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On March 5, Simrik Air conducted a daring operation in Langtang, rescuing a renowned Spanish paraglider, who was battling for life after suffering multiple fractures in a crash. The team consisting of pilot-in-command Captain Surendra Paudel, rescue specialist Tshering Pande Bhote, and technician Uttam Chaudhari rescued Xavier Bonet Dalmau from an elevation of 4,560 meters at the north-central Himalayan range. Airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment, Dalmau is on a recovery path. This rescue operation shows the importance of a well-trained and well-equipped team in life-and-death situations like accidents in the rugged rugged terrains of Nepal. This is not the first instance of Simrik Air’s involvement in critical operations. On April 11, 2021, a Simrik Air heli team under the command of Captain Siddartha J Gurung, pilot-in-command Captain Paudel and comprising other experienced crew members doused a raging fire at the Shivapuri national park using the Bambi bucket, thereby averting a loss of life and properties. Equipped with cutting-edge technology and equipment and aware of Nepal’s trying terrains like the Himalayas, Simrik Air is well aware of the importance of well-trained human resources in critical operations. In the first week of February 2023, it conducted a heli-training and orientation for the crew, staff, and medical team to prepare them better for rushing crucial assistance during natural and man-made disasters by enhancing their skills and expertise. Captain Gurung led a Bambi Bucket training session for helicopter pilots Capt Hare Ram Thapa and Capt Rajendra Duwal at Bojinee Dam in Nagarkot. The pilots learned the proper use and operation of this specialized tool. Simrik Air is the sole provider of this water-based firefighting service in Nepal, apart from Long-line operation and Sling operation and Yak Winch. Simrik Air also offered realistic engagement training options such as Recco, Yak Winch, Sling Operation, Long-line Operation, Medical Evacuation, and management training to keep the staff up-to-date and maintain safety, efficiency, and consistency in service. Captain Bimal Sharma and Captain Bhaskar Pokharel were trained on this. Crew members Ang Tashi Sherpa, Tshering Dhenduk Bhote, Tshering Pandey Bhote and Sonam Bhuti also received training during these sessions, conducted under the supervision of instructor and trainer from Germany and Switzerland Bruno Jelk, Daniel Brunner and Beat Marti. This kind of training is crucial for saving lives and properties during natural and manmade disasters like flooding, fires and mountaineering accidents because the state alone is not adequately equipped in dealing with such contingencies.  

The United Nations is celebrating this year’s International Women’s Day under the theme DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality this year. Sabitri Dhakal of ApEx caught up with some of the women, who have made their marks in different sectors. They shared their triumphs, tribulations and plans for the big day. Ayasha Shakya, taekwondo player The day brings attention to the women’s rights movement, gender equality issues, women’s reproductive rights and women’s achievements in various fields. But rather than recognizing women and their work on this particular day, it would be better if we could celebrate their works and achievements each day. Everyone in the society, be it the children, adults or the elderly should recognize the works and understand that women are special and can achieve like men. I have no plans for the Day as I am recovering from an injury. The day makes the woman at least feel good because it is a holiday for them. People should understand that women too need rest and time.    Muna Ghimire Shrestha, heavy equipment operator People have stereotypes about women. They think women are weak and cannot handle machines. If given proper education and training, there is no such work that a woman cannot do. The works should not be stereotyped. On this women’s day, I encourage Nepali women to learn skills and work for their economic independence rather than going abroad, only to face difficulties. If you work hard, success will follow you. I think the celebration of this big day is city-centric. To address the issues of women, the voices of women living in rural areas should also be heard. If we can bring to light the issues of women living in rural areas, then the real problem of women will be visible. The problems facing women should be discussed and resolved through policy intervention.   Jaya Dhakal Guragain, principal, educator The works done by women should be recognized and honored. There should be support for a woman from all – family, colleagues and colleagues. Though things are changing for the better, the challenges facing women still remain. Being in the profession mostly handed by men, I feel there are challenges facing a woman at the workplace. Unsupportive colleagues are the main problems. I have experienced competitive feelings in males when a woman reaches a leadership position. Also people try to humiliate a female if she is in a leadership position because they cannot stand it. But one must not be deterred.  