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Different parts of Nepal have experienced devastating floods and landslides triggered by monsoon rains in the past few months. Floods and landslides in the past few days have claimed many lives across the country, including in the Kathmandu Valley and the vicinity, displaced thousands of citizens and destroyed property/infrastructure worth billions of rupees like roads, complicating rescue efforts. The valley, a symbol of culture and natural beauty, now serves as a reminder of Nepal’s vulnerability to extreme weather events and natural disasters.

Nepal’s geography, home to the world’s highest peaks, also makes it prone to natural disasters such as floods and landslides. According to the Global Climate Risk Index 2021, Nepal is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. Around 80 percent of Nepal’s population is at risk of climate-induced hazards, as factors like melting glaciers and poor land management exacerbate these calamities. While the physical destruction is visible, the emotional and mental toll often goes unnoticed.

A mental health crisis

The human cost of disasters like the recent floods and landslides goes beyond the immediate loss of life and property. As survivors grapple with the destruction of their homes, the deaths of loved ones and displacement, many experience severe emotional and psychological distress. Grief, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are some of the mental health challenges that emerge in the aftermath of such disasters.

Impact on mental health

The short-term consequences of the ongoing disaster are evident—loss of life, destruction of homes, and thousands of displaced families. But as the immediate shock subsides, the long-term effects, especially on mental health, begin to surface. Individuals who endure repeated trauma from these disasters are at higher risk of chronic anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. Without adequate support, the trauma can result in lifelong emotional damage.

The absence of a comprehensive mental health policy in Nepal exacerbates the problem. Despite a growing mental health crisis, access to professional therapy and support is scarce, particularly in rural areas. Nepal faces a shortage of trained mental health professionals, and stigma around seeking psychological help remains prevalent.

Responding to the crisis

Amid the ongoing disaster response, mental health support must be given due priority. Mental health workers have been working at displaced sites, offering psychological first aid, group counseling sessions and therapies like trauma-focused therapy to help survivors cope with the crisis. Therapists are using techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and individual therapy, which are useful in addressing their specific needs.

However, with limited resources, these efforts fall short of reaching everyone in need. The government, NGOs and international organizations must work together to integrate mental health services into disaster response programs. Public awareness campaigns are essential to challenge the stigma surrounding mental illness and encourage those affected to seek help.

Building resilience

While Nepal continues to contend with the ongoing floods and landslides, the country must also prepare for future disasters. Strengthening infrastructure, improving early warning systems and promoting sustainable land management are crucial steps toward reducing the impact of natural disasters. But equally important is addressing the mental health toll that these events leave in their wake.

To help the Nepali community heal both physically and mentally, it is crucial to encourage open dialogue about mental health and ensure access to necessary resources. Early intervention, community support and trauma-focused care can pave the way toward recovery and resilience.

The author is a psychiatrist 

When I was a middle school student, I was very crazy about kite-flying. This was the only medium of recreation during Dashain holidays. Some of my classmates were even crazier than me. One of my classmates, Sukhdev Upadhay, became one-eyed as he used to gaze all the time at the midday sun while flying his kite instead of sparing some time to savor those rolling green paddy fields!

However, with the passage of time and adoption of modern lifestyles, students of this day and age do not do much kite-flying. They are busy with their gadgets—mobile phones, computers and laptops—which do more harm than kite-flying does. 

Back in those good old days, the limitless sky was an open canvas and popular playground for kids like us and it didn’t matter whether you were a novice or a seasoned kite-flier. 

My experience of kite-flying tells me that human imagination soars high like a kite as one lets loose the thread from the reel, letting the kite soar high in the crystal-clear sky. Kite-flying offers you breathtaking vistas of the Earth, pleasant sounds of Nature and sacred sweetness and fragrance of marigolds and a myriad other flowers in full bloom. 

Neither too hot nor too cold, the autumn season is very serene and sacred also because of the worship of several goddesses, especially Durga Bhavani. 

