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Not long ago, at a government office, a civil servant toggled between several windows on their outdated desktop. Each system had a different password, a different layout and none of them spoke to each other. Asked how often these platforms failed, the officials smiled, “Every day. Sometimes several times a day.” 

This is the quiet dysfunction that defines Nepal’s digital state. Not the lack of technology per se, but the absence of digital public infrastructure, widely known as DPI. We have apps, portals and now a National ID system and digital payment gateways. What we don’t yet have is an integrated, open and secure infrastructure that treats data and access as public goods.

DPI is not just another e-governance tool. It’s the foundational layer, like roads, electricity or water pipelines, on which digital services can be built, scaled and trusted. It includes digital ID systems, interoperable payment networks and data-sharing protocols that are inclusive by design and governed in public interest.

Nepal’s political classes and businesses tend to mistake flashy tech adoption for transformation. We are quick to chase global trends but shy away from the unglamorous work of developing the technical or institutional capabilities needed to absorb and scale emerging technologies to deliver quality citizen-centric public services. Yet without the basics like reliable connectivity and digital public infrastructure, our digitization risks replicating old hierarchies in new forms. A public school student in Rolpa cannot access the same benefits as a private school student in Patan if systems don’t recognize her existence, validate her documents or offer services in her language or device. 

Globally, we are seeing the rise of what some call “digital republics”, countries like Estonia, India and increasingly Brazil, where the digital public infrastructure has enabled everything, from instant welfare delivery to remote voting to digital entrepreneurship. These aren’t perfect systems but they recognize that state capacity in the digital era is no longer just about staffing ministries or issuing tenders. It’s about owning and governing the digital rails that society runs.

Nepal must make a deliberate choice. Do we want to be passive consumers of private platforms or co-creators of public digital ecosystems? Do we want to scatter millions on disconnected IT projects or invest in core digital infrastructure that can power innovation across education, health, finance and local government?

To do so, three shifts are necessary.

First, political vision. DPI must be seen not just as a technology project but as a nation-building effort that is rooted in rights, inclusion, and sovereignty.

Second, institutional coordination. ministries, regulators and provinces must converge on shared standards, open APIs and legal safeguards. Without this, the very systems meant to empower citizens could end up exposing them.

Third, civic stewardship. Citizens must be part of the design process. Local governments, civil society and tech communities can help ensure that DPI reflects the lived realities of Nepalis, not just the assumptions of software vendors.

We often find ourselves looking externally to other countries for guidance. But perhaps the real opportunity lies in looking inward. Nepal, despite its constraints, can lead, not by mimicking others, but by building systems that reflect our own needs and realities. For smaller, developing nations, the promise of digital isn’t in shiny apps or headline reforms. It's whether a citizen can renew a passport from their village without walking for days to the nearest passport center or paying a middleman. Whether a farmer or laborer can access land records and pay taxes without missing a day’s wage. Whether public and private services from banks to driving license offices can speak to each other through secure, interoperable systems built around the National ID. 

DPI goes beyond digitizing bureaucracy, to fundamentally redesigning the approach to service delivery. And that means centering privacy, transparency and accessibility from the start. Because the measure of good digital infrastructure isn’t how complex the technology is. It’s how simple it makes everyday life. After all, infrastructure is not just about cables, code or platforms. It is about trust, dignity and the promise of a more accessible and equal society.

The writer is a senior fellow at the Integrated Institute for Development Studies (IIDS) in Kathmandu 

These days, as we celebrate the 77th Independence Day of the State of Israel, we stand united in gratitude, remembrance and hope. The day of Independence of Israel marks not only the miracle of our nation’s revival but also the enduring spirit of a people who have returned to their ancestral homeland after centuries of exile.

Our connection to the land of Israel is ancient and unbreakable. The Jewish people’s historical and legal rights to the land are rooted deeply in millennia of presence and faith. The Balfour Declaration, the San Remo Resolution, and the League of Nations Mandate all recognized our legitimate claim to this land, affirming the justice of our return. Israel is not a land seized by colonizers but the rightful homecoming of an indigenous people who have persevered through exile and adversity.

