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Nepal, say scientists, is already starting to witness some of the worst effects of climate change, in the form of heavy unseasonal rainfall, rising winter temperature, melting glacial lakes and loss of biodiversity. But how aware are our youths, who make up the bulk of the population, about climate change, and how seriously do they take it? Priyanjali Karn of ApEx talked to 10 of them to find out. 

Rupesh Bhattarai, 26, Teacher

I am moderately aware of the effects of climate change on Nepal. As I’m a teacher, I like to keep my students informed, including on climate change, and for that I have to keep up with what is happening and its effects on the people of Nepal. I also follow many scientific communities on social media where I find informed people sharing studies on climate change and its effects on the Himalayan region. Other than that, there’s my own curiosity. For instance, I cannot help but think that the recent spate of floods around the country had something to do with climate change.

Sumana Shakya, 23, Practicing artist

We can compare the experiences of different generations to understand the effects of climate change. Though I don’t know much about it, the recent sudden weather changes cannot be ignored. I remember hearing stories from my grandparents of what Kathmandu city used to be like before urbanization kicked in. There was far less crowding, and there used to be snowfall in Kathmandu, I am told. But our generation has never been able to witness something like that. Perhaps this is due to global warming.

Binod Deuba Thakuri, 21, Climate activist

The climate change narrative is changing and our way of looking at the problem is evolving. Climate change has been affecting our lifestyle for a long time, but we have tended to overlook our role in controlling it. That is the main problem. As a climate change activist, and from what I have seen in my research through Harin Nepal, a youth-led coalition for the environment, our mountains, and glacial lakes are melting, the summers are getting too hot and winters too cold. Yet many government projects continue to fell millions of trees. 

Shraddha Shakya, 24, Activation assistant

I am somewhat aware of the effects of climate change in Nepal, but I do not know of it in detail. I read about recent temperature and weather changes in the news. I think the reason many people are not aware of it is because of how little it is discussed among common folks. This is despite the many movements that are working on creating greater climate change awareness.

Hrishabh Karmacharya, 23, Marketing manager

I have a basic understanding of climate change from what I’ve learned through different environment movements and awareness campaigns run by NGOs and INGOs. But I don’t have an in-depth understanding. From what I know, the topic of climate change doesn’t interest many and they tend to normalize it, assuming that they have no part in it. But, evidently, the impact of climate change can already be felt in our daily lives, and all of us play a big or small role in the big picture.

Also read: Nepali Congress boosted by influx of new blood ahead of its general convention 

Susmita Aryal, 20, Student of English major

From what I learned as a student, climate change is largely man-made. Earlier this year, we faced the worst air pollution ever, where the valley was covered with smog to a point where it was even dangerous to go out, and it also increased the risk of many diseases. Being an asthma patient, I had to strictly stay at home. I fear there must be hundreds of thousands of other folks like me who have to tough it out. So, yes, I can directly feel the effects of climate change.  

Abinish Kumar Dutta, 30, Aerospace engineer

I had been aware of the concept of climate change for a while but I only started understanding its severity in my Bachelors years, although my choice of degree, engineering, was not exactly tailored to increase my climate-awareness. But I had heard about green technologies and wanted to research them out of my own curiosity. On casual observation too, the frequency of natural disasters is increasing. From forest fires, biodiversity destruction, habitat loss to reduced crop harvest, it is only a matter of time climate change will directly and severely affect the daily lives of each and every one of us.

Sumnima Suman, 26, Doctor

I have always been interested in climate change and I keep myself updated on the topic. I studied medicine and climate change was also a part of my dermatology and ENT syllabus. It directly affects the health of children, youth and old people. Climate change increases the risk of illnesses. We see more and more patients who come in because they cannot handle the sudden change of season, which, I suspect, is due to climate change.

Dil Chhetri, 22, Student of Computer applications

It is hard to be oblivious of climate change because it is showing in our lives too. All of us have experienced recent weather changes. But from what I’ve found, there is still a gap between being aware about the topic on the surface and understanding it deep and doing something about it in our daily lives. Climate change news is almost like a rumor: something we like to hear about but then quickly forget.