Instead of celebrating the day and recognizing women’s work, if colleagues, family and society become helpful for women, they can achieve much more in life. Also there should be a proper and equal pay scale for women. I will be celebrating the day staying at home, giving time for myself. Rabina Shrestha, math teacher Mathematics has been described as a difficult subject. I grew up hearing that a girl cannot solve math problems like a boy. But I was always interested in mathematics and thought of making a career by teaching the subject. There is a stereotypical thinking that a female teacher cannot handle teenage children at school. But it is not so. If you have proper teaching skills and knowledge about the subject matter, you can effectively handle the classroom. Celebrating the International Women’s Day is acknowledging the works and achievement of women and highlighting the issues of women. There should be equality and no discrimination on the basis of gender.   Dr Sangeeta Mishra, women’s health activist Women’s health has been ignored in the country. We have not been talking about issues like gender-based violence and mental health of women. All these issues inspired me to work as a woman health activist. Being a woman in the male dominating profession is challenging. There are rooms filled with males and you will be the single woman in the room. They expect you not to speak. But you can’t sit without speaking. But when you speak, they don’t take you seriously. If you try to enforce some of the ideas, then you are labeled as being a man. You face different levels of challenges once you reach a certain position. There is an unseen glass ceiling but one must break it. Women should be included in decision-making and forming policies, including those related to women. If we are to change the lives of women, we should work from zero. We are looking for women who can talk and work, while there are very few such women. Women, who can speak for the unseen women, are lacking. We celebrate women’s day every year under different themes. We must work the whole year on such themes to bring changes in the lives of women. The women must face direct competition. I will be working for a conference on women’s health on the big day. Bhoj Kumari Shahu, chef Though cooking in the households is done mostly by women, cooking in restaurants and hotels is done by men. This is because of the lack of faith in women’s capabilities. I was encouraged by my brother to study hotel management. I got interested in cooking and also took training. Working in a kitchen with 75 males was challenging for me. People speak rough words, touch you knowingly/unknowingly. But if you want to carry on, you need to adjust and act like a man. You can’t give excuses every time. You must work together.   The message I would like to give to women is look at women who have challenged the stereotypical society and work to bring changes. Gyanu Adhikari, writer I used to be excited about International Women’s Day earlier. I used to feel that it would inform people about women’s issues and rights. Looking at the current scenario, I feel the information has not reached the country’s targeted population. We have not been able to raise awareness on the issue. I think the issues should be dealt with as per the geographical locations because we can’t decide everything from Kathmandu. There are multiple challenges for women when it comes to working with men. There is male ego. They don’t show it but it can be felt in their behavior. Women are still considered secondary. We need to work together with men. Avoiding them or running away from them won’t help. The women must show their skills and potential; only then will people believe them. Women can reach higher positions if they work hard. Archana Aryal, homemaker Being a homemaker is challenging. You need to take care of your children, manage finances, take responsibilities and give up your career. Homemaking was my choice. Seeing my children grow up, I feel satisfied. But the society does not regard the household chores as proper work. I think women’s work inside houses should be acknowledged. They are never paid and acknowledged for the work they do. If the families just share the burden of household chores, I think many women will heave a sigh of relief. I have no specific plans for the day. It will just be a normal day for me. 

Raising kids. Educating them. Looking after family members, including elders. Attending other chores 24/7 with scant regard for personal health, well-being and career advancements, all for the family.  More than a juggling act, isn’t it? Homemakers do it every day. Isn’t it a supreme sacrifice?   By and large, though, their immense contributions are remembered, that too ritualistically, only once a year:The International Women’s Day. Is it fair? Babita Shrestha from ApEx talked with some homemakers to know the challenges, complexities and the bliss that come their way every day. ‘We deserve better’ Harimaya Shrestha, 49 In a way, I was trained to be a good homemaker at the age of learning letters. My elder sister and I got married the same day! I was not given a chance to educate myself  by in-laws and had to live my life by following strict rules. As for learning the letters, I learned them while teaching my four kids!  Now that all of my children are grown up and making money, I feel quite content as a stay-at-home mom. Children are taking over my duties, so I don’t have to do much of the chores. I feel that homemakers’ hard work is undervalued in the Nepali society. This should change. I don’t know much about Women’s Day, about the outside world. But I think the Nepali women are not getting the exposure and the opportunities they deserve.  ‘Supremacy of homemakers’ Purna Shova Lama, 49 For me, Women’s Day is like any other day: cook, clean and chill. I have coined this concept called “Hominism”. This concept shows the supremacy of housewives, which shows women’s supreme efficiency to balance between home and outside work. I was unable to continue education after marriage, but homemaking is my choice and I am proud of my caliber. This is a way to play my role in the family and the society. A housewife has to deal with every issue in the household, a great responsibility in itself. I feel like a warrior at a war. Only homemakers know the suffering of housewives. As for Women’s Day, it is an important event. But given the status of women in society, the hypocritical freedom of women and the so-called rights that are not at all practiced, I don't feel a strong affinity toward the day. ‘Women should be seen and heard’ Devu Rana, 53 When I see my children grown up and home in order, I feel extremely satisfied. Raising two kids without the help of their father was the hardest hardship for me. I had to be present everywhere. It used to be so stressful. Being able to give my children a healthy diet, a clean home and a good education, I feel satisfied. There were times when I lacked the energy to do my duties. The society should recognize the contribution of housewives for the betterment of the society. There are voices that utter about feminism, but none there who makes women visible or heard.  ‘Every day is a Women’s Day’ Poonam Mishra, 51 Even after obtaining a bachelor’s degree, I chose to become a homemaker. My conscience told me to do so, and I obliged. Though satisfied with this decision, I feel quite frequently that I could have become someone a lot greater. I lost a lot of chances during the transition from my life in India to a married life in Nepal. But I am content with my role as a stay-at-home mom. Raising all four kids and watching them doing well makes me proud. I have something to say about this societal misconception that ‘homemakers never work’. This is wrong and needs to change. In fact, both working women and stay-at-home mothers are hard workers. Much still needs to be done on the women’s rights front, though there has been some progress. On Women's Day, I urge women and men to celebrate the Day every day, not just on a particular day. It would be more meaningful that way. ‘Put women’s rights on the front-burner’ Apsara KC, 48 Togetherness in the family is what I cherish being a homemaker. After obtaining an IA degree, I had to get married. This meant inability to pursue higher education. After having two kids, I had to put them first. Society expects a homemaker to work 24/7 and still finds time to point out: she does not work. Regarding daughter and daughter-in-law as equals can make a significant impact.  Every family member deserves love and care, that is what matters the most in a family. Positive inclusiveness is valued by positive intuition. Women’s rights need far more urgent attention than superficial celebrations. As for the Women’s Day plans, I plan to spend the day at home, cooking delicious cuisines and serving them to my loved ones.

Instagram has some amazing content. From book clubs and beauty hacks to pages on yoga and mindfulness, you can find anything you need on the social media app. Many businesses have also taken to promoting their products and services through Instagram. But spoilt for choice as we are, it’s sometimes difficult to wade through all that’s available to get to what you need. Here we recommend our top five favorite Instagram accounts that brighten up our feeds and days. yoginisrishti Yoga can seem daunting, especially if you are a beginner. But Srishti Kaushik breaks it down into easy steps. Her posts on Instagram are simple asanas and exercises that you can do to lose weight, boost fertility, and manage period cramps and pelvic discomfort among others. It’s simple enough for the uninitiated but the yoga instructor also shares intermediate and advanced levels of asanas for those who have been practicing yoga for a while.   thisstoryaintover Janine is a booktuber and content creator on YouTube. She usually reviews books, shares her reading list, and vlogs her reading journey through her videos. Her Instagram page is a burst of bright colors filled with glorious photos of books and her life. It’s an uplifting page where she discusses the books she reads while also updating her followers about the new videos coming up on her YouTube channel. This is a really fun page to browse through when you want some great book recommendations. pickuplimes Sadia Badiei is a dietician who shares great vegan recipes and tips and tricks to eat better for a healthy life on her YouTube channel. She also runs a website that gives you a nice collection of easy-to-replicate plant-based recipes. Follow her Instagram account to learn more about leading a healthy plant-based life while enjoying food to the fullest. Badiei will also help you develop a better relationship with food by focusing on how and what to eat.   nytcooking NYT Cooking is the digital source for thousands of the best recipes from The New York Times along with how-to guides for home cooks at every skill level. If you think you can’t cook, just have a look at the recipes on their Instagram page and you will be inspired to whip up a dish or two. From quick breakfast ideas to fancy desserts, there’s a lot here. We tried out a few recipes and, even with minimal culinary skills, the dishes came out really nice. thescribbledstories The Scribbled Stories is a web publishing portal and India’s biggest storytelling platform on the social web. If you think you have a story in you, this is also probably where you can share it. Thousands of people submit their content every day to get featured on the platform. It also collaborates with brands to help them tell their story in a way that millennials love. Their Instagram place is a fun, entertaining, and enlightening place where you can read some relatable stuff.