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The Annapurna Express, an English daily of Annapurna Media Network, has honored 50 pioneering personalities through its special annual program ‘Salute’. Those who have contributed in various fields have been honored with medals and certificates.

The personalities who were honored are national and international economic, social, political, sports, medicine, social service, financial sector, entertainment, business and space sector. 

Captain Rameshwar Thapa, Chairperson of Annapurna Media Network said that the responsibility of the media is to promote positive issues and said that the ApEx will continue to respect and honor such top people. 

He further said, “Our responsibility is not limited only to conveying news. Those who have made a significant contribution to society should be appreciated. In the current situation where negativity is mostly highlighted, honoring positive work is a challenge.”

The chief guest of the event, former President Bidya Devi Bhandari, praised Annapurna Media Network for honoring personalities who have done commendable work in various fields of national life. 

A book containing the journey, experience and profile of 50 pioneers was also released at Monday’s event. The book titled ‘Apex Pioneer, The Changemakers of Nepal’ was launched by former President Bhandari and Chairperson Thapa. 

Kamal Dev Bhattarai, Editor of The Annapurna Express, said that he was proud to appreciate the inspirational work of personalities who fill the society with positive energy. According to him, last year the top visionaries were honored and the next year the top planners will be motivated through a similar program.

Chief Executive Officer of Annapurna Media Network, Sanat Neupane, said that Annapurna has succeeded in continuing the image of not only writing news but also honoring individuals who work uniquely in their field. 

Here are the honored pioneers:

Anupama Khunjeli

Anuradha Koirala

Ashesh Malla

Baburam Bhattarai

Baikuntha Manandhar

Bal Krishna Joshi

Basanta Raj Mishra

Bhairab Risal

Bharat Pokharel

Bhinda Swari Shah

Bhuwan Chand

Binod Chaudhary

Bishnu Maya Pariyar

Buddhi Narayan Shrestha

Capt Siddhartha Gurung

Devendra Raj Pandey

Dr Bhagawan Koirala

Dr Kumud Dhital

Dr Ram Kantha Makaju

Dr Sanduk Ruit

Durga Baral

Gagan Pradhan

Ghanashyam Gurung

Harry Bhandari

Himalaya Shamsher JBR

Jhamak Ghimire

Kanchha Sherpa

Kiran Manandhar

Kulman Ghising

Mahabir Pun

Mahesh Acharya

Mallika Shakya

Manjushree Thapa

Min Bahadur Gurung

Mukesh Chalise

Neer Shah

Pawan Golyan

Rabindra Puri

Ram Dayal Rakesh

Ram Kumar Panday

Ramesh Sherpa

RP Pradhan

Shyam Goenka

Suresh Raj Sharma

Tulsi Ghimire

Uday Raj Khanal

Upendra Mahato

Usha Nepal

Uttam Sanjel

How many times has the government hiked the prices of petroleum products, say, in a year? Well, we the people have lost count of it. This time also, the government hiked fuel prices citing the price list from the Indian Oil Corporation, the sole supplier of petroleum products for Nepal, only to retract the unpopular decision owing to pressure from the Parliament and outside. 

If the government had its way, cooking gas would have become dearer by around Rs 215/cylinder, petrol by Rs 2/liter, diesel and kerosene by Rs 6/liter and air turbine fuel by Rs 8/liter, that too at a time when people have been grappling with economic hardships, thanks to domestic factors like the absence of the rule of law, market regulation, political instability, unbridled corruption and the Russia-Ukraine war that has been wreaking havoc on the global supply chain.  

Against this backdrop, Devendra Gautam of ApEx talked with a number of people from different walks of life to know if steep oil and gas prices are indicative of a petroleum trap that Nepal is finding itself sinking deeper and deeper in, like in quicksand. Here’s what they had to say:  

Pushkar Karki, Spokesperson, NOC

The sole supplier of fossil fuel and cooking gas to Nepal, Indian Oil Corporation, sends the price list of diesel and petrol to NOC every fortnight. It sends the price list of cooking gas, air turbine fuel and kerosene every month. Let me clarify a thing: NOC does not even get a penny from the sale of cooking gas, petrol fetches it a 2.5 percent profit margin whereas diesel and kerosene yield two percent profit.

Any surge in oil and gas price in the international market causes a surge in Nepal as well. In times of an economic slowdown,  such a hike only adds to the public’s woes, especially when major festivals are approaching.

Prabha Dawadi, Homemaker

A price hike hits every sector of life. From the kitchen to children’s education, every aspect suffers. The lack of domestic production is mainly behind rising inflation. The government should focus on increasing the production of food and other essentials within the country to rein in soaring market prices.    