This year, our celebration is tempered by the harsh realities we face. We remember the sacrifices of our brave sons and daughters who have fallen defending our nation. We honor the wounded heroes who inspire us with their courage and resilience. We stand firm against those who seek to destroy us, terrorists who must know there is no place to hide from justice for their crimes against innocent people. The tragic events of October 7th, 2023, remain a solemn reminder of our ongoing struggle, yet also a testament to our unyielding commitment to peace, security, and the safety of all our citizens.

Our strength lies not only in our military might but in our unity, innovation and the spirit of our people. Israel has transformed itself into a developed nation, a beacon of democracy and technological advancement. We have built a society that thrives despite challenges, a society ranked among the happiest in the world. This success is born from solidarity, cooperation and a relentless pursuit of progress.

Our ties with the world, especially with friends like Nepal, exemplify our commitment to peace and mutual growth. Since June 1st, 1960, Israel and Nepal have enjoyed stable and friendly relations, cooperating in Education, Agriculture, Health, Infrastructure, Water Resources, Rural Development, and security among other topics. Over 4,000 Nepalis have benefited from agricultural training in Agriculture Academic Centers and Agricultural communities in Israel during their studies for a title in Agriculture from Nepali Universities, many of them are now great successes in Nepal. 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank in this regard the wonderful cooperation with Sana Kisan which has helped recruit thousands of students from around Nepal. Thousands of Nepalis have gained invaluable experience through Mashav, Israel’s AID Agency, in innumerable courses of experts in Israel and in Nepal in various topics since the 1960’. We are proud to support Nepal’s agricultural modernization and economic development, and we look forward to expanding our multilateral cooperation in other topics like IT and Cyber Technology in the years ahead.

We cherish the cultural and human bonds that unite us, appreciating Nepal’s rich and peaceful ethnicity, landscapes and traditions while fostering deeper ties through agreements. Some agreements which are ready and almost ready to be signed are evidence for further understanding and will enhance our relations for mutual benefit. Our shared experiences, including the pain of terrorism, have only strengthened our resolve to work together for a better future. Israel continues to provide financial and moral support to Nepali families affected by terror, standing in solidarity with all victims of violence.

Along the many centuries and generations from the times of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the people of Israel are an eternal people, and will endure forever. With this enduring spirit, we will continue to defend our homeland, build our society, pursue peace in the Middle East and friendship and cooperation throughout the globe.

On this 77th Independence Day, let us honor the past, embrace the present and look forward with hope. May the bonds of friendship between Israel and Nepal grow ever stronger. May our friendship and cooperation bring prosperity and peace to both our people.

The author is the ambassador of Israel to Nepal

The Bagmati river is revered as a sacred lifeline, deified for its purifying waters and deeply entrenched cultural and religious significance. It serves as a ritual site for cremation and spiritual cleansing in the pursuit of salvation, embodying the belief that its sacred flow can absolve karma and unite the soul with the divine, forming a transcendent cycle where birth, death and eternity converge.

Flowing through the heart of Nepal’s Kathmandu valley, the Bagmati is more than just a body of water, it’s a sacred thread woven into the spiritual, cultural and ecological fabric of the nation. Revered in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions, it has for centuries been a symbol of civilization, sanctity and continuity, a giver of life and a pathway to salvation.
Yet today, the same river that once nourished an entire valley has been reduced to a toxic sewer. Its waters are blackened by sewage, choked with industrial waste and biohazards, and fouled by an unbearable stench. In its putrid current lies a haunting question: Can the Bagmati still be called holy or has it become a public health hazard?

