetan and Chinese society.

Nepal are playing their third match against Hong Kong under the ACC Men's Premier Cup today.

The match will begin at 11:15 am in the Al-Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman.

Nepal will advance to the semi-finals if they secure a win in today's match.

Nepal are in Group 'A' with Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Qatar. Nepal is at the top of Group 'A' with four points.

Earlier, Nepal had defeated Malaysia by five wickets in the first match and Qatar by 32 runs in the second match.  

Finance Minister Barshaman Pun has left for the United States to attend a joint meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

Minister Pun left for Washington DC via Qatar Airways this morning leading a four-member delegation, Minister Pun's secretariat informed.

The delegation comprises Chief of the Ministry's International Economic Cooperation and Coordination Division Sri Krishna Nepal, Under-Secretary Kanchan Basnet, who looks after the WB desk under the same division, and another Under-Secretary Bhupal Raj Shakya, who is also the personal secretary of Minister Pun,

During the three-day US visit, Minister Pun will meet WB's Managing Director Anna Bjerde, WB's Vice President for the South Asia Martin Riser, WB's Vice President for Development Finance (DFI) Operations Akihiko Nishio, WB's Vice President for Infrastructure Guangzhe Chen, Vice President of International Finance Corporation (IFC) Ricardo Puliti and Assistant Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Bo Li.

Minister Pun is scheduled to hold separate meetings with high-placed officials of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), officials of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFP), American Chamber of Commerce President Atul Kasyap, representatives of the private sector and non-resident Nepalis,

Minister Pun will address the ministerial meeting of Group V-20 of the countries threatened by the impact of climate change as the keynote speaker. V-20 is a forum to raise voice in the global community to mitigate climate change risks and increase financial support during the transition period in the global economy.

Minister Pun will attend the sideline meeting on high-level climate nexus and session on clean energy transition in South Asia as well as various bilateral and multilateral meetings. In the meeting, Minister Pun will discuss preparations for the International Development Association (IDA)-21 meeting under the World Bank Group to be held in Kathmandu in June, determining the priority of investment partnership to be made by the World Bank in Nepal for the next five years, financial management of the 1,063 MW Upper Arun Semi-Reservoir Hydropower Project to be constructed in Sankhuwasabha and other projects in the pipeline.

Minister Pun had held discussions with Energy Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority Kulman Ghising and resident chiefs of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank in Kathmandu a few days ago.

It was agreed in the meeting that the financial management of the Upper Arun Project would be done as soon as possible. The World Bank is leading the financial management of Upper Arun, which is a 'game changer' project. In the meeting of the World Bank and IMF, Minister Pun will apprise the development partners and the private sector, including the World Bank, about the reform efforts made by the government to create an investment-friendly environment in Nepal.

Minister Pun said that the development partners would be urged to increase support to Nepal's efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and reconstruction of physical infrastructure, health, education, reconstruction of buildings of private houses and educational institutions damaged due to the earthquake in Jajarkot, Rukum and Bajhang.

According to him, discussions will be held towards making effective implementation of the assistance being received from international development partners for policy reforms and identifying further areas and potentials of the areas of cooperation.

Once again, the House of Representatives (HoR) has become the victim of a tussle between ruling and opposition parties. Amid a weeks-long obstruction from the main opposition Nepali Congress, the winter session of the Parliament has ended without endorsing dozens of long-pending crucial Bills, “to make preparations for the budget session of the parliament”. 

Speaker Devraj Ghimire read out a letter received from the President’s Office announcing the prorogation of the session from Sunday midnight, on the recommendation of the government.   

The current session, which started from Jan 16, endorsed just three bills—Monitoring and Evaluation Bill, Food Purity and Quality Bill and Anti-Money Laundering Bill. The session convened 23 times in 23 days—for 81 hours and 55 minutes.
NC had obstructed the parliament, demanding a parliamentary panel to investigate the alleged involvement of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane in a cooperative scam, while the ruling parties had maintained that such a panel was unnecessary as there was no proof of Lamichhane’s involvement in the said scam. 

Principally, the main business of the winter session is to make laws, but it was too occupied with political issues, including a vote of confidence for the government.

In particular, the government was preparing to get a Bill on Truth and Reconciliation Commission endorsed through the parliament this time around, to no avail. It is now preparing to make appointments in TRC and Commission on Enforced Disappearances.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire, however, said the third session of the parliament was more successful than previous sessions in terms of law-making and voicing public concerns. 

The main opposition NC has described the decision to prorogue the winter session as an ‘undemocratic move’, stating that there was enough time to prepare for the budget session.