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Gajendra Budhathoki, who has been involved in Nepali media for almost three decades, says journalism is an addiction. The winner of the National Journalism Award is wheelchair-bound but that hasn’t stopped him from writing some of the best news articles and investigative pieces. And he is still striving to do more in Nepali journalism. “My disability doesn’t have to be an inability,” he says.    The 47-year-old started his journey as a reporter from Udayapur in Province 1 where he was born and raised. He was just 18 years old back then. He was associated with the town’s local newspaper, which was basically articles written by him and a few of his colleagues, he says. But, for him, education was also one of the priorities. At that time, not every district offered a bachelor’s degree. Udayapur didn’t have a bachelor’s program either. Fortunately, he was offered a job in Kathmandu at Nepal Samacharpatra. Additionally, the city also had a great bachelor’s program in communication.  Budhathoki loves reporting and his write ups are evidence of his extensive travels. He was a part of many field trips organized by various NGOs, and that helped him bring out stories from the rural parts of Nepal. Although his trips were funded by different organizations, he says he always did his best to write without bias and tell the truth. He wasn’t trying to curry any favors from the NGOs or be on their good books. “Eventually, they stopped inviting me since I wasn’t writing what they wanted me to,” he says.  He was making quite the mark as a strong-willed journalist when, in 2008, he got into a road accident. His bike collided with a four-wheeler. There had been heavy downpour and almost zero visibility. “There was no external injury as I was driving slowly. But my back hit the concrete and I injured my spine,” he says.  The time after the accident was tough on him and his family. He was given a 10 percent chance to survive the surgery he would have to undergo. His wife decided to risk it and Budhathoki is grateful for the decision she made. He has undergone many surgeries after the initial one but he is alive today and that’s what matters, he says.  Budhathoki spent seven months at the Alka Hospital in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur. He says there was a lot of uncertainty and confusion as to what to do next. He was worried about whether he could continue his work. The doctor, however, pushed him to get back to writing, which, he says, was a reason enough for him to jump start his career again. Four days after the surgery, the doctor had him sit up and handed him a laptop. He then told Budhathoki that he shouldn’t be sleeping all day and should use the time to write instead. Budhathoki confesses things were difficult but what would have been worse was if someone were to claim he was taking advantage of his disability. As soon as he was discharged from the hospital, he went to the office, like any other day before the accident. “My wife would accompany me to work. It would also have been impossible to maintain that routine if my colleagues hadn’t been supportive,” he says.   Budhathoki feared he wouldn’t be able to do investigative reporting, being bound to his desk. But he realized that with access to the telephone and internet, he could still make things work. Today, he travels around when necessary but he is able to accomplish quite a lot from behind a computer too.  Out of all the investigative stories he has worked on so far, he says he is particularly proud of the one that exposed the Coca-Cola company and their tax fraud in the series of articles published in Taksar Magazine, an economic magazine where he is the editor-in-chief. It took Budhathoki 14 months to complete the story. “I worked on it mostly from behind the desk making phone calls and writing emails. It’s not difficult to get things done if you are determined,” he says.  Budhathoki received a lot of threats after the articles were published. Once some goons came to his house with the intention to finish him off, he says. Thankfully, his neighbor, who was a retired army officer, chased them away. But these kinds of horrifying incidents, and there have been a few, haven’t deterred Budhathoki from doing what he does best—reporting on issues that matter.  Despite his love for journalism, he says it isn’t enough to provide his family the life he feels they deserve. So he has taken up a teaching position besides research work. But that is just so he has the liberty to continue his work in journalism without letting his financial situation get in the way. Several political parties have also approached him to get involved in politics. But that’s not what he wants to get into, at least not right now. He feels he has yet to make a mark in journalism and that is where his heart lies. 

In Aug 2022, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York, US, returned two archeological artifacts to Nepal: a 10th-century stone statue and a 13th-century wooden strut. These artifacts had arrived at the Met in the 90s.

The statue of Mahagauri of the 13th century was stolen in 1970 from Deopatan.

This is just one incident of lost and stolen historical, cultural and archeological heirlooms cropping up in personal and museum collections in different parts of the world. Rabindra Puri, Nepali conservationist, and his team are doing their best to return such pieces of Nepali art, history and culture. 

The statue of Dancing Ganesh of the 15th century was stolen in mid 1985 from Sanga.

Puri has started the project called ‘The Museum of Stolen Art’, which aims to preserve traditional arts, artifacts and monuments of Nepal by raising awareness about lost and stolen artifacts.

The statue of Female Divinity of the 18th century was stolen in early 1980 from Patan.

“As an initial step, we planned to display the replicas of 50 lost and stone sculptures. To date, we have already made 40 replicas,” he says.

The statue of Mahankal of the 17th century was stolen in 2009 from Inchotol, Bhaktapur.

These replicas are displayed at The Heritage Gallery in Toni Hagen House, Bhaktapur. These deities are not for sale, and will be taken to the Museum of Stolen Art in Panauti, Kavre, once the building is completed. 