Pranab Yadav, 29, Operational engineer

I am aware of climate change. There are many factors to gauge its effects. First, the weather pattern is changing on a yearly basis. School curriculum also highlights the issue and I think for most of us, our awareness was built from school. I am an operational engineer and keep myself updated. These days, many news channels are also disseminating news on how climate change affects our country.

A young man in big wire-rimmed glasses pops up on your social media timeline. His voice is soothing and his storytelling captivating. Soon you find yourself browsing his profile, wanting to listen to more of his stories. Eventually, you become his regular listener as his voice puts you to bed after a hectic day. 

This is the story of many Nepalis who spend hours listening to Santosh Pokharel, widely knows as Saigrace on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or any other social media platform. From his childhood, he was a devotee of a Sai Baba so his family gave the name Saigrace—grace of Sai Baba.

Saigrace writes and recites stories on the universal themes of love and struggle that his audiences can easily relate to as if they were their own. There is also enormous solace in his voice.

His storytelling journey started when he was small and his father used to tell him folklores after the family dinner. Entertainment sources were limited back in those days. Inspired by his father, Saigrace also started telling stories, but only to his friends and classmates. 

Almost everyone who listened to his stories became his fan. This made him realize the power of storytelling, and that it was not just about the script but also the way a story is narrated. “But, seriously, I never thought storytelling could ever become a job,” he says.

Saigrace was in the 12th grade in 2012 when he recited one of his stories at a conference before a mass of 1,500. “It was then that many people suggested that I start a career in storytelling,” he recalls. 

Soon, he started doing voice-overs for documentaries and movies. With a decent number of projects under his belt, he also appeared on screen during the pandemic-triggered lockdown. Once he started to tell stories on screen, he got much more appreciation and became a sensation in a matter of weeks.

“I was happy with my job even before people saw my face. Yet I think the videos of 2020 lockdown helped establish me,” Saigrace says while sharing the breakthrough moment of his career.

All the stories he recites are his own. He loves to write and recite his own experiences so that they directly connect with the people. “I have already published five audio novels and all of them have done well,” he says with an air of satisfaction.

Saigrace, who lives and works in Barcelona, is now in Nepal on a vacation. But he is busy conducting school programs and telling students that no skill goes to waste. 

“Having a commanding voice is just a plus point. It is our knowledge, learning, research, and practice that help us succeed in what we do,” he says. “You don’t need much to go viral, but to sustain, you must work on technicalities.”

For every video session, Saigrace prepares a story plot and writes it down with the characters, scenarios, buildup, climax, and more. “Your writing skills get better only if you have a habit of reading,” he says—and he does read a fair bit.  

After that, he sets up mic and camera and starts reciting, always focusing on his pronunciation, pauses, and stresses. Lastly, he edits and designs videos before publishing them. 

Also read: Purnima Shrestha: Passion to climb, urge to click 

“I work in the media so it is quite easy for me to edit videos,” Saigrace, who also owns a production house, explains the behind-the-scenes to ApEx.

“We must be aware of the ethics of our job because it directly affects the society and something you say could easily backfire,” he warns those who want to enter this field. “Stories are the society’s mirrors and the social norms and values must be maintained at all times.”

Audience reach is one of the key challenges of storytelling. So, you need consistency and continuity, he tells aspiring storytellers. If you do that, you will gradually get better. 

Soon, other people seeking indirect motivation will follow your job. “I have seen people follow my presentation techniques. Those who were not interested in literature are now interested in it because of my videos,” Saigrace says with a satisfying smile.

“Our country doesn’t have a voice industry,” he says. “Yet it’s a powerful medium and something we must promote.”

Thirty-year-old Purnima Shrestha never imagined how beautiful mountains would look up close until she witnessed them herself. Shrestha, who has climbed Manaslu, Everest, and Ama Dablam, is also among the first women to make it to the top of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri.

If someone had told Shrestha in her childhood that she would take up mountaineering one day, she would probably have laughed. None of her family members was into mountaineering and she didn’t live in an area famous for producing mountaineers.