Those sweet young days of kite-flying are gone for many of us, but this game can help even grown-ups overcome anxieties and leave the worldly cares behind for a while, though kite-flying from the rooftop of a house generally comes with perils attached like slips, trips and falls.   

This year, View Brew Cafe and Bar is hosting a weeklong kite-flying event with delicious food, various drinks and a breathtaking view of the Kathmandu Valley from their rooftop area, which is  specially designed for a safe kite-flying experience. Kites and accessories are also available at the restaurant for participants. This is a good attempt to remind young generations of the traditional kite-flying competition. 

A break from farm labor

At this time of the year, generally, there is no rain and crops are ripening in their fertile fields, allowing farmers to wind down a bit. They use this brief period to fly kites in the vastness of clear white skies adorned occasionally with the rainbow, while praying to Indra, the god of rain, to not ruin their kite-flying season with rainfall! 

I borrow a line from a beautiful poem of one of the most prominent romantic bards, William Wordsworth, to  support my statement while reminiscing fond memories associated with kite-flying high in the autumn skies shorn of rain clouds: 

“My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky.”

A harbinger of goodness

Myriad kites of different shapes and sizes, made of multi-coloured papers, soar in the azure autumn sky of the Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the country. There’s a popular belief in Nepal that kite-flying brings forth happiness, sound health, peace and prosperity both in the households and in the country. 

This folk festival has health benefits attached as kite-fliers get to soak in the autumn sun, a pure medicine for the human body, which contracts all sorts of infections during the summer.

During this season, kite-flying is done in a big way in India also, including in the state of Gujarat that organizes an international kite festival, which draws global kite-fliers, coinciding with the festive season. Kite-flying is also a ritual dedicated to the Sun, thanking him for the benefaction of crops. 

Kite-flying is an international festival. A global kite-flying festival is held in Paris every year with enthusiastic participation of flies from different parts of the world. 

Making kites

Kites are made of lightweight paper and dried skewers of bamboo. Cotton strings used in kite-flying—with the help of Lattai (kite reel)—are laced with Manjha (a special mix of glass powder and rice paste) to make it strong and sharp so that it can cut other kite strings. Nowadays, multi-coloured kites of different shapes and sizes are available and they create very enchanting scenes in the skies.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi met for 30 minutes on the sidelines of the 79th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. This meeting from the Nepali side marks the first face-to-face interaction between the two leaders since they resumed their roles as prime ministers in their respective countries. 

For both Prime Ministers, this meeting comes at a pivotal moment. Having taken office for the fourth time, Oli has become one of Nepal's most experienced political figures, though his cumulative time as Prime Minister has only amounted to four-and-a-half years. This current tenure could extend for two more years, depending on the power-sharing agreement between Oli and Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba. If the agreement holds, Deuba will assume leadership in the second half of the government’s term. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been India’s Prime Minister for a decade, serving his third consecutive term. This time, however, he leads a coalition government, which comes with certain constraints, although he remains a strong leader. Modi's leadership has significantly shaped India's foreign policy, and in recent years, his administration has adopted a more cautious, pragmatic approach to regional diplomacy. India's response to developments in neighboring countries like the Maldives, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka reflects this careful balancing act. 

Following the meeting, both leaders took to social media to express their positive impressions. Prime Minister Modi wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "India-Nepal friendship is very strong, and there is a desire to make it stronger in the future. Our discussion was on issues like energy, technology and trade." In response, Prime Minister Oli also posted on X, stating that the meeting was "fruitful" and that various aspects of bilateral relations were discussed. While the meeting was brief and took place on the sidelines of the UNGA, it nonetheless signaled an important shift in tone, where both leaders seemed keen on fostering a spirit of cooperation and mutual understanding.

Though sideline meetings like this one often do not involve detailed agenda-driven discussions, they are critical in building rapport between leaders. Exchanging warm greetings and briefly touching on key issues is often a good first step in clearing any lingering misunderstandings or tensions. The recent Oli-Modi meeting appears to have achieved this, creating a more favorable environment for addressing both long-standing and emerging issues between the two countries.

