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Indeed, it does make a world of difference. We all fall prey to bad body posture at one time or another. But how often do we think about it? Rarely, right? Most likely, you might be hunching over while reading this very article—a habit that has become almost second nature. But what if I told you that your posture could affect your health more than you realize?  

Did you know that maintaining a good posture can do more than make you look intelligent and alert? It can also bring a myriad of health benefits, which you should be aware of. Imagine feeling more energetic, less stressed, and even more confident just by improving your posture. These are the rewards that await you when you make the conscious effort to correct your posture. It’s not just about how you look but how you feel and function daily. The potential for a healthier, more vibrant life is within your reach, inspiring you to take action.

These are the dividends that await you when you make the conscious effort to correct your posture. It’s not just about how you look but how you feel and function daily. The potential for a healthier, more vibrant life is within your reach, inspiring you to take action. Remember, posture correction is not an unattainable goal, but a journey that is achievable and beneficial. 

Let’s check out what is considered bad posture.

• If you’re slouching with your shoulders hunched forward or slumping.
• You have a rounded shoulder and tend to lean or crane your head forward more than the natural angle.
• Your knees are bent while walking or standing.
• Or, odds are your prolonged habit has made your natural curve of the lower back (lumbar) area, called lordosis, to extreme curves, causing your potbelly to stick out like a sore thumb.

If you work most of the day at a desk for long hours, paying extra attention to your body posture is all the more critical. The sketch furnished here speaks volumes.

Poor posture can have adverse health effects, including stiffness and pain in the neck, shoulder, and back, sore muscles, spinal dysfunction, and rapid joint degeneration. It can also negatively affect breathing, digestion, and headaches. Furthermore, prolonged bad posture can lead to more severe conditions such as herniated discs, sciatica, and even cardiovascular issues. It’s crucial to consult healthcare professionals to ensure you're well-informed and on the right track to correcting your posture. Their guidance and support will be invaluable on your journey to better posture.

There is more: Did you know that sticking to the wrong posture may also lead to premature aging? It can also interfere with your skin health, inducing premature wrinkling and sagging. That said, maintaining poor body posture can accelerate your aging process and make you appear older.  Would you prefer to look like a slouchy older man at the prime age of 40? Would you? No way!

So, the knotty question is: What is the best posture?

The ticket to good posture is the position of your spine. Your spine has three natural curves—neck, mid-back, and lower back. So, to maintain flawless body posture, you have to sustain these curves and not stretch them beyond their limits. Your head should be above your shoulders, and the top of your shoulders should be over your hips, whether you are sitting, standing, or lying down.

In short, a ‘good’ posture reflects: head up, looking straight ahead, back straight, shoulders thrown back but relaxed, chin in, weight balanced on both feet, knees straight, and your tummy tucked in.

Good posture offers a neutral spine with muscles, joints, and supporting ligaments so aligned that they provide minimum stress, allow more body flexibility, reduce fatigue, and help sustain body balance. While taking a stroll, our eyes latch onto some people who look physically attractive and symmetrical in appearance. That’s what defines a healthy man with a good posture. To add more, postural symmetry and good health go hand in glove. 

Good posture promises a bright, slim look, robustness, and flexibility, all essential to keeping you fit as a fiddle. Poor posture leads to musculoskeletal distortion in the neck and back as the spine gets stretched into an unnatural position for an extended period.

Some vivid examples include sitting before your desktop, hunched over your cell phone, slouching on your couch, watching TV, and so on. Bad postures are not to be taken for granted. If left unaddressed, these conditions can lead to musculoskeletal distortion in the neck and back as the spine gets stretched into an unnatural position for an extended period, leading to stiffness and pain in the neck, shoulder, and back, sore muscles, spinal dysfunction, and rapid joint degeneration.

Furthermore, prolonged bad posture can lead to more severe conditions such as herniated discs, sciatica, and even cardiovascular issues. It’s crucial to understand the potential risks of bad posture and take steps to correct it.

So, what’s the remedy for bad body posture? Is Bad Posture Permanent? Nope! There is nothing to get overly alarmed about. The good news is that yoga, stretching, and exercise can restore or rectify your body posture over time. You can regain strength, flexibility, and body balance with time and consistency in your workouts.