Sacred shrine to sewer stream

The Bagmati river originates from Bagdwar in the Shivapuri Hills of the Mahabharat range at an elevation of 2,690 meters, where it once flowed crystal clear, pure, life-sustaining and revered. It travels southward through the Kathmandu valley (15 percent basin area), descending into the Tarai plains through eight districts before crossing into India to merge with the Ganges. For Hindus, the Bagmati is more than a river, it’s the earthly embodiment of the divine, intimately linked to Lord Shiva at the Pashupatinath Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage since 1979, where its waters are believed to carry souls toward moksha (liberation).
The river, steeped in legend and divine embodiment. According to mythology, the Bagmati began flowing when Bodhisattva Manjushree cleaved the hills surrounding a primordial lake, draining it and making way for human settlement. This act gave birth to the ancient city of Manjupattan on its banks. The Bagmati has served as a spiritual and cultural lifeline shaping early Kathmandu and marking historical trade routes at Teku Dovan and cremation sites such as Kalmochan and Pachali Ghat preserving 3,000 years of ritual heritage and royal legacy.
Today, however, the Bagmati paints a very different picture. Its once-pristine waters are choked with industrial effluents, raw sewage and biohazardous waste, primarily via anthropogenic pressures. A 2017 UN report estimated that over 95 per cent of wastewater in the valley is discharged untreated into natural water bodies much of it ending up in the Bagmati. This unchecked pollution now poses a grave hazard to both environmental and public health hindering water reuse and ecological sustainability.
The riverbanks, once adorned with temples and terraced greenery, are now strewn with plastic bags, decaying waste and the remnants of discarded ritual offerings. Despite the presence of existing and rehabilitated wastewater treatment plants, their capacity remains woefully inadequate to handle the overwhelming waste burden. Key degradation contributors are unmanaged urbanization, indiscriminate waste disposal and the direct discharge of domestic and industrial sewage further exacerbated by poor planning, fragmented governance and the rapidly growing valley population, now nearing 3m. Unlike artificial canals, the Bagmati is a natural river, whose sandy riverbed has been stripped bare by decades of toxic dumping. Though efforts to clean and preserve the river are urgent, the prospect of restoring it to its former sanctity is uncertain. In many respects, the damage may already be irreversible.

Health hazard—a nightmare

The Bagmati river now embodies a profound ecological and public health crisis. Scientific studies have revealed alarming levels of microbial and chemical contamination. A 2019 study published in the journal ‘water’ identified 709 bacterial genera in the river, including 18 potentially pathogenic such as Arcobacter, Acinetobacter and Prevotella. Thakali et al (2020) further detected reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), transformed the Bagmati as a hotspot for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Shrestha et al. (2023) reported that 80 per cent of river microbial isolates possessed multidrug resistance, while Ghimire et al. (JNHRC 2023) confirmed 241 of 615 coliform samples were resistant to common antibiotics.
Beyond microbial threats, a 2015 study estimated that 70,000 plastic micro- and macro-fragments pass through the river daily. Recent analyses have detected heavy metals like lead and mercury, and carcinogenic compounds capable of causing neurological damage, developmental disorders and organ failure. Despite Nepal’s abundant freshwater sources, cities like Kathmandu suffer from water scarcity. The World Bank 2016 reported 19.8 deaths per 100,000 in Nepal are linked to unsafe sanitation, hygiene and waterborne diseases. The environmental collapse is stark: fish stocks have vanished, aquatic birds are gone, and sludge, algal blooms and chemical foam dominate the landscape. Its decline is a warning not only for Nepal but for the world, a reminder that environmental neglect has irreversible consequences.

Revival possible?

Since 2013, the weekly Bagmati Clean-Up Campaign has mobilized volunteers and raised public awareness, but these efforts remain inadequate against the overwhelming scale of pollution and ecological decline. While new wastewater treatment plants are under construction, the pace of infrastructure development continues to lag behind escalating contamination levels. Legal frameworks to penalize polluters do exist, yet enforcement is weak, and often symbolic. What is urgently needed is a strict implementation of environmental laws, holding industries and hospitals accountable through regular audits and real-time monitoring. Solutions like bioremediation with pollutant-degrading microbes, installation of plastic traps at drainage outlets and widespread adoption of household waste segregation must be prioritized. Equally vital is mobilizing spiritual leadership: religious figures can champion environmental stewardship as a sacred duty and promote eco-conscious rituals.
The Bagmati mirrors Nepal’s soul, sacred, yet deeply wounded. Its revival lies not in miracles, but in unified action, scientific innovation and spiritual responsibility. 

A nation that kills its rivers kills its own future. The Bagmati’s fate rests in our hands.

Nepal is stuck in a dangerous cycle. Corruption is increasing, and the gap between the rich and the poor is getting wider every day. Many people have lost trust in the government because they feel ignored, cheated and left behind. Even though Nepal has become a democracy and given more power to local governments, real control still lies with a small group of wealthy and powerful people. Most citizens, especially the poor and those living in rural areas, continue to struggle just to survive.