Reports suggest that the two prime ministers agreed to activate various bilateral mechanisms to resolve pending issues between Nepal and India. Currently, there are more than a dozen such mechanisms in place, many of which have been underutilized in recent years. Reinvigorating these mechanisms could provide a platform for addressing long-standing challenges such as border disputes, trade issues and developmental cooperation.

Over the past few years, Nepal’s perception of India has evolved, with India being seen more as an indispensable partner for development. The once-prevalent anti-India sentiment within Nepal has been visibly diminishing, and there is a growing recognition that cooperation with India is crucial for Nepal's economic growth and stability. This shift in public and political sentiment provides a timely opportunity for both countries to move forward on mutual concerns.

One significant aspect of the meeting, highlighted by Nepal's Foreign Minister Rana, was Oli's formal invitation for Prime Minister Modi to visit Nepal. In a departure from the traditional diplomatic practice of Nepali prime ministers visiting India first, this time Modi will visit Nepal before Oli makes a reciprocal visit to India. This move underscores the importance both countries place on revitalizing their relationship. According to Foreign Minister Rana, preparations for Modi's state visit are already underway, signaling that both sides are ready to engage in more substantive talks in the near future.

The spokesperson for Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amrit Rai, further emphasized a positive atmosphere created through the meeting, stating that it has helped strengthen the atmosphere of trust between the two countries. According to a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Modi took the opportunity to congratulate Nepal for becoming the 101st country to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Modi also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in addressing the shared challenge of climate change.

While the New York meeting was brief, it lays the groundwork for a new normal in Nepal-India relations. Moving forward, the relationship between these two neighbors will largely depend on addressing three key areas: development cooperation, resolving historical disputes, and building trust between their leadership.

Focus on development cooperation: Nepal and India need to orient their bilateral relationship on areas where both countries share common interests, particularly in development cooperation. Nepal, given its economic size and financial limitations, cannot offer direct development assistance to India. However, India's grants, loans and joint ventures are critical to Nepal's infrastructure and energy development. Hydropower projects, in particular, represent a major area of potential collaboration. The goal of generating 10,000 MW of hydropower over the next decade, along with projects like the Janakpur-Ayodhya railway, dry ports and initiatives under the High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) framework are all areas where India can play a transformative role.

Nepal must ensure that these development partnerships are implemented efficiently, with proper mechanisms in place to honor commitments. However, India must also refrain from using development aid as political leverage for achieving her strategic goals. Both sides must commit to a spirit of cooperation where development serves the broader goal of mutual benefit rather than political maneuvering.

Dispute resolution: There are long-standing issues between Nepal and India, many of which are legacies from the past. Issues such as border disputes and political map disagreements have been sources of tension, but these matters can be resolved only through diplomatic dialogue. Both sides must be willing to let these issues take the necessary time rather than allowing them to escalate into more serious conflicts. Nepal should also work to address India’s legitimate security concerns, while ensuring the protection of its own sovereignty and interests. Both countries should sit together with the evidence to resolve these contentious issues.  

Building trust: Perhaps the most crucial element in Nepal-India relations is the need to build a strong foundation of trust between the political leadership of both countries. Mistrust has often arisen due to the rhetoric from leaders for domestic political purposes. While political leaders may sometimes make statements to satisfy their domestic constituencies, diplomacy requires a more measured and consistent approach. Both countries need each other’s support to flourish, and this can only happen if their leaders trust and respect one another.

In their new terms, Prime Ministers Oli and Modi have taken the first step toward rebuilding this trust. If they can continue along this path, the future of Nepal-India relations will be mutually beneficial.

