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Thinley Lhamo is a Tibetan actor who was recently seen in the movie Shambhala, a 2024 film directed by Min Bahadur Bham. She was awarded the prestigious Boccalino d’Oro Prize for Best Acting Performance at the 77th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. Shreya Shrestha from ApEx spoke to Lhamo about the challenges of being an actor, her aspirations, and how the work she does makes her the person that she is. 

How did you get into acting and how has your journey been so far?

My journey started with the first movie, ‘Naka,’ which was released in 2017. It was followed by ‘Hari’ in 2018. Shambhala happened after a long gap but I’m grateful to be back. I met many directors after my first film and there were talks of working together but nothing came out of them. It could have been due to bad timing, conflicting visions, or maybe the stories just didn’t work out. I believe I was also a little slack, meaning I could have been more out there and invested in my personal and professional growth.

Shambhala has been a huge success and it’s gotten you many accolades. How does it feel?  

It took a lot of time for me to process what was happening. We were told that I was getting an award at the very last minute, and I was in the middle of something. I had to rush through everything, and things happened so quickly that I didn’t have a chance to truly comprehend what had just occurred. It was incredibly hectic, and everything moved at a breakneck pace. We were immediately thrust into a whirlwind of activity, including taking photos for the media. While I understand that people were genuinely happy and enjoying the moment, I personally didn’t have the opportunity to fully experience those feelings. Instead, I felt a sense of public joy, as I was surrounded by many people who were celebrating my success and the impact of my work.

 What was your experience like while shooting for Shambhala?

The experience was wonderful. I was able to return to filmmaking after a long gap and that thrilled me. The project instilled in me a sense of determination, making me realize that I can overcome any obstacle. I believe I was physically and mentally prepared to act again. I can’t control how things go and the outcome isn’t in my hands but I was thankful that the opportunity came my way. I had some problems with the local dialect and had to work on that. The team dedicated itself to practicing the dialogues and we also spent a lot of time understanding the culture of the place the story was set in.

 What are some of the challenges of being a part of the film industry?

Getting into the film industry without prior knowledge can be a daunting task. Navigating the complex work systems, understanding industry norms, and building relationships with professionals are challenging, especially when you lack a strong support network. I vividly recall a particularly nerve-wracking experience at the Berlinale press conference. Despite preparing for various scenarios, I found myself overwhelmed by all the pressure. This incident, among others, has been a valuable learning experience. It has reinforced the understanding that I’m still in a phase of continuous learning and growth.

 Do you have anything you want to highlight about Berlinale and Locarno?

The level of competition is undeniably high, and it’s essential to network with as many people as possible at such events. This opportunity allowed me to connect with a diverse range of individuals. One aspect that truly impressed me was the profound respect for cinema. In Nepal, I noticed people talking and disturbing others during screenings. However, at the event, the audience was incredibly attentive, fully immersed in the films. They even expressed annoyance if anyone disrupted the viewing experience, highlighting a level of cinematic appreciation that I found truly admirable.

 How has your work contributed to your personal growth?

Meeting a diverse range of individuals and navigating interpersonal dynamics is a fascinating aspect of life. People are interesting with their unique perspectives and experiences. Some individuals are driven to achieve great things, yet remain unsatisfied, while others find contentment in a simpler lifestyle. While I’ve previously done two films, this time the acceptance has been notably different. It seems that the nature of the work and the impact it has made have resonated with people, inspiring a desire to push boundaries and strive for even greater achievements.

Bureaucracy is considered the steel frame of government through which state decisions are implemented, policies activated and policy objectives achieved. Protecting people’s life and liberty, maintaining law and order, conducting plans and programs, and delivering public services to the doorstep of citizens are major responsibilities of bureaucracy. 

Despite dozens of lapses in both theory and in practice, bureaucracy is inevitable as it performs important roles like delivery of day-to-day services both during normal as well as critical times, from the center to the nooks and crannies of the country. For example, even during the Maoist insurgency, bureaucracy was very much at the people’s doorsteps in the form of the VDC secretary, JT, JTA, health worker and the forester, etc.