The statue of Garudasana Vishnu of the 10th century was stolen in late 1970 from Hyumat Tol, Kathmandu.

All of these facsimiles were crafted under the leadership of a renowned stone artist Timir Nashan Ojha and his team of 11 Nepali and Indian sculptors.

The statue of Vishnu with Laxmi and Garuda of the 10th century was stolen in 1983 from Bhaktapur.

“The former US Ambassador to Nepal Randy Berry was very supportive in helping us bring back the statues,” Puri says. “I hope the newly appointed ambassador will continue to show us the similar level of support.”

The statue of Uma-Mahesvara of the 8th century was stolen in 1983 from Pashupatinath Temple.

The statue of Buddha Flanked by Bodhisattvas of the 9th century was stolen in late 1970 from Alkohiti, Patan.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup is under way in Qatar. After the oil-rich Middle East country won the bid in 2010 to host the tournament in quite a controversial manner, it poured in billions of dollars to build the infrastructure to stage the games. Eight venues were built or renovated in 12 years with oil money and the sweat, blood, and life of thousands of migrant workers, including from Nepal. Despite the controversies, many have described these stadiums as architectural and technological masterpieces.

Here is a look at them:

Al Bayt Stadium Al Bayt Stadium, with a capacity of 60,000 seats, hosted the opening fixture and will also host another eight matches. Of these, five are group meetings and three are knockout matches. In addition to having play areas and exercise stations, Al Bayt Park also has running, cycling, horseback riding, and camel riding courses. After the tournament is over, the modular upper tier will be taken down, and the seats will be used to build sports facilities in Qatar and abroad. The stadium received a five-star rating from the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) for its design and construction.

Khalifa International Stadium Khalifa International Stadium, which was constructed in 1976, has previously served as the venue for the Asian Games, Arabian Gulf Cup, and AFC Asian Cup. The IAAF World Athletics Championships and matches from the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar were also held here in 2019. To get it ready for the World Cup, the stadium underwent a significant reconstruction. With a capacity of 45,000, the stadium will host six group-stage games, one round-of-16 game, and the third-place play-off. It was the first World Cup venue in Qatar to achieve GSAS certification.

Al Thumama Stadium One of the quarterfinals of the World Cup, one round-of-16 match, and six group-stage games will all be played at Al Thumama Stadium. The layout of the stadium is modeled after the Middle Eastern men’s traditional woven headgear known as the ‘gahfiya’. After the World Cup, the current capacity of 40,000 will be lowered to accommodate local demands and give other developing countries with top-notch athletic infrastructure. Football games and other sporting events will be held in the arena’s remaining 20,000 spectators. On-site developments include a boutique hotel that will take the place of the stadium’s upper stands and a branch of a sports clinic.

Stadium 974 Stadium 974 is built from 974 standard-certified shipping containers and modular steel pieces, evoking the local port and the area's industrial past. It is the only waterfront venue with a breathtaking perspective of the Doha cityscape. The first-ever FIFA compliant stadium that can be fully dismantled and re-purposed post-event includes flexibility in the design to rebuild the stadium with the same capacity in a different location or build multiple smaller venues using the same materials. The GSAS gave it a five-star rating for both the design and the construction. The end product is an arena that is unique, brightly colored, and utterly contemporary. Because of its modular construction, less typical building material was needed than in the construction of a standard stadium, which helped keep construction costs low. Stadium 974 has a capacity of 40,000 and will host seven matches during the world cup, with six group games and one round-of-16 knockout match. 

Ahmad bin Ali Stadium The fifth shape, a shield, unites them all and symbolizes the unity and strength that are especially important to the city of Al Rayyan. The stadium, which has a 40,000-person tournament capacity, will host six group-stage games and one round-of-16 game. After the competition, the movable upper tier will be taken down, and the seats will be used to build other sports venues in Qatar and abroad. Numerous components of the demolished building that formerly stood in this location have been utilized in the new construction, some of which have been transformed into works of public art. The majority of the building materials—more than 90 percent—have been recycled or reused. To reduce harm to the environment, trees that originally encircled the old arena have been saved for future replanting.

Lusail Stadium The largest stadium in Qatar, with 80,000 seats, is Lusail. Along with the World Cup final, it will hold six group-stage games and one from each round. The current plan for Lusail Stadium is to study the modification of the venue’s interior space to house a mixture of civic facilities. After the World Cup, the venue could feature affordable housing units, shops, food outlets, health clinics, and even a school.  A community football field might be constructed on the higher deck and used as an outdoor terrace for new residences. Some of the tournament installations will need to be taken down to make room for these new amenities. Any materials removed will be saved, reused whenever possible, and donated to areas in need of sporting facilities. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a cutting-edge polymer, shields the stadium from heated winds, prevents dust from entering, lets in enough light for the pitch to flourish, and provides shade to lessen the demand for air conditioners. The GSAS awarded the stadium a five-star rating.

