Nepal in the mathematics battle royale
As in the Olympics where athletes compete to prove their physical prowess, teenagers too compete to prove their mental acuity on the global Olympic stage. There are various types of International Olympiads they take part in, for instance those related to physics, biology and literature. But none rivals the prestige of the oldest of them all: The International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO). Considered by many to be the hardest Olympiad, IMO has continued to fascinate students from around the world since its inception in 1959.
The IMO lasts for two days and students are given three problems to solve each day. The problems relate to different aspects of mathematics like number theory, geometry, combinatorics and algebra.
Many countries have been participating in the IMO for decades, but Nepal started doing so only in 2017 at the 58th International Mathematics Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the team of Awanish Khanal, Bibek Panthi, Bivek Panthi, Prabin Mahato, Ajay Pokharel and Prasanna Shrestha. They were led by team leader Deepak Bastola, deputy leader Pitambar Acharya and Prof. Dr. Bhadra Man Shrestha. Nepal also took part in the 2018 IMO held in Cluz, Romania.
Every country has an organization to oversee selection for the Olympiad and to provide resources for prospective participants. In Nepal, Mathematics Olympiad of Nepal (MOON), a non-profit, has taken up this mantle. MOON, registered as the body overseeing IMO-related activities in Nepal by the IMO board in 2015, has since extended the selection process to all 77 districts in the country.
The winners at the district level selection rounds compete at province level rounds. After the final national round among Top 50 contestants, six are picked for the Olympiad.
The questions at the province level and national level rounds are comparable to those asked at the IMO, making these rounds challenging even for the most intelligent minds. In addition to managing the selection process, MOON is also trying to conduct training programs and to provide resources for self-study through cooperation with other countries’ teams.
Despite the rigorous selection that skims the most intelligent youngsters of our country, Nepal’s performance at the IMO has been mediocre. Says Bibek Panthi, a two-time IMO contestant, “Our course content is poor compared to that of other countries. While I was in Romania I saw a kid in the eighth grade doing homework on projections, a concept that we are taught only at +2 level.”
Deepak Bastola, the president of MOON, points out other reasons for poor results. “The problem is not lack of resources or finances, for they can be managed easily,” he says. “The real problem is people’s attitude to competitions such as IMO and, most importantly, towards mathematics.” Bastola says that while they were searching for prospective Olympiad candidates in schools around the country, some schools refused to cooperate. “They were concerned that good students would ruin their grades if they were sidetracked by such competitions.”
Parents are also uninterested for the same reason. “Our society is against mathematics,” Bastola adds. “Mathematics is constantly demonized in front of children before they even get a chance to explore it.”
The second reason for lack of interest is that “the society is not aware of the applications of mathematics and its nature that changes according to the situation.” To explain his latter claim, he offers a riddle: “A mom and a son go to a movie theater. A dad and a son go to the same theater. How many people in total went to the theater?” Think about it.
Training for IMO 2019 will begin this month, and the selection process will start within a few months. According to ex-contestants, anyone interested should just go for it. “I highly recommend students at the secondary level and those under 19 years of age to take part. They will not only get an opportunity to represent Nepal at the world stage. They will also in the process develop a wide range of inter-personal skills,” says Awanish Khanal, another contestant representing Nepal in 2017 Rio IMO.
Panthi agrees, as getting to meet people from different cultural backgrounds and assimilating in such a diverse community are invaluable opportunities that contribute to one’s social development. If you need an additional incentive, a big proportion of Fields medalists (the ‘Nobel in mathematics’) and Nobel laureates have won some medals at the IMO.
A rare amalgamation of contemporary Nepali art
Conceived in 2007, Amalgam Exhibition showcases works by senior artists while also serving as a platform for young Nepali artists and some visiting international artists. The seventh edition this year features the works of 40 Nepali artists including Aditya Aryal, Bidhyaman Tamang, Dipak Lama, Gopal Kalapremi Shrestha, Hari Adhikari, Hit Man Gurung, Ishan Pariyar and Sushma Shakya.
In addition, four guest artists—Birendra Pratap Singh, S.C. Suman, Seema Sharma Shah and Uma Shankhar Shah—are the part of the exhibit this year. This edition of Amalgam embraces multiple mediums, as well as a small selection of prints by Printmaking Nepal featuring works of Lok Chitrakar and Late Manuj Baba Mishra.
Providing a rare insight into the contemporary art scene of Nepal, the exhibition spills over from the Babar Mahal main gallery into the outer Pipal bot as well. On Sept 8 and 9, there was a rare opportunity to learn raku ceramic technique with master artist Gopal Kalapremi Shrestha. The main exhibition is open until September 28, 12 pm-5 pm, every day
EVENTS THIS WEEK
WATCH
Sunday Movie Night
6.30 pm, Sunday, Sept 23
Bikalpa Art Café & Bar
Pulchowk, Lalitpur
Get the week up and off with some blasts from the past. This Sunday night features “Foreign Correspondent”, also popular as “imposter” or “personal history”, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
PARTICIPATE
3rd BASS DAY NEPAL
1 pm, Saturday, Sept 22
Shisha Lounge & Bar
Thamel, Kathmandu
Witness the performances of some of the best bass players in Nepal. Attend the Bass Clinic by Marcus Dengate and see Rizu Tuladhar present “Bass— A musical tool in context of Nepali artist”.
Entry: Rs 200
ATTEND
The Comedy Tuk Tuk Show
7:45 pm, Saturday, Sept 22
SukraBar, Lazimpat
Book tickets for a night of laughter as three amazing stand-up comedians in K-Town tickle all your funny bones! Comedians Aadarsh Mishra, Alan Jung Thapa and Rajina Shrestha will definitely help put a hysteric end to your hectic week. Pre-purchase tickets at Sukrabar or pay at the door (by 7:25 PM).
Price: Rs.100 per person
LISTEN
TMR Trio Blues Session
7 pm, Friday Sept 21
Social Café
Gairidhara, Kathmandu
This Friday night, the TMR Trio featuring Nikhil Tuladhar will be performing an intimate session of blues and rocknroll at the Social Cafe.
IT'S TIME TO..
VISIT KULEKHANI
Kulekhani is best known for its hydropower dam, which provides visitors a lake-like environment and an opportunity to boat! Its breathtaking scenery, landscapes, rivers, waterfalls and flora are well worth the time it takes to get there from Kathmandu. Once the ancient trade route with India, you can also see a number of mini Buddhist stupas on the way. Actually you can combine a trip with visiting the Buddhist town of Pharping with its monastery and sacred cave. You may also want to stop at the Bheda Farm in Chitlang.
HIKE TO CHISAPANI
This hill-station offers the perfect mini-trek amid rich flora and fauna of Shivapuri National Park, and spectacular mountains all around. Drive to Sundarijal (about 45-60 minutes by car) and walk up for a couple of hours, past the main water source of Kathmandu, and through Shivapuri National Park with its sub-tropical forests, until you reach Mal Kharka. Here you can have lunch before you hike for another two hours to Borlang Bhanjyang. Another 1.5 hours on and you reach Chisapani (2,215m). The views on the way are breathtaking. Marvel at the majesty of the Langtang Himal, Jugal Himal, Ganesh Himal and Gaurishankar Himal ranges.
RIDE ELEPHANTS IN CHITWAN
Time and experience have proved that one of the best ways of viewing life in the wild is atop an elephant. At Jungle Safari Lodge in Chitwan, they take you on elephant back to view the wildlife of the area, as far as possible in their natural habitat. Safety and security being a prime concern, you will never be alone and never without professional guides and naturalists. Go get a breath of fresh air!