The sheer number of exercises can be overwhelming when searching online for the right workouts to correct bad body posture. For your convenience and time, here are three simple exercises that can help you achieve excellent body posture. These straightforward exercises, designed to be easily incorporated into your daily routine, give you the confidence to correct your posture quickly. You don’t need a gym membership or fancy equipment, just a little time and dedication. With these exercises, improving your posture is simpler than you might think, reassuring you that you can do it.

Before you start

• Give yourself a little warm-up
• Lie flat on the ground facing upwards for three to five minutes without the support of a cushion or pillow.
• Relax and let your body get accustomed to its natural position.
• Breathe naturally.
• Do this pre-workout before going into the three significant exercises below.

Here are the three exercises that can work wonders to correct faulty body postures. 

Cat cow pose

This workout aims to stretch your spine, shifting it from a rounded to an arched position, performed while exhaling and inhaling. This stretching helps relieve tension from the torso, shoulders, and neck, and enhances blood circulation. Repeat the workout at least 10 times. (Watch the video with instructions:   https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/multimedia/cat-cow-pose/vid-20453581).

Reverse plank bridge 

This potent workout is the most effective exercise for reinforcing your lower back and correcting your hunched shoulders. It involves mobilizing different muscle groups, including the erector spinae, the mid trapezius, the hip flexors, the hip adductors, the hip abductors, and the lumbar spine. Watch the guided video with instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDGnHn8ppcc. Repeat at least 10 times

High plank

The high plank stance aids in relieving extra tautness of the muscles and alleviates body pain. There is more; this workout fortifies your shoulders and glutes, enhances your body balance, and reinforces your core, i.e., the group of muscles within your midsection that stabilize your spine and pelvis, vital for maintaining good posture. Repeat at least 10 times (with brief breaks). Watch the guided video with instructions:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKZfeoVuPbE.

The bottom line is that bad postures are reversible. By incorporating the above three workouts into your daily regimen, you can enjoy your daily life full of energy and vitality. Imagine walking the streets feeling tall, confident, and with greater self-esteem and a better mood—no more body aches and pains to dampen your spirits, promising a bright future.  

Regarding postural correction, some might even recommend using devices that claim to help correct wrong body postures. Such gadgets include shoulder straps, analog braces, and back supports, which work as ‘structural assistive devices’.

However, these devices are shrouded in speculation and differing opinions. For some, discomfort aside, wearing those braces all day long may lead to weakened muscles since you rely entirely on those braces to maintain a good posture, rather than relying on your strength and muscles.

Some health sites claim various posture correctors work differently. Some resemble a wearable harness that gently tugs the muscles into the proper position. In contrast, others are electronic devices that work like a wake-up timer to put you on alert to correct your posture by vibrating or beeping. Some call them electronic gizmos.

“Overall, the evidence is thin.” “Generally, we think of those as gimmicks,” says Scott Beadnell, a physical therapist with Oregon Health and Science University. Some individuals may find the devices help in some way or enjoy using them.

If you are too short on time and cannot spare time for those postural exercises, you may go for the postural corrector devices. Still, before using them, it’s best to consult an accredited physiotherapist, chiropractor, or orthopedic, who can serve as your best guide. For your convenience, I’ve cited a website that can help you select the best fit. Here you go: https://www.verywellhealth.com/best-posture-correctors-4171981.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above text are solely research-based, not medical advice; the author solicits reader discretion and cross-references or consulting a healthcare practitioner, an authorized physiotherapist, or an orthopedic doctor for further consultation. 

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It has been nearly six decades since the UN General Assembly adopted the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights popularly known as ICCPR. Article 19 of ICCPR states: “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in form of art, or through any other media of his choice.”

In Nepal’s case, the 1990 constitution, for the first time, recognized citizens’ right to demand information held by public agencies on matters of public importance. Actually, Nepal was ahead of other South Asian countries when it came to providing constitutional guarantee to Right to Information. Now, other South Asian countries are making a huge progress on RTI but Nepal is lagging behind. In Nepal, progressive constitutional provision remained largely unimplemented in the absence of a supportive law. Successive governments after 1990 did not pay any attention to formulate such legislation due to a lack of awareness about its importance for the effective functioning of the democracy.