Ratna Sansar Shrestha, Researcher

Frequent hikes in the prices of petroleum products are part of a design to make Nepal completely dependent on a monopoly supplier. India’s decision to not buy hydropower generated from Nepali projects developed with Chinese investment and make Nepal completely reliant on its petroleum supplies does not bode well for Nepal. However, our political leadership does not have the spine to oppose such a sinister design against Nepal. The leaders should mend ways.    

Sagun Sunder Lawoti, Spokesperson, Rastriya Prajatantra Party

The government has failed the country and the people on multiple fronts. It has been unable to deal with challenges both external and internal, it has failed to ensure law and order. 

An elected government is supposed to be accountable to the people, it is supposed to be responsive. But this government lacks vision and is rudderless. This mess is one of the indicators of polity failures. 

As a responsible opposition party, we have been trying to make the government take corrective measures to arrest this slide and will continue to do so in the coming days.  

Binita Gautam, School teacher

A hike in fuel prices causes food prices to shoot up. Such a hike only deepens the existential crisis of the people as no sector is left untouched.    

Ganesh Parajuli, Lawmaker, Rastriya Swatantra Party

A hike in fuel prices only increases the woes of Nepali people. The government should find ways to protect the people from the shocks of fuel price hikes instead of justifying such a hike citing price escalations in the international market. We (RSP) are discussing this issue within the party fold in a bid to work out ways for dealing with it. 

The term ‘Global South’ reverberated through the halls of power during the recent 78th General Assembly, which came to a close just last week. Vibrant voices like those of India and China, who proudly identify themselves as part of this dynamic Global South, championed its cause.

In the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Western world engaged in fervent discourse about the stance taken by Global South nations, many of which chose to remain neutral. Western experts now ponder whether the Global South has emerged as a bona fide “geopolitical continent,” considering the absence of widespread condemnation for Russia’s invasion or support for sanctions.

Stewart Patrick, senior fellow and director of the Global Order and Institutions Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, highlighted this in a striking observation made back in August. He wrote in an article: “When the UN General Assembly voted in February 2022 on a resolution demanding Russia’s immediate withdrawal from Ukraine, the Global South was split, with more than 60 percent siding with Ukraine and approximately a third abstaining. In common usage, the label amalgamates a remarkably heterogeneous group of 130-dd countries representing perhaps two-third of world’s population.”

Ding Long, a distinguished professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, also contributed his perspective in an article published in The Global Times on August 4. Long stated that "the rise of the Global South, as the most prominent transformational trend in the international system after the Ukraine crisis, will promote the constitution of a just and reasonable international order." 

He underscored how the Global South had maintained its diplomatic independence and strategic autonomy during the Ukraine crisis, opting for a middle path to assert itself as a burgeoning force in global politics.

In January of this year, India hosted the Voices of the Global South Summit, a gathering that drew participation from ministers and leaders representing 125 Global South countries. Nepal’s finance minister was among those present. India and China, both towering neighbors, are vying for leadership roles within the Global South, while Brazil, too, is asserting itself as the global leader.

Indian Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar sent a clear message to the world during his address to the 78th UN General Assembly, warning the major powers to prepare for a contest with the Global South.  

“But for all the talk, it is still a few nations who shape the agenda and seek to define the norms. This cannot go on indefinitely. Nor will it go unchallenged. A fair, equitable, and democratic order will surely emerge, once we all put our minds to it. And for a start, that means ensuring that rule-makers do not subjugate rule-takers. After all, rules will work only when they apply equally to all,” he said.

China, too, echoed this sentiment at the UN meeting. China’s Vice President Han Zheng declared, “As the largest developing country, China is a natural member of the Global South, it breathes the same breath with other developing countries and shares the same future with them.”  China, Han promised, “will remain a member of the big family of developing countries.

Similarly, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva proudly proclaimed: “Brazil is reencountering itself, the region, the world and multilateralism. As I never tire of saying, Brazil is back. Our country is back to give our due contribution to face the world’s primary challenges.”

Former Nepali Ambassador to the UN, Jaya Raj Acharya, acknowledged that Nepal's prominent voice in the Global South had dimmed over the past decade, despite Nepal’s continued advocacy for bridging economic disparities between the North and South. In his address to the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal refrained from using the term ‘Global South’.

According to Dinesh Bhattarai, former Nepali ambassador to the UN, the Global South’s growing vocalization stems from an increasing number of countries actively engaging in global issues, such as climate change, with the African Union's participation in the G20 serving as a prime example. “This shift should also be viewed in the context of Asia's rising influence,” he said.