Shrestha grew up in the small town of Aarughat, Gorkha. But her dreams were big. “Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to do something big in life,” she says.

At first, she was attracted to journalism as she liked watching news on television. “I always had a thing for the outdoors,” she says. “I wanted to do something that needed me to go outdoors and explore”. 

She discovered that she loved taking photos and telling stories with pictures. So when she learned, a decade ago, that there were only a handful of women photographers in Nepal, she decided to take the plunge. 

Her first tryst with mountaineering came when one of her friends who had visited the Everest Base Camp told her stories about the place and the routes. “Just looking at the pictures and listening to her describe it—I started daydreaming about going there one day,” Shrestha says. 

Her dream turned into a reality when she got an opportunity to go to the Everest Base Camp with other journalists and photographers in 2017.

Also read: Anish Tamang: Putting his body and soul into it

The artistry of white blankets of snow covering the rocky mountain fascinated her in a way nothing had before then. “Just being there and talking to other mountaineers and guides, I understood the significance of these mountains and felt grateful to be born in a country with such wonders,” she says with a sigh.

But Shrestha wasn’t content with making it to the base camp. She couldn’t stop thinking about climbing higher, and just the thought “gave me an adrenaline rush every time,” she shares. The time had come. Friends and family pitched in and she also got some sponsors on board. 

It was September 2017 and she decided to start with the mountain in her home district, Mt Manaslu. “Looking back, the success of making it to the top of Manaslu still makes me happy,” she shares. “I had no training, no experience, just a strong will to do this, and I did it.” 

Shrestha craved more adventure and decided to scale Everest this time. Again, she succeeded, in May 2018. 

The expedition changed her perspective towards life, as the fearless explorer inside her came out. But her mountaineering adventures were just beginning. 

In November 2019, she packed her bags to scale Ama Dablam (6,812m), one of the toughest mountains to climb. “I remember seeing Ama Dablam when I first went to Everest Base Camp,” she says. “There it stood, tall and mighty, with a beauty that follows you as you walk. I was instantly enchanted.”

Though she succeeded, it wasn’t easy. There were so many instances when she wanted to give up. Even though she had to battle death with every step she took, she now looks back at that adventure fondly. 

Also read: Souvenir’s Gallery Café: Of delectable cuisines and canvases

“The mountains called me again,” she says, when, in April of 2021, she decided to climb Annapurna, known for being one of the most challenging climbs in the world. No woman had ever made it to the summit until Shrestha overcame it in the company of six other women--Dawa Yangzum Sherpa, Dabuti Sherpa, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita, Maya Sherpa, and Sharmila Sherpa. 

Most recently, in September 2021, Shrestha, along with her fellow mountaineer Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita, became the first woman to reach the top of Dhaulagiri. 

“People don't go to the mountains to die, they go to feel alive, and that's exactly what I wanted to do,” she says.“I also know that the greater the challenges of the climb, the better I will feel at the top.” 

As a photographer and mountaineer, she thinks her profession and passion align and propel her to success in every expedition. “On every mountain I’ve summited, the higher I went, the better the view got,” she says. “But no matter how many pictures I took, they could never capture the beauty of the moment that I felt after a tough climb”.

Shrestha wants to climb all mountains in Nepal above 8,000 meters. At one point, she also wants to complete the Great Himalayan Trail, from east to west. She is in constant training and in the process of building up finances for her future expeditions.

Climbing has given her immense confidence. “Just like I have learned to scale big mountains, I am now sure that with some effort I will be able to get over just about any problem in my life,” Shrestha says. 

Nepali National football team has returned home with the runner-up title from the 13th South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship held in the Maldives. 

The team reached the finals for the first time in 28 years but lost to India 3-0. 

The team landed at the Tribhuvan Airport on the morning of October 18. Members were welcomed by the Minister for Youth and Sports Maheshwor Gahatraj and representatives from the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA). Football lovers and supporters from all over the country, too, came to welcome and congratulate the team.