The 2015 constitution further strengthened this right, stating that every citizen shall have the right to demand and receive information on any matter of personal and public interest, with exception of information legally designated as confidential. To support these constitutional guarantees, the Right to Information Act was enacted on 21 July 21 followed by the National Information Commission in 2009. Nepal now has both legal and institutional frameworks to protect people’s right to information. Yet, in practice, progress has been limited.

Government and non-governmental agencies, particularly the National Information Commission, have been active in raising awareness about the importance of RTI for democracy. Numerous training and seminars have been conducted, mainly targeting government officials. While these efforts have raised some awareness, they are often repetitive and ineffective. Nonetheless, journalists and activists have increasingly used RTI as a tool to expose corruption, which is a positive development.

The tendency to seek information from government bodies has grown, but it remains largely confined to activists and has yet to spread widely among ordinary citizens. Serious challenges continue to hinder effective implementation of the law. The most fundamental issue is the persistent failure to instill in political leaders and government officials that people have a right, not a privilege, to access information of public importance.  Political leaders rarely encourage transparency; instead, they often side with bureaucrats in suppressing information. In many cases, leaders have even instructed agencies to withhold information rather than disclose it.

There still is a mindset among the politicians and bureaucracy that granting or denying access to information is at their discretion. In reality, the law has clearly stated what type of information may be withheld. This includes information that jeopardizes sovereignty, integrity, national security, public peace and stability, or that interferes with criminal investigation, inquiry and prosecution, or sensitive economic, trade and monetary matters. Beyond these exceptions, government agencies are obligated to provide information without restrictions. Instead of adhering to the law, many government agencies impose unnecessary conditions with the deliberate intent of suppressing information. Politicians and officials alike fear that if full disclosure were made, their corruption and irregularities would be exposed.

As per the law, every public office should appoint an information officer. While such officers do exist in government offices, they are rarely empowered. Most lack access to the information they are meant to provide, leaving people empty-handed when they make requests. On paper, government agencies appear to comply with proactive disclosure requirements by publishing reports every three months. In reality, these documents do not reveal anything about actual activities. They are often little more than recycled introductions and lists of duties and responsibilities; reprinted again and again to create the illusion of transparency.

The National Information Commission cannot remain satisfied with this surface-level compliance. Its focus must go beyond repetitive training seasons for government officials. Instead, it should actively monitor the information that government agencies are making public and investigate misleading practices and demand that agencies change their current approach to proactive disclosure. The priority in earlier years was to ensure that agencies appointed information officers and began publishing regular reports. That phase has passed. Now, the challenge is to push for meaningful disclosure of substantive information. The government offices should stop reprinting empty profiles again and again, taking both the public and the Commission for granted.

Another vital component is that people are not aware about the importance of their rights and responsibilities of the government agencies. While publicity campaigns have informed people that an RTI law exists, very few people understand its details and how to use it effectively. Knowledge remains confined to a small circle of political leaders, activists and professionals working in the field. Even students do not have comprehensive knowledge about RTI even though RTI has been incorporated in the school and university curricula. Students know about the RTI only from a narrow examination perspective, with little understanding of its practical application.

The National Information Commission, which is tasked with ensuring implementation of this law, should change its working style. Going beyond its routine seminar and lectures, it should identify bottlenecks and directly confront agencies that are misleading the public by publishing background information while concealing what truly matters. As a journalist, I often visit the websites of government agencies to read their proactive disclosure documents to find new information about works accomplished by them. But they always disappoint me. The format provided by the National Information Commission for the proactive disclosure, which is focused on background and general information rather than the substantive information, itself is problematic. Similarly, it should explain why government agencies are not empowering the information officers to provide the information. Similarly, it should find out why two decades of awareness campaigns have failed to build genuine public understanding. It should study new ways to disseminate the information in the ever-changing information ecosystem.

In conclusion, politicians and government agencies have yet to internalize that the right to information is a cornerstone of democracy. Now, we have to move on to phase two of the implementation of RTI—one that ensures not just the existence of laws and institutions but their effective use as well. Most importantly, people must be able to seek information without fear.