Views are personal

Green hydrogen has turned out to be one of the primary solutions to global warming and climate change as it helps in the process of decarbonization and attaining carbon neutrality. Since green hydrogen can be produced using renewable energy sources, it is an opportunity to gradually decrease the dependence on fossil fuels, which will improve energy independence and energy security. To summarize, green hydrogen is a promising, clean fuel of the future in a world that is slowly moving toward cleaner energy systems. Thus, with the vision of shifting the energy sector to cleaner and sustainable sources, the idea of hydrogen production in Nepal was initially discussed in an academic research paper completed by Prof Bhakta Bahadur Ale of Tribhuvan University and Prof SO Bade Shrestha of Western Michigan University in 2008. They suggested that hydrogen should be produced through the use of electricity from hydroelectric plants when they are generating power during off-peak hours. During that time, Nepal was struggling with acute energy crises and frequent load-shedding, which, coupled with technological constraints, made it next to impossible to turn the concept into reality. 

When the Covid-19 pandemic started, the industrial sector contracted, leading to a significant drop in energy consumption, but fossil fuel imports remained high. This led to an overproduction of electricity particularly from the hydropower plants in Nepal. This excess electricity led to wastage and an imbalance between supply and demand; hence, it was crucial to look for methods to utilize this electricity in domestic sectors. This scenario was ideal for producing green hydrogen using the surplus electricity through the process of electrolysis. That is when the shift from a fossil fuel-dependent economy to a green economy began to take shape. Recognizing this potential, Kathmandu University decided to channel the excess energy into producing hydrogen by splitting water through electrolysis. With this goal in mind, the Green Hydrogen Lab (GHL) at Kathmandu University was established in 2020 under Prof Bhola Thapa and Biraj Singh Thapa, marking a major step forward in Nepal’s pursuit of renewable energy solutions.

Even though the strategy of generating hydrogen by utilizing the excess electricity from hydropower was discussed in 2008, it was only in 2020 that R&D on hydrogen production was initiated. In particular, the GHL has contributed to developing this vision. GHL started the Nepal Hydrogen Initiative (NHI), a consolidated program for establishing a policy foundation, hydrogen energy value chain, and developing action plans. Some of the ongoing projects at GHL are Nepal’s first hydrogen refueling station and the green urea production plant in Nepal. GHL has a 5-kW electrolyzer that can produce 2 kg of hydrogen per day, which is used to refuel a car with a 6 kg hydrogen capacity, providing a driving range of 600 km. GHL is also involved in different projects: green hydrogen for the production of ammonia, industrial heat, zero-emission transportation, re-electrification and making green steel. MIT Group Foundation and Global NRN Foundation, KU being a knowledge partner, organized the Nepal Green Hydrogen Summit in October 2022 with the main aim of prioritizing the delivery of climate-friendly green hydrogen projects that help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since 2023, the Global Green Growth Institute’s (GGGI) NP15 Green Hydrogen Value Chain and Green Ammonia Plant project has been exploring the potential of green hydrogen in Nepal's energy mix. Asian Development Bank (ADB) studied the prospects of Hydropower to Hydrogen in Nepal in 2020. The first hydrogen internal combustion engine conversion technology was demonstrated on 16 September 2024 at Pulchowk Engineering College, which embarked on another big step in the development of green hydrogen in Nepal. With the adoption of the Nepal Green Hydrogen Policy-2024, the country has set a more tangible framework for future study, innovation and funding of green hydrogen. This policy lays the groundwork for realizing Nepal’s immense opportunity in green hydrogen generation, mainly based on Nepal’s hydropower potential. 

Nepal’s roadmap for green hydrogen production can be significantly boosted by studying the policies, pilot projects, and commitments of global leaders in the hydrogen economy. Countries like Japan, India, China and the United States are driving the green hydrogen agenda, making substantial investments in technology, infrastructure, and research. These nations provide important lessons for Nepal in terms of policy formulation, industrial applications and the scaling of green hydrogen.

The Indian government approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission in 2023 to develop a green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT per annum. By 2050, it aims to replace 50m metric tonnes of gray hydrogen with green hydrogen, which could cut 50m tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. India is focusing on reducing the cost of hydrogen production to $1.5 per kg by 2030 through large-scale projects. 