Corruption is present at every level—national, provincial, and local. Money meant for important services like schools, hospitals and roads often disappears due to theft, misuse or waste. Politicians and officials make big promises, but many development projects are only started to make money for themselves and their friends. Budgets are often made larger than needed, so that extra money can be secretly siphoned off. Contracts for construction are not always given to the most qualified companies, but to those with political connections. This leads to weak, unsafe buildings or projects that are never finished.

Even when work begins, a large amount of money is lost before it reaches the people. It is believed that only about 35 percent of the capital budget is used properly. Corrupt politicians, dishonest contractors and some government employees devour the rest. Because of this, roads break apart within months, schools lack basic furniture and qualified teachers, and hospitals do not have enough doctors, medicine or even potable water.

This situation hurts poor people the most. Many laborers working on these projects are paid very low wages—and sometimes, they are not paid at all. Their problems are ignored, and they have no real way to raise their demands or seek justice. Meanwhile, rich people keep gaining more power by using their money to influence politics and business. This unfair system keeps poor people stuck in poverty and gives the rich even more control over the country’s future.

Another big problem is how government jobs are given. Instead of hiring people based on education, skills or experience, jobs often go to relatives, friends or political supporters. This means that many important offices are run by people who are not qualified for the jobs at hand. As a result, government services become slow, unfair and ineffective. Honest and capable people are often pushed aside, which creates frustration among the youth. Many young people lose hope in the system and choose to leave the country to find better opportunities abroad. This “brain drain” is a big loss for Nepal, as it loses skilled and educated workers, who could have helped develop the country.

Even the institutions that are supposed to fight corruption are failing. Organizations like the anti-corruption commission and other watchdogs are often under the grip of powerful leaders. They are not truly independent, and they rarely investigate or punish those in high positions. When corrupt leaders go unpunished, it sends a message that stealing public money is acceptable. This creates a culture where corruption becomes normal and expected.

The seriousness of this problem can be seen in the numbers. According to OXFAM, Nepal’s Gini coefficient—which measures income inequality—rose from 0.49 in 2010-11 to 0.58 in 2019. This shows that the gap between the rich and the poor is growing quickly. Another number, the Palma Ratio, shows that the top 10 percent of the population earns three times more income than the bottom 40 percent. This level of inequality is dangerous for any country.

Inequality is not just about income. It also affects access to good education, healthcare, housing, justice and job opportunities. Poor families cannot afford to send their children to private schools or pay for treatment at private hospitals. The legal system is slow and expensive, and poor people often cannot afford lawyers or do not have the connections needed to get justice. Over time, this creates anger, hopelessness and frustration, especially among young people, who feel their future has been stolen.

When people believe that the system is unfair and corrupt, they stop trusting democracy. They stop voting, stop getting involved and stop believing that change is possible. This weakens society as a whole.

Corruption also hurts Nepal’s economy. Investors, both local and foreign, are unwilling to put their money into a country where bribes are expected and laws are not enforced. Small businesses—which create most of the jobs—cannot survive if they are constantly blocked through unfair rules, heavy taxes or competition from companies that enjoy political protection. As a result, unemployment increases, and more and more young people leave the country to find work abroad.

If this situation continues, Nepal is most likely to face serious problems in the future. Poverty may rise, social unrest could grow and public services may collapse. Protests and instability could become more common, and more people could lose hope in the idea of a better future.

Solving this problem is not easy. Passing new laws alone is not enough. Real change needs to happen in how the system works and how leaders think. Government offices must be honest and open about how they spend money. Public jobs should be given to people based on their skills, not their political connections. More importantly, citizens need to be able to ask questions, demand answers and take part in decision-making.

The media, civil society and youth movements can play an important role in the fight against corruption. Educating young people about honesty, fairness and responsibility can help build a new generation that refuses to accept corruption as normal. Technology can also help by making government systems digital and easy to track, so that money is not stolen as easily.

In conclusion, corruption in Nepal is not just one problem. It is the root cause of many other problems, including poverty, poor public services, slow development and a weak democracy. If we don’t take it seriously, the rich will keep getting richer, the poor will suffer more and Nepal will fall even further behind. The country needs honest leaders, strong institutions and active citizens who work together to build a fairer and more hopeful future.