At present, many hesitate to approach officials for information, worried that they might be targeted if they do so. With corruption at unprecedented levels, especially at the local level where political leaders and bureaucrats are often complicit, the culture of opacity still persists. Breaking this cycle will require stronger enforcement, fearless oversight and a genuine political commitment.

On a long flight to Kathmandu, the man next to me said, “So, you are a professor—what do you teach?” I smiled. If only academic life were that simple. Teaching is only one part of what I do. Many imagine professors spending most of their time in classrooms. The truth is far broader: we supervise students, review research papers, write proposals, organize conferences, design new courses, serve on committees and sometimes travel across continents to share ideas. Being an academic is not just a job. It is a way of living and learning. Teaching, research and service are woven together, each influencing the others. A student’s question might spark a research idea. Writing a paper might change how I teach. Organizing a conference might lead to collaborations that last years. The philosopher Martin Heidegger called this “worldhood.” 

Our actions don’t exist as isolated tasks, but as parts of a larger, meaningful whole. Reviewing a paper, mentoring a student, preparing a lecture or attending a conference are all connected threads in the same fabric of academic life. Each gains significance from its connection to the others. Our work flows together in a daily rhythm that shapes our identity as academics. Some days are smooth; others are a blur of deadlines, meetings and rejections. But the rewards are real: a student finally grasping a difficult idea, a paper being accepted, a collaboration taking root. Guiding students is among the most satisfying parts of my job.

Watching them grow, thinking critically and discovering new things is deeply rewarding. Every discussion, assignment and piece of feedback is an investment in the next generation—not just in their knowledge, but in their ability to question, explore and contribute to the world. Research is another core pillar. Writing papers, reading others’ work and debating ideas with colleagues all feed into a global conversation. When I attend a conference—whether in Asia, Europe or Africa—I’m not just presenting my work; I’m listening, exchanging perspectives and finding new questions to explore. 

Often, the most important moments happen outside formal sessions: a conversation over coffee, a hallway debate, a chance meeting that sparks an unexpected project. Travel is not just about sightseeing, but also about connecting ideas and people. Each trip adds new threads to the academic fabric—perspectives from different cultures, insights from other disciplines and friendships that outlast any single project.

Academic life is always forward-looking: the next paper to write, the next course to design, the next student to mentor. Our work builds on the knowledge of those before us, and future scholars will build on ours. A lecture is never just a lecture; it’s part of a long chain of learning. A research paper is part of an ongoing conversation. Mentoring a student helps shape the future of our academic community.

Yes, there are challenges—funding struggles, heavy workloads, administrative tangles—but the rewards outweigh them. The freedom to explore ideas, the joy of learning continuously and the chance to inspire others make this life fulfilling. Back in Norway, I still think about my recent guest lecture at Madan Bhandari University of Science and Technology (MBUST) in Nepal.

I noticed how eager students were to explore ways to relate their research to their own community’s challenges. Seeing them connect academic concepts to real-world problems reminded me of the true purpose of teaching: helping students think critically, apply knowledge, and make a difference in the communities they care about. So, when people ask what I do, I find it hard to give a short answer. Being a professor is not a list of duties. 

It is curiosity, dedication and connection. It is the privilege of being part of a community of thinkers and learners. Each lecture, paper, and conversation add to a larger journey. Academia is not just a career. It is a calling—one that shapes how we live, think and relate to the world. For those of us who have chosen it, the journey is filled with challenges, discoveries and every so often, moments that make it all worthwhile.

As a democracy, Nepal has state apparatuses to address the concerns of its people. Hospitals exist to treat ills and courts are there to provide remedy with judicial pills. However, neither courts nor hospitals can cure all ills with perfect judicial or medical pills. 

Of late, people seem to place great trust either in hospitals for health and long life, or in courts for accessing justice. The rising number of public interest litigations (PILs) and writs show that public faith in the judiciary has grown over the years. This is a positive sign as the judiciary is counted as the resort for availing justice. 

