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Two elephant calves born at the Elephant Breeding and Training Center at Khorsor, Chitwan National Park, are to be sent to Qatar on December 17.

The two calves named Rudrakali and Khagendra Prasad, raised and trained at the breeding center, and sheltered in Sauraha Hattisar, are about to be transferred to Qatar. Rudrakali is seven years old and Khagendra Prasad is six years old. 

Dr Haribhadra Acharya, the Information Officer of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, said that the two elephant calves are to be sent to Qatar on December 17, via a chartered cargo plane from Bhairahawa International Airport.

Acharya said that preparations are being made to send the elephants to Bhairahawa from Sauraha a day earlier after coordinating with the plane's flight schedule and assessing the road conditions. 

These elephants are going to be kept at Al Khor Park's zoo in Doha, Qatar.

According to Information Officer Acharya, two mahouts are also going to Qatar under the leadership of park animal technician Dinesh Dhakal, accompanying the calves. 

They will return home after ensuring the management of the elephant calves there.

Previously, Nepal has been presenting various wild animals such as the one-horned rhinoceros and elephants to different friendly nations as gifts. 

These wildlife gifts have been presented to strengthen the bilateral relations and to project the importance of Nepal's biodiversity at the international level.

Acharya said that this is the first time that Nepal is sending elephants as presents to another country.

The elephant breeding center, established in 2044 B.S. with 16 elephants brought from India, two from Myanmar, and two from Thailand, has so far bred and raised 68 elephants. 

Six of those born here have died. It is said 61 elephants have been trained here. 

Previously, Nepal has given 26 rhinos, 10 tortoises, one wolf and two leopards to various countries since 1985.

Nepal had expressed its commitment to gift elephants to Qatar during the official visit of then President Bidya Devi Bhandari in 2018.

Preparations are going on for the 27th Pokhara Street Festival to be held on the occasion of the New Year in Pokhara. To make the street festival a grand success, the organizers have intensified publicity in major cities across the country. The organizing team has intensified publicity in Dharan, Itahari and Biratnagar of Sunsari to invite people to participate in the street festival to be held from Dec 28 to Jan 1 2026, organized by the Pokhara Restaurant and Bar Association (REBAN).

The festival is being organized with the aim of promoting tourism, preserving local art and culture, and revitalizing economic activities, said Basanta Gautam, coordinator of the festival organizing committee. He said that Pokhara will be promoted as an attractive destination for domestic and foreign tourists throughout the festival period. The festival will include musical performances by local and national artists, folk duets, cultural tableaux, traditional dances, food stalls, handicraft exhibitions and various entertaining games, Gautam informed.

Coordinator Gautam said that programs like food festivals, tug of war, and talent shows will increase the special attraction of the audience. Gautam said that adventure sports competitions like boat race and waiter race, will be held in Fewa Lake. To make the festival more attractive and for tourists coming to observe, hotel and restaurant entrepreneurs will provide up to 20 percent discount on hotel rooms and special discounts on food dishes throughout the festival period, said Gopi Bhattarai, coordinator of Pokhara Tourism Year 25.

The organizer said that this festival, which is being organized with the aim of strengthening tourism, culture and local economy simultaneously, will help in introducing Pokhara’s identity at the national and international levels. To promote the festival, the organizing team is visiting places like Dharan, Biratnagar, Janakpur, Kathmandu and inviting people to attend the festival.

Tribhuvan University (TU) has announced that its 51st convocation ceremony will be held on Dec 25.

The Office of the Controller of Examinations, Balkhu, said in a notice that the convocation will take place on Thursday, Dec 25 at Dasharath Stadium.

Students participating in the ceremony are required to enter the venue from 9:00 am.

The Korea Visa Application Center (KVAC) was officially inaugurated in Kathmandu on Friday.

Korean Ambassador to Nepal Park Tae-young, Song Mi-sun, CEO of HanaTour, officials from Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and representatives of local business communities were present in the inauguration ceremony held at the OneSky Building in Lalitpur.

The Center was opened to significantly enhance the convenience and accessibility of the Republic of Korea visa application process for residents of Nepal.

In response to the rapid surge in visa applications driven by increased bilateral exchange between Korea and Nepal, the KVAC, operated by HanaTour, has been entrusted with the crucial task of facilitating visa applications.

Song emphasized: “HanaTour brings 30 years of global experience in operating travel and visa services, along with proven expertise from managing visa centers in nations such as China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. We are committed to deploying stable and highly sophisticated services in Nepal to offer optimal convenience for all applicants planning their visit to Korea.”

Strategically located in Lalitpur, the Center has enhanced accessibility by extending visa application hours—previously limited to mornings—until 4 pm on weekdays, while telephone consultation services will be available until 9 pm.

In addition, diverse payment options and region-specific customized services are expected to greatly simplify the application process. Designed with a spacious layout, the Center also provides applicant computer workstations and a VIP room, offering improved convenience for all visitors.

A KVAC representative highlighted the center’s commitment to standardized yet localized service delivery: “Building upon a foundation of standardized services, we will operate the Korea Visa Application Center tailored to the characteristics of each region.

Through the implementation of a pre-reservation system and the operation of a centralized call center, visa applicants will now have easier and more convenient access to accurate information regarding Republic of Korea visas and the real-time status of their applications.”

The representative further added: “We anticipate that the provision of courteous and highly reliable services will positively contribute to the vitalization of both economic exchange and private-sector diplomacy between Nepal and the Republic of Korea.”

The center currently offers value-added services such as SMS tracking and courier services, with plans to progressively expand customer convenience services in line with future demand. This inauguration marks a critical milestone, establishing a stable infrastructure to effectively manage the growing demand for Korean visas in Nepal.

The representative further added: "We anticipate that the provision of courteous and highly reliable services will positively contribute to the vitalization of both economic exchange and private-sector diplomacy between Nepal and the Republic of Korea."