The main jobs of bureaucracy are almost always the same. But this important organ of the state is anything but a well-oiled machine. In some segments of the society, service delivery is quite poor, giving rise to questions about “merit-based recruitment procedures”. 

Various commissions constituted to reform bureaucracy have submitted their suggestions and recommendations to the government at different points in time, but the implementation of these inputs has been far from satisfactory, making reforms in bureaucracy a pipedream.

In general, service-seekers feel that power and money—and not due procedures—is what gets you public services and this perception is the root cause of public hatred toward government employees. This leaves the service-seeker with no other option than doing what the employee tells you to get desired services, even if it means ignoring relevant rules and regulations. 

But these old ways should not be acceptable. Accountability, integrity and transparency must be maintained at all levels by upholding the right to information. Administration should be compatible to address changing demands of service-seekers in the wake of changes in political, economic, socio-cultural and technological spheres.

Uniting diverse cultures and binding people of different castes and colors living within a sovereign territory is the most important government function, which is executed through the administrative machinery. Truly, administration does not only deliver public services; in fact it delivers democracy to the people.

Dilemmas galore

Politicization of bureaucracy and bureaucratization of politics is a big obstacle in the path of bureaucratic reforms. Political leaders often indulge in bureaucratic tasks instead of bothering to formulate appropriate policies and laws, while public servants do politics to reap financial benefits and undue opportunities. 

Rivalry and unsound competition between and among different services, groups and subgroups within the civil service have created demotivation and frustrations among employees. In terms of monetary benefits, promotion and opportunity to grow, there is no equal opportunity within the civil service. 

The main job of bureaucracy is to serve citizens, but in practice government employees want to lord over the citizens. Facilitation, regulation and promotional role of bureaucracy is necessary to serve citizens better. Quality service delivery will surely strengthen the relationship between the government and the citizens. 

Access to public services often depends on the service-seeker’s political power and financial capacity –the capacity to pay–putting disadvantaged sections of the society at a great disadvantage. 

Through private staff such as private secretary and other intermediaries/intermediary structures, political appointees try to make the service-seeker pay extra money for availing public services, especially in remote areas. 

Employee transfers are almost always questionable, with legal provisions ignored all too often to make space for political power and the power of cash.  

The operational cost of public organizations is extremely high but investment in building and developing human capital is miserable. Procurement of unnecessary and expensive vehicles, machinery, and heavy equipment without identifying need assessment, proper maintenance plan and estimation of economic capability of the country has been causing a steep rise in public spending in the unproductive sector. 

Extremely low salary and paltry perks, including financial benefits, is one of the main reasons behind corruption in bureaucracy. While the blame for a low severance package goes on the “limited capacity of the state”, a chosen few employees often get unlimited opportunities to earn through the backdoor. 

Inefficiency and ineffectiveness are another source of public hatred toward bureaucracy. It is compared to winning a battle to get public services without hassle-free manners. Political leaders and powerful persons have been receiving public services by enforcing power rather than obeying the system. Such practices have been encouraging service providers to enforce monopoly and discrimination against the grassroots.

Low morale and diminishing loyalty toward occupation are the ugly products of unequal opportunities to grow, weak reward and punishment system, over-politicization, discrimination between and among different services, groups and sub-groups. 

In a short period of time, corrupt politicians and employees have amassed huge wealth (as if by magic) whereas the honest lot is at the receiving end in various walks of life. Time has come to prohibit commercialization and bureaucratization of politics and politicization of business and bureaucracy for national prosperity.

Views are personal

CPN (Maoist Center) Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal has been making provocative statements these days. While his rhetoric lacks a clear roadmap, it hints at potential shifts in Nepal’s political landscape. Recently, Dahal admitted he had made a mistake by forming alliances with the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML, alliances he has benefited from for over a decade. Despite this, he vowed that his party would contest the upcoming elections independently.