The US National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap-2023 align with the administration’s goals, including the aim to develop green hydrogen production capacity of 10 MMT by 2030, 20 MMT by 2040, and 50 MMT by 2050; 100 percent carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035 and net zero GHG emissions by no later than 2050. At the same time, the United States’ Department of Energy (DOE) has launched the “Hydrogen Shot” initiative to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen to $1 per kg within a decade. In March 2022, China’s Medium and Long-Term Strategy referred to as “the National Plan” was released for the development of the hydrogen energy industry after which there has been significant development in the country’s hydrogen space. Among these targets, the deployment of 50,000 fuel cell vehicles and the production of 0.1 to 0.2 MT of renewable hydrogen toward a broader goal of reducing annual CO2 emissions by 1m to 2m tons by 2025 was most important. China is focusing on reducing the cost of hydrogen production to $2.18/kg with advancements in technology and a reduction in electricity prices. Japan, another hydrogen pioneer, is equally ambitious. Japan was an early proponent of making hydrogen for decarbonization, publishing its first hydrogen strategy in 2017, and the substance continues to be a critical part of Japan’s strategy to decarbonize its economy and achieve carbon neutrality. Japan’s hydrogen strategy is central to its goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050, reducing CO2 emissions across power generation, transportation and industry. Japan aims to bring down the cost of hydrogen to $2.77 per kg by 2030 from the current cost of $9.24 per kg, largely through technological advancements and scaled up production. Japan also plans to produce 1.08 MMT of hydrogen annually by 2040, a target that Nepal can aspire to as it has the potential to develop its green hydrogen capabilities.

Green hydrogen, which is generated from electrolysis, is a huge opportunity for Nepal. The government is formulating directives to generate 28,500 MW of electricity by 2035, while the country’s internal electricity requirement is estimated to be around 7,000 MW. With a surplus power of approximately 20,000 MW, there is an opportunity to produce 400,000 kg of hydrogen (as 1 MWh of electricity generates 20 kg of H2). If this surplus electricity, costing Rs 6.70 per unit, is not utilized for either domestic consumption or export, the financial value would effectively be zero. The country could face an annual loss of Rs 1.173trn, but by using surplus electricity to produce green hydrogen and its derivatives, it can reduce fossil fuel imports, cutting down on import expenses and promoting clean energy use in industries. This excess capacity could be used to produce green hydrogen which will make hydrogen one of the cheapest and competitive fuels in the market. Thus, increasing the scale of economies and with the assistance of technology across the globe, the cost of producing green hydrogen is expected to be below $1 per kilogram by 2050, which will enhance the feasibility of green hydrogen production. For Nepal, this is a chance to completely change the energy paradigm from a fossil-based to a renewable hydrogen economy.

Nepal faces several challenges in developing a green hydrogen economy, including gaps in policy, underdeveloped technology and low market readiness. Domestic demand for hydrogen applications, like Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), remains limited, while high production costs and a lack of infrastructure complicate commercialization efforts. Additionally, attracting investment is challenging due to the market's early-stage conditions. To overcome these obstacles, Nepal needs to concentrate on the formulation of sound, sustainable energy policies that incorporate green hydrogen in the country’s strategic plan. The government should fund pilot projects to demonstrate the viability of green hydrogen technologies while encouraging Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to invest in scaling up commercial projects. 

In addition, successful pilot projects will also help to attract foreign direct investment (FDI). The government should also encourage private companies to invest in the technology by providing them with subsidies, tax exemptions and reasonable power tariffs for electrolysis. By leveraging its abundant hydropower, Nepal also has the potential to export green hydrogen to neighboring countries like India and China, with supportive export policies and infrastructure development key to realizing this opportunity. Moreover, investment in research and development (R&D) will contribute toward bringing down the costs of producing hydrogen and enable Nepal to remain competitive in the global hydrogen market. The creation of a separate hydrogen authority and simplification of the licensing of hydrogen projects will help stimulate further development and increase the share of commercial-scale projects after successful pilot projects.