However, this also tells us something interesting that people often turn to courts with litigation because of failure of other branches of the state—the legislature and the executive—to meet the expectations of the people or for their gross failure in upholding the constitutional values. 

PIL 

The PIL refers to a legal proceeding initiated in a court poor to protect or enforce the rights or interests of the public or a particular segment of society. Unlike typical lawsuits, a PIL is filed not for personal gain but to seek justice on behalf of the public. 

The petitioner is not dominus litis in PIL cases. The Supreme Court of Nepal has passed a plethora of judgments while considering PIL suits. It’s generally the relaxation of locus standi. 

Articles 133 and 144 of the Constitution of Nepal empower the Supreme Court (SC) and the High Courts with extraordinary jurisdiction to issue necessary orders and writs. The decisions passed under PILs have played a dynamic role in advancing significant social and legal reforms over the years.

The case of Advocate Radhey Shyam Adhikari v the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers and Others (NKP 2048 BS, Vol 12, Decision Number 4430) is considered as the first PIL case in Nepal where the SC held that petitioners need to have meaningful relations and substantial interest in the subject matter to file a PIL.

In the landmark case of Surendra Raj Pandey v Speaker of Gandaki Province and Others (080-WO-1175), the SC invalidated the Speaker’s decision to uphold the confidence vote secured by Chief Minister Khag Raj Adhikari, who had claimed support from 30 MLAs in a 60-member House.

The petitioner contended that a majority requires the backing of more than half the total strength of the House—ie, at least 31 members in a 60-member assembly. The respondents argued that the Chief Minister had obtained a majority of the members present and voting, specifically 30 out of 59 MLAs. The court, however, held that a vote of confidence must command the support of the majority of the total membership of the House, not just those present and voting. As a result, the confidence motion was deemed invalid and was set aside through certiorari. 

In Hikmat Kumar Karki v Chief of the Province, Koshi Province, Biratnagar and Others (NKP 2081, Issue 10, Decision Number 11356), the SC held that a person holding the position of the Speaker cannot claim an additional or dual role as a Provincial Assembly member. The Speaker must remain limited to the role of Speaker. 

In Sher Bahadur Deuba and Others v the Office of the President and Others (077-WC-0071), the SC reinstated the House the President had dissolved on the recommendation of then KP Sharma Oli-led government.  

These are just a few representative cases where the apex court had to step in to uphold the constitutional values. These types of incidents have not occurred only in Nepal. India, too, has a long list of Supreme Court decisions correcting the injustices from the governments at the helm.

India’s case

The Supreme Court of India, by overruling its own decision in the State of Rajasthan v the Union of India (1977), held in the case of SR Bommai v Union of India (1994) that the presidential proclamation under Article 356 is subject to judicial review and that it is not an absolute but a conditional power and that no assembly can be dissolved before both the Houses of the Parliament ratify the proclamation. The imposition of Presidential rule and dissolution of the State Assembly cannot be done together, the SC further held.

The apex court in the case of Rameshwar Prasad v the State of Bihar (2006) held that the Governor has no power to decide the majority of the state legislative assembly. He is supposed to play a role in forming a government of a party or parties enjoying majority or confidence in the House and the deciding place for the matter is only the floor of the House, not the Raj Bhawan (Governor’s House).

Sabotaging constitutional values 

Against this backdrop, there appears an important question: Why can’t we build a culture that respects and upholds constitutional values? 

When government departments chase short-term benefits, and people are forced to challenge those decisions on constitutional grounds, it creates a climate where cases are filed against almost every governmental move. This leads to growing public distrust and a loss of faith in the government. 

Yet, the PIL should not turn into a tool to earn publicity; it should not become something like “Publicity/Private-Interest Litigation.” In essence, it should be a virtuous weapon in the hands of the weak.

The way forward

The PIL is an effective tool to lower the barriers and augment trust between judiciary and people. Its sole purpose is to uphold the rule of law and constitutional values. 

In a constitutional democracy, government actions should reflect moral values, constitutional rights and well-established principles. Introducing bills that promote bigamy or seek pardons for serious criminals will only lead to more PILs in the future—just like we have seen in the past. 

The authors are judicial officers at Morang district court, Biratnagar