While Nepal's prominence in the Global South discourse has waned, it is still raising critical issues related to cooperation on international platforms. Foreign Minister NP Saud, addressing the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in July, emphasized the need for deeper South-South cooperation and strengthened multilateralism, particularly at the UN. 

“We need to foster international cooperation within NAM, deepen south-south cooperation, and strengthen multilateralism at the UN at its center to resolve global problems,” he said. “As the champion of social justice and economic empowerment, NAM must advocate for inclusive and sustainable global growth, in which the Global South receives a fair share to eradicate poverty and give their people a decent life.” 

In the ever-evolving landscape of international diplomacy, Nepal's role as a passionate advocate for justice and equity among Global South nations continues to evolve and adapt, guided by the principles of national ownership and leadership and a commitment to global peace and stability.

Bhattarai said Global South is more vocal because many countries are aggressively coming out due to the issues such as climate change and African union being a part of G20 is more enthusiastic. 

The United Nations has set up an office for South-South Cooperation whose principal purpose is to enhance South-South and triangular cooperation as a means to accelerate the speed and scale of actions to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGS). 

In 1974, the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution, endorsed the establishment of a special unit within the UNDP to promote technical cooperation among developing countries. Its name was then changed to the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) in 2012.

In 2019, the then foreign minister, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, addressed the second UN conference on south-south cooperation held in Argentia where he highlighted four important principles of Nepal.

• First, some members in the South, despite having similar development ambitions, are far lagging behind. They need even more understanding, partnership and cooperation. Principle of ‘leaving no one behind’ should be placed at the core.
• Second, our cooperation should have a clear focus on poverty eradication. SDG 1 is the biggest battle we have and perhaps the most cross-cutting, and therefore a sine qua non for making the world a better place to live.
• Third, gender equality, inclusiveness, concrete steps to mitigate the adverse effect of climate change and social justice, among others, should be the guide posts of development perspectives. Women and youths should be assured of better opportunities and more investment must be guaranteed in education and technological innovations.
• Finally, our development experience tells us that all forms of cooperation should respect national ownership and leadership, and focus on country needs and priorities. And global peace and stability is the prerequisite, because the cost of conflicts mainly goes on the shoulders of the Global South.

There are books that make you happy—books that are the equivalent of a warm, comforting hug, stories that make you believe everything will be okay despite the odds. ‘Matilda’ by Roald Dahl is that book for me. This is one of the books, and perhaps the first book, I gravitate towards when I need a little pick me up. 

When I was in school, I got my hands on a tattered copy of Matilda. I had come across it at the Awon library in Kupondole, Lalitpur. I loved it—read it on a balmy Saturday devouring the two Perk chocolate bars that I was allowed on the weekends. I renewed it during my next visit to the library because I couldn’t part with it. 

Soon enough, I bought my copy from Ekta Bookstore in Jawalakhel. At almost Rs 400, it was a pricey book during those days. I’m talking about the 90s here. My parents used to give me money to buy books, mostly the Famous Five or the Secret Seven series by Enid Blyton and the occasional Archie comics. Blyton’s books used to cost around Rs 140, with slimmer volumes priced as low as Rs 98. An Archie comic was Rs 68. So, I had to save up to buy Matilda. I bought one book at the combined cost of several. 

Over the years, I have read Matilda many times. I have bought more copies than I can recollect because I’m always giving them to people. Right now, I have two copies (with different covers) on my bookshelf. Sometimes, I just sit with the book, letting memories of a happier time wash over me. 

Matilda is about a girl named, well, Matilda. She’s a genius. By the age of three, she could do what most adults take a lifetime to learn—take care of herself. By four, her reading list had Hemingway, Dickens, and Orwell among many other prolific, highly celebrated authors. But Mr and Mrs Wormwood, Matilda’s parents, think she’s a nuisance. They think she should watch more TV and read fewer books. Her school principal, Miss Trunchbull, is another terror who despises children. But Matilda isn’t an ordinary girl. She has a few tricks up her sleeves that just might save her and her amazing teacher, Miss Honey.  

It might seem like a simple story when you first read it. But it’s also a brilliant reminder of what the human mind is capable of and how you can often turn your life around with the right attitude. Peppered with Dahl’s signature wit and Blake’s fun illustrations, Matilda keeps you entertained and allows you to forget your worries for a little while. 

Fiction

Matilda 

Roald Dahl

Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Publisher: Jonathan Cape Ltd 

Published: 1988

Pages: 232, Paperback