Inconsistent statements characterize Dahal’s political narrative. He has repeatedly claimed he has no intention of becoming prime minister during the current Parliament's term, set to expire in 2027. Yet, on November 16, he unveiled a potential strategy for reclaiming power. He declared that his party’s “magic number of 32” in the House of Representatives could topple the existing coalition. This assertion underscores his urgency to reassert dominance, as Maoist leaders acknowledge that failure to break the NC-UML coalition before the 2027 elections could spell trouble for their party's survival. A senior Maoist leader candidly remarked, “To maintain at least our current strength, we must either ally with the NC or UML, which necessitates dismantling the coalition.”

Maoist leaders believe the current government faces two primary vulnerabilities. First, while Nepal’s bilateral relations are progressing, New Delhi appears hesitant to fully back the UML-led government under Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. According to a senior Maoist leader, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian policymakers have shown greater engagement with the NC than with Oli, raising doubts about the coalition’s stability.

Secon, disagreements over China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) could exacerbate tensions. The UML, led by Oli, is eager to finalize a BRI implementation plan to demonstrate tangible progress. However, this push might create rifts within the coalition, as the NC remains wary of BRI commitments. Oli’s cautious handling of the issue reflects these internal dynamics, providing Dahal an opportunity to capitalize on the discord.

Dahal’s recent interactions with New Delhi reveal his strategic pivot. His interview with The Hindu showcased his criticism of Oli for allegedly playing the ‘China card’, signaling Dahal’s intent to align with India’s geopolitical priorities. Over the past six to seven years, Dahal has cultivated stronger ties with New Delhi, aligning mutual interests during his premiership. Notably, his government signed a long-term energy trade deal with India, facilitating Nepal’s electricity export to Bangladesh through the Indian grid. This agreement not only bolstered Dahal’s domestic image by stabilizing the energy sector but also endeared him to New Delhi.

In contrast, Dahal refrained from signing any major agreements with Beijing, including a proposed BRI implementation plan in 2023. His reluctance to engage with China, a departure from Oli’s precedent, has likely pleased New Delhi. Furthermore, Dahal avoided contentious issues such as the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) report and Nepal’s border disputes with India, which UML leaders like Oli have persistently raised. His softer stance on these matters aligns with India’s preference to keep them off the bilateral agenda.

Dahal’s rapport with BJP leaders has also grown, allowing him to leverage India’s influence on Nepal’s political landscape. On contentious issues like secularism, Dahal has conveyed his flexibility, indicating no objection to removing secularism if major parties agree—a stance likely to resonate with the BJP’s ideological agenda.

Aware of shifting international dynamics, Oli recently acknowledged in a party meeting that external conditions may not favor his government. While the UML leadership claims improved relations with India, Dahal’s positioning suggests he might still be New Delhi’s preferred candidate for prime minister. His track record of aligning with India on strategic issues strengthens this perception.

Even if Dahal fails to secure the premiership, he appears open to supporting Sher Bahadur Deuba of the NC until the elections, contingent on an electoral alliance. However, this proposal faces resistance within the NC. While Deuba’s faction fears losing to the UML without Maoist support, a significant section of the NC remains opposed to collaborating with the Maoists, citing ideological and policy differences.

Adding to the coalition’s challenges are disputes over governance issues. The NC and UML have clashed over topics such as the removal of Kul Man Ghising as the head of the Nepal Electricity Authority and the issuance of ordinances to facilitate party splits. These disagreements further expose the fragility of their partnership, creating an opening for Dahal to exploit.

Dahal’s political maneuvers reflect his ambition to return to power by navigating Nepal’s complex internal and external dynamics. By aligning with New Delhi’s strategic interests and exploiting fissures within the NC-UML coalition, he positions himself as a key player in shaping the country’s political future. However, whether he can convert these efforts into a tangible political comeback remains uncertain. The coming months will reveal if Dahal’s strategy of leveraging alliances and external support will succeed or if the Maoists will face an uphill battle to remain relevant in Nepal’s shifting political landscape.

Humans used to be hunters and gatherers for 2.5m years, they plucked wild fruits and hunted wild animals as they traveled. It all changed about 10,000 years ago, when they started to influence the lives of selected wild plant and animal species for their benefit. The transition from nomadic to agriculture proceeded in a stage which involved just a small change in daily life over a generation.