Education City Stadium The front side of the Educational City Stadium features triangles that form complex, diamond-like geometrical patterns which appear to change color with the sun’s movement across the sky. With a capacity of 45,000, it will host eight games during the competition, including two knockout games and six group games. The stadium’s movable upper tier will be taken down, and the seats will be donated to a nation lacking in sporting facilities. The stadium, which has cutting-edge cooling equipment for the benefit of spectators, players, and officials, is the first World Cup venue to receive a five-star design and build rating from the GSAS.

Al Janoub Stadium The sails of conventional dhow boats served as inspiration for the design. It has playgrounds for kids, running and cycling trails, and other open spaces. After the World Cup, the stadium’s capacity will be reduced from 40,000 to 20,000 and it will be donated to football development projects abroad. The stadium is scheduled to host six group-stage matches and one round-of-16 match.

The text is prepared on the basis of information available on FIFA’s website

Samir Shrestha, 37, wanted to make the world a better place for children. He recalls wanting to work for children’s rights ever since he was old enough to understand its importance. Working with children who have cancer, however, was a spur-of-the-moment decision. It all started when he went on a cycling rally across Bangladesh and India. The rally was a form of demonstration to protect the rights of street children. Seeing those children in vulnerable conditions was heartbreaking. When he came back to Nepal, he started asking around to get a better idea of their situation. “I found out there are many organizations working for children’s rights. There were orphanages and other forms of support,” he says, “But none of them focused on supporting children with cancer.”  This was why he started volunteering at the oncology ward at Kanti Children’s Hospital in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu. Shrestha laments that he didn’t have the needed resources to financially assist these children. But he was a steady source of emotional support, which, for many families, brought a lot of relief. “They would tell me how they were feeling. Being able to talk about their problems lessened it a little,” he says. Growing up without a father since he was 12, Shrestha knew what it was like to lose your sense of belonging. Despite his basic needs being met and his uncle (with whom he lived after moving to Kathmandu) being kind to him, he never really felt at home without his father’s presence. He wanted to give the children he worked with what he never had—a feeling of comfort and belonging. As a regular volunteer, the children would look forward to his visits when he would read to them or help them with their meals. “The hospital would call me quite often as the children would not eat without me,” he reminisces.  Shrestha says what he saw while working at the hospital was traumatic. The children were no doubt going through a lot but watching the parents wait around helplessly was even worse. Sometimes, the doctors used to give them money to go home or eat something, he says. The situation was as bleak as it could get as many didn’t have money to even buy little things like masks and gloves. When faced with such a financial crisis, it was difficult for the parents to be emotionally available for their children. “I realized I had to do something to bridge that gap, provide the support that the parents couldn’t,” he says. So, in August 2006, he established the ‘Dirghajeevi Voluntary Group’ that worked in collaboration with the oncology ward at the Kanti Children’s Hospital until 2015. The NGO was established with just 12 members and they had no outside help. The members invested what they could to start off on the noble venture. Their first priority was to make the oncology ward at the hospital more child-friendly. Shrestha says the space looked like an abandoned corridor. The volunteers wanted to give it a much-needed facelift. As days went by and they continued with the work, people reached out to Shrestha and his team. They wanted to help. However, Shrestha didn’t want to take monetary help. He wanted them to visit the hospital, see what they were doing, and decide for themselves how they could contribute. A lot of foreign sponsors, he says, were happy to hear that. Many pitched in to give the oncology ward a complete makeover. Some scrubbed floors and painted the walls while others put up boards and nameplates to demarcate the space. “We even received cupboards and many other essential things,” says Shrestha. After a decade of working exclusively with children at the hospital, he thought he hadn’t been able to do enough. Something felt amiss, he says. They had built a nice ward for the children and would help the parents when needed but they were unable to provide the emotional support the children desperately needed. When the children went home, they often had no one to support or counsel them, he says. In 2018, with a vision to create a psychologically and psychosocially supportive environment for these children, Shrestha started a daycare center. The Loving Heart Daycare Center, located in Imadol, Lalitpur, is a space that focuses on the mental well-being of children who are cancer survivors. The daycare has everything a child would need to heal from the trauma—from counselors to individual and communal activities. “It’s like a big support group to make these children feel heard, seen, and understood,” adds Shrestha. The establishment does not promise to provide parents with medical or financial assistance. It’s solely for psychological support. The good thing is that there is no membership fee at the daycare center. It’s free. They also have counseling sessions for parents who feel like they need some emotional support too. “It’s difficult to watch your child suffer and not be able to do much about it which is why we also provide psychological guidance to parents as and when needed,” says Shrestha.  Recently, they hosted the ‘First Childhood Cancer Survival Meet’—an event where children who beat cancer and their parents could share their stories with other children cancer patients. The goal was to boost the morale of those currently suffering from cancer and let them know they weren’t alone as well as help parents make sense of things. The first-of-its-kind event was an immense success, says Shrestha. People left feeling unburdened and hopeful. “It was a heartwarming time and we hope to give continuity to our work to be able to make children’s battles with cancer a little less stressful,” he says.