Twin miracle in Nepali tennis
Twin sisters Mayanka and Mahika Rana are both tennis prodigies. At 17, they have already notched up many achievements, both personally and for the country. They are top seeded tennis players in the Doubles, Juniors and Women categories and are geared to represent Nepal in professional tennis tournaments around the world. Now with around two dozen titles between them, the two started playing tennis at seven. “Our family has been the biggest inspiration,” says Mayanka. Their father, Manoj SJB Rana, is a ranked player in the International Tennis Federation Seniors category and their mother, Jyoti Rana, is the president of the All Nepal Tennis Federation, the official lawn tennis body of the country. “We started as a hobby but then we began playing in tournaments and winning, which motivated us to be professionals,” Mayanka adds.
Tennis is still an elite sport in Nepal today. Learning, practicing and playing tennis is a big expense, which makes the sport quite exclusive. As such, compared to other sports, tennis attracts fewer players.
“To overcome this problem, we have started the Junior Tennis Initiative program to train children at minimum cost,” Jyoti says. “This seems to be bearing fruit as we now have children starting tennis at a very young age. Of them, we can select a few with strong potential for further training.”
But many young potential national players have quit tennis to give more time to their studies or have gone abroad for further studies. “Players also quit because it is difficult sport to rise up,” Mahika says, “You need to win a lot of games to reach the top. The players who have reached the top find it difficult to lose and move down the rankings.”
The Ranas sisters, however, seem to be determined to continue playing tennis professionally for the country. The two, who study A levels at the British School, practice every day after school. With international tennis stars Serena Williams and Roger Federer as inspirations for Mahika and Maynka respectively, the duo wants to make it big in international tennis events. When asked where they see themselves 10 years down the line, they reply in unison, “Playing at the WTA [Women’s Tennis Association, the main body responsible for international women’s tennis] tournaments. And if we get better, maybe we’ll be playing in the Grand Slams too.”
Playing together in the doubles format and against each other in the singles category, the Rana sisters have participated in many national and international tournaments, including the 2014 Asian Games held in South Korea. They are once again representing Nepal in the 2018 Asian Games, slated to be held in Indonesia from August 18 to September 2. Currently, the Rana sisters are representing Nepal at the Raipur ITF Juniors and playing directly in the Main Draw without having to play the qualifiers because they have received international ranking.
“I am going to the US to play college tennis,” Mayanka says, “I have been selected in a program at Saint Leo University, Florida where I will be studying business as well as honing my tennis skills.” Mahika wants to follow suit and is working on her college application, and hopes to get into the same university. But are they leaving the country for good, like many others? “No,” they reply in unison again, “we are going there because they have better resources and many competitive tournaments.
“We might stay there and represent Nepal in international tournaments and come back whenever we are required to,” they say. Their next target? The SAF Games that Nepal is hosting in 2019.
Tony Hagen’s rare photos on exhibit
BHAKTAPUR: The photos of Kathmandu valley and its surroundings taken during 1950s by renowned Swiss geologist Dr Toni Hagen is being exhibited in Bhaktapur. His daughter, Katryn Hagen, inaugurated the exhibition in Ganchhe of Bhaktapur Municipality.
Conservationist Rabindra Puri informed that the 50 photographs taken by Toni Hagen would be exhibited till April 1, adding that the exhibit was being organized to encourage people to conserve heritage. RSS
Rock and tumble world of Tumbleweed Inc.
Contrary to general perception, the name Tumbleweed has got nothing to do with “weed,” the band members joke. Tumbleweed Inc. came into being in 2012, detaching from its roots and tumbling down, like its name suggests. Inspired by international acts like RATM, Snot, Primus and RHCP, the rap-rock-funk band has given the Nepali music scene a taste of hip-hop lyrics backed by a groovy rhythm, all blended into catchy music for their albums Parichaya and Anyol. Sarad Shrestha on guitars, Suwas aka Ktm Souljah on vocals, Prashant Maharjan on bass and Roben Neupane on drums make up Tumbleweed Inc. Sarad, 43, leads the pack of young musicians in their mid-20s to make music that is one of its kind, at least in the Nepali music industry. “The difference in age between us is actually a benefit,” Sarad says, “It adds to the mixture of my old school choices to the new musical tastes the guys have. In music, age isn’t a problem, it rather enhances learning.”
Sarad, previously playing with The Axe, a popular pop-rock band, was in search of a new team to experiment the music of his liking and in due course met the band members of Tumbleweed, each coming from a different genre. “With Suwas’s rap and free style singing, we came up with a song on the very first day we rehearsed together,” Sarad recalls. “Such was the chemistry between us.”
The band then released their debut album Parichaya, which gave hits like Geda, Badlido Samaj, Local Thito and Mr President—the crowd favorites anywhere they perform. Following their success with Parichaya, the band recently released Anyol, which was accepted by the Nepali audience immediately with the title track of the same name becoming an instant hit.
In the early days, criticism kept coming their way. With hardcore metal music in vogue, their rap music with a blend of metal and funk left the audience questioning their musical existence. Such music negatively impacted the audience’s minds, which made people perceive us in a wrong way, say the band members.
“There was a time when the crowd booed us—flipping the bird on our faces. But we took it positively, and gradual changes began happening. Now, they cover our songs and sing with us.”
Interestingly, most songs of Tumbleweed, which now has released two albums, were made on the spot while jamming. “The lyrics are based on the struggles and experiences of a common man,” says Ktm Souljah, the band’s lyricist. Earlier, the band wrote lyrics that had 50 percent English words; now it’s down to 10 percent. The band has trained its focus on the Nepali audience. Moreover, it moved from performing underground to performing mainstream. Tumbleweed Inc. has evolved.
The frequency of big events has gradually declined, says the band. The original music creators have lost their space in the growing market for live singers. “As an independent artist, it is difficult for us to get a big platform, even though we deserve it,” says Sarad. “We barely get sponsorship deals.”
After the release of their second album Anyol, the band toured 10 cities in the country without any sponsors. Yet they have no complaints. “We managed to perform well and had a great experience,” says Sarad. “We know the situation will only improve, since it is pretty good now.”
The band, which usually performs in Kathmandu and has also toured eastern towns like Dharan, as well as to India, Australia, the UAE etc., says music alone is not a sufficient source of income. They give the example of doctors in public hospitals who also work in private clinics to supplement earnings. “Income from music has declined in general, but at the same time, live singers are doing pretty well performing in bars and restaurants,” says Sarad. “It also depends on one’s standard of living.”
Tumbleweed, in the near future, plans to tour India and the US, while also focusing on regular jam sessions and continuing with its music creation.
“We hope music lovers remember us as good musicians and give us constructive feedback,” says the band in unison. “Also, we request our listeners to be physically present at our concerts and encourage independent artists like us”.
Momos from the Hills
Momo Karma claims to be the “Taste of Darjeeling in Nepal,” serving the most famous—momos, alu dum, chop and other delectable delicacies from the Hills of Love. Housed in the Onward Nepal Building, Nag Pokhari Marg, this eatery promises a ‘farm-to-table’ food, with its use of only locally sourced organic products.
Besides the tasty food and a selection of coffee and other refreshing drinks, Momo Karma also hosts small events, mainly art exhibitions and concerts, inside its cozy premises.
THE MENU
Chef’s Special:
Darjeeling Style Chinese Pork Sausages, Pork Momos, Aloo Dum
Opening hours
9 am (Coffee), 11 am (lunch)
Closing Time: 9 pm
For reservations
986-9222988
Cards
Not Accepted