What changes?

Presently, agriculture is one of the main occupations in the course of human civilization, which is the origin of the first crop to the society known today. In the long run, people started living together for agriculture practices. Availability of enough food and protection in a society helps in further population growth within the community. Use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers lead to maximum crop production, which helped in reducing hunger but this manipulation altered the whole ecosystems, resulting in habitat destruction, decline in biodiversity, soil fertility and nutrient depletion.

As the human population is increasing, demand for food is also increasing and intensive methods of farming eventually are escalating. This results in decrease of useful crop pest predators and thus rise in pest outbreaks. These intensive modern agriculture practices lead to deterioration of the natural habitat and biodiversity of numerous plants and animals. The use of pesticides kills the keystone species, which agitate the ecosystem and risk millions of important species up the food chain.

Chemical pesticides have been used as a traditional method for pest and disease control. However, it impacts negatively on biodiversity, crop quality and human health. Alternatively, use of biological pest regulation instead of pesticides is the best solution in recent scenarios.

Biological pest regulation maintains its population under the limit over time. Until now, biological pest regulation mainly focuses on manipulating the behavior of pests and arthropods (natural predator). Approaches like using pheromones (chemical signals that insects release to communicate), disrupt their mating and changing foraging sites have shown success. However, arthropods as a predator, mobility is not so much, indicating this method is effective in specific areas only where these predators are present. While arthropods as predators are effective bioregulators, including specific species of reptiles and amphibians into this approach can improve the regulation of pest populations. Utilizing arthropods, along with reptiles and amphibians significantly helps in bioregulation of pests.

Amphibians and reptiles can survive in a disturbed habitat and use different resources. While hunting, predators consider the characteristics of the prey, such as what they eat, how they move and how they behave in their environment. These characteristics reflect how predators prefer to hunt. For example: some actively search while others wait and ambush their prey.

Reptiles and amphibians use their visual and olfaction (sense of smell) to track and identify prey. The characteristic hunting process directs the sensory faculty either visual or olfactory. For example, lizards and some of the amphibians that are active foragers use their smell sensory while ambush foragers like some species of iguanas depend on their visual. In specific cases like oriental garden lizards, they wait for prey to come close, wait for the movement of the prey to capture. They don’t react if the prey doesn’t show any movement or release any chemicals by the prey.

According to foraging theory, active foragers prefer stationary prey having relatively large size and are widely distributed over area whereas ambush foragers catch mobile prey and prefer small size prey found in grouped distribution. Ambush foragers have broader prey as a diet than active foragers because the chance of capturing prey is less and they cannot be selective as active foragers.

Another interesting behavior of reptiles and amphibians is that they use the surrounding environment as information about the prey and protection from their predators. They can create a cognitive map (mental representation of the environmental reminder), which helps to guide in their home range, locating their spread-out prey without searching randomly every time.       

Active foragers are good at spatial learning since they have larger home ranges and are always in mobility, which require these skills more than ambush predators. While ambush predators spend less energy in searching for prey, they eventually change spots with abundances of food.

This information can help in the agricultural field, to mobilize active or ambush predators according to the nature of the pest, and the size of the agriculture farm.

Conclusion

Agriculture fields with active foragers are beneficial as they are good at scanning their environment and forming memories about pest-infested crops/areas. For them, spatial clues like natural habitats, trees help in locating prey more successfully. Meanwhile, ambush foragers use local cues like distinct shapes or natural rocks to find and remember hunting spots. Keeping crop patches in the same locations helps both active and ambush foragers to create authentic memories of their surroundings, making them easier to hunt.

Protecting and maintaining their habitats for breeding and hibernation is also important. Amphibians prefer small water bodies with warm and sunny aspects while reptiles favor open areas for warmth and vegetated areas for dwelling. Their habitats should connect so that the population gets easy access to each other for biological activities.  Maintaining habitat with dense vegetation for shelter, creating edges with different vegetations to add up habitat diversity, and maintaining different height shrubs will provide camouflage during different activities.