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An artifact of archaeological importance stolen from the Kumari Ghar (Home of the Living Goddess) in Kathmandu has been brought back from the United Kingdom. 

The Department of Archaeology, in coordination with heritage activists both at home and abroad, succeeded in retrieving the Toran, a decorative craft, from the UK.

The object, dating back to the Malla era, was stolen from the Kumari Ghar in 2057 BS. It is now restored to its original location.

According to Department officer Sarita Subedi, international law provisions the return of cultural heritage items that remain in foreign countries once the necessary legal procedures are completed. 

When information was received that an artifact of archaeological value stolen from Nepal has been located elsewhere, the process to reclaim it was initiated. 

Importantly, the respective country bearing the artifact covers the transportation cost. 

The Nepali communities abroad and heritage activists also help to facilitate its transportation back home.

Natural ecosystems play a vital role, even if we often take them for granted. We continue to exploit them without realizing that the consequences will eventually come due. As a highly climate-vulnerable country, Nepal should pay particular attention to its natural habitats. Those who dedicate themselves to protecting and safeguarding these ecosystems deserve deep respect, for their work is often dangerous and their lives can be at risk. Political institutions at all levels—from local governments to the federal state—carry clear responsibilities that cannot be avoided or ignored. The state must do everything in its power to protect natural ecosystems and ensure that no infrastructure project or industrial undertaking is allowed to violate or destroy them.

Procedures enshrined in the constitution and laws must be followed to the letter. At the same time, the state and its elected representatives have a duty to ensure the safety of citizens who stand at the frontlines of the fight against environmental degradation.

This is not what happened on the night of 10 January 2020, when an unsung hero, someone who deeply valued the rule of law and the sacrosanct environmental rights codified in Nepal’s legislation, was brutally murdered.

Dilip Mahato was a young, promising engineering graduate who had just completed his final semester in India. Back home with his family in Dhanusa’s Mithila Municipality, he remained active in environmental work. Without hesitation, he left home in the middle of the night to stop illegal sand extraction from the local Aurahi River.

For his courage, Mahato paid the ultimate price. Not only was he killed, but his family’s entire existence changed for the worse, beginning an odyssey that continues to this day. He tried to stop an illegal activity that, tragically, remains widespread across Madhes and the broader Tarai.

The perpetrators and masterminds behind the assassination were arrested and brought to trial. Yet the process has been marked by several unfortunate twists, and the current status of the case is unclear. No news outlet has recently covered the issue, and this silence is deeply troubling.

At the end of last year, I wrote an opinion piece urging that commemorative actions be taken to honor Mahato and celebrate his life. Among other proposals, I suggested establishing an award in his name for national and local environmental human rights defenders.

This year, I attempted to advance this idea, but I failed. I hoped to collaborate with promising local youths active in environmental work. While our discussions were warm and encouraging, nothing concrete materialized. The September uprising further derailed momentum, and my attempt to build a small “coalition of the willing” gradually lost focus. I regret losing the moment when I could have pushed a bit harder and been bolder, even though the initiative was never meant to be about me; my goal was for locals to lead the process.

As I write this column, the anniversary of Mahato’s death approaches once again. I had nearly given up on doing something meaningful to commemorate him, but the truth is that it is never too late. We still have enough time, even at a modest level, to act. Mahato’s sacrifice deserves a national award in his name. The federal government should take the lead, ideally in partnership with the Madhes provincial government, and work with civil society and the legal community.

Nepal has several prominent lawyers deeply engaged in protecting environmental human rights. Deepak Adhikari, the journalist behind Nepal Check, recently wrote an insightful piece for Mongabay profiling some of these legal trailblazers, including Prakash Mani Sharma Bhusal, whom he described as a pioneer in advancing environmental law in Nepal. Other distinguished lawyers include Dilraj Khanal, who along with Senior Advocate Bhusal successfully fought back a law permitting infrastructure projects in protected areas in 2024. The article also highlighted senior advocate Padam Bahadur Shrestha, who has represented Mahato’s family.

With advocates of this caliber, it is not impossible to imagine a civil-society–led “Dilip Mahato National Award for Environmental Human Rights Defenders.” With imagination and goodwill, such an initiative could even become an internationally recognized distinction honoring defenders from Nepal and the broader Asia-Pacific region. I acknowledge that these proposals may seem ambitious, even grand. But we can always start small, with a simple commemoration to honor Mahato.

Law campuses across the country could host seminars on environmental human rights and the broader field of business and human rights. What matters is doing something—anything—in Mahato’s name. Even a modest action involving his family would mark a meaningful beginning.

As Nepal strives to build a prosperous, sustainable, and equitable economy, it has a chance to lead in promoting environmental human rights. This field of law is neither financially lucrative nor safe; the risks for those who practice it are real. Recognizing Mahato’s sacrifice, and sharing the stories of other unsung heroes who continue to defend their fragile local ecosystems, could become a defining moment in Nepal’s recent history, and a step toward the just, resilient future the country aspires to build.

World AIDS is being observed around the world, including Nepal today under the theme "Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response". 

The theme this year calls for sustained political leadership, international cooperation, and human-rights-centered approaches to end AIDS by 2030.

Various programs are also being organized in the country today, under the auspices of the Ministry of Health and Population, and the National Centre for AIDS and STD Control (NCASC).

Meanwhile, in Chitwan, the number of sexually transmitted diseases among HIV-AIDS infected people in the district is on the rise. 

Among them, 35 were found to have sexually transmitted diseases. 

According to Dr Pramod Poudel, senior physician at Bharatpur Hospital, during the tests conducted on 1,040 people in the past 10 months, 35 were found carrying sexually transmitted diseases. 

Likewise, tuberculosis has been found in seven of the AIDS infected people. 

This was found in the tests of 93 people. 

Currently, there are 1,243 AIDS infected people in the district. 

Of these, 34 people are taking ART from Baghauda Hospital in Madi, while 1,209 people are taking it from the ART Center in Bharatpur.

Poudel informed that 66 new infections were found during tests conducted at various places in the district in the past 10 months. 

According to Krishnahari Sapkota, program coordinator of the AIDS Health Foundation at Bharatpur Hospital, 65 patients who were taking ART have been transferred while 28 have stopped taking the ART. He said that 13 of the infected people here have died. 

Sapkota said that the perspective of looking at AIDS patients has not changed yet. 

Even ambulance drivers hesitate in bringing the infected to the hospital for treatment.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 1, 400 per tola in the domestic market on Monday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 253, 600 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 252, 200 per tola on Sunday.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 3, 535 per tola today.