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Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Nepal Park Tae-young and UNICEF Representative to Nepal Alice Akunga visited floods and landslides affected communities in Kavrepalanchowk District on November 29.

They officially handed over essential health and hygiene supplies to the people hit hard by floods and landslides and opened a child-friendly space, reads a statement issued by the Embassy of Republic of Korea in Nepal.

Nepal witnessed heavy rainfall in September, which caused widespread flooding and landslides. Tens of thousands of homes were damaged and destroyed, as well as thousands of water and sanitation facilities, and hundreds of schools and clinics.

 The government of the Republic of Korea has decided to provide US$500,000 in humanitarian aid to Nepal to support the latter’s ongoing relief efforts.

Korea has been working closely with UNICEF to reach the floods-affected communities, including Kavre District, Udayapur District, Okhaldhunga District, Solukhumbu District and Saptari District, with lifesaving supplies, as well as social and protection services, according to the statement.

“We are proud to partner with UNICEF to ensure that the most vulnerable people and their communities affected by the disasters receive critical support in a timely manner”, says Park Tae-young, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Nepal. “Today, we distributed lifesaving supplies, including WASH supplies and newborn kits for mothers and their infants, which included warm clothes and blankets essential to keep them warm as temperatures are dropping at the start of winter.”

Korea has been providing immediate support to Nepal during difficult times, including the 2015 Nepal earthquake, the Covid-19 pandemic, and last year’s earthquake in Jajarkot.

Ambassador Park highlighted various aspects of Korea- Nepal relations, focusing on mutual interest and common concerns of both countries.

The Republic of Korea committed to further deepen the friendly ties grounded in mutual respect and understanding.

Korea and Nepal celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations established in 1974.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed its concern over people with disabilities (PWD) facing the lack of accessibility to the service provider agencies making it tougher for them to avail services and facilities.

Unveiling the report about provisions of mental health rights in the Gandaki and Bagmati Provinces as of 2081 BS on last Tuesday, the Commission stated that although the quality of the buildings of the service provider agencies was high, those infrastructures were not disabled-friendly.

The report shows that public as well as private healthcare facilities were far from being disabled-friendly. So was the case with rehabilitation centers and other organizations, it was mentioned.

Some new buildings had lift and ramp for wheel-chairs, the PWD could not have the surety of easily accessing the restrooms, bathroom and canteens in those buildings, the report highlighted.

Furthermore, the report brought to the fore the grave issue of PWD's rights to attending to their basic needs such as food, clean drinking water and comfortable accommodation facilities was being neglected.

Also, there is a scarcity of skilled human resources such as psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses and social mobilizers among others in the Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces for the PWD, the report noted.

The National Health Insurance Program also appears to be ineffective for the people with mental health issues or psychological disabilities as their access to it was limited, it was reported.

Commission's Chairperson Tap Bahadur Magar shared that the research and study attempted to examine or identify the quality of treatment, care and support mechanism for the people with mental problems and psychological disabilities.

It is stated that widespread differences were seen from the perspective of sanitation at the organizations and rehabilitation centres visited in course of the study.

The study showed that in some organizations the sanitation standard was found to be good while it was average in some others. It is stated that most of the organizations have not really paid attention to the topic of confidentiality.

The study report stated that several of the private hospitals lacked disabled-friendly toilets.

The study mentioned that people with mental issues and those with psycho-social debility had limited access to quality mental health services in Gandaki Province which has a dominant rural population as compared to Bagmati province.

NHRC Chairperson Magar said the study has tried to identify the quality of treatment, care and support that people with mental issues and those with psycho-social debility have. 

"The study has recommended to the government and the stakeholder bodies to ensure the rights of people with psycho-social disabilities and to promote their mental health and wellbeing," he said.

Dr Krishna Poudel, Head of the Ministry of Health and Population's Policy, Planning and Monitoring Division, said that the Ministry has not been able to extend services of psychiatric doctors and specialists in remote areas including in the Sudurpaschim Province.

"A lot of work has to be carried out with minimum resources. Although there are mental health wards at the Provincial hospitals, we have not been assigning specialists in all the seven provinces. We are trying to appoint specialists there," he added.

NHRC urges three tiers of government to protect rights of people with disabilities

Meanwhile, the National human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged all the three tiers of the government to give priority to the issues of people with disabilities in the policy, plans, programs and budget.

The NHRC also urged the federal, provincial and local governments to protect and promote the rights of the disabled persons. It called attention of the three levels of government to these issues in the context of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) on December 3.

Researchers have successfully tracked an Egyptian vulture’s 200-kilometer journey from Pokhara to Ayodhya, India, using satellite technology. Few months ago, they started a satellite tagging project to track the migration, behavior and threats faced by the endangered Egyptian vulture. As part of the study, satellite tags were attached to five Egyptian vultures in Pokhara. Among them, a two-year-old vulture stayed in Ayodhya for about a week before flying back. 

The study aims to identify challenges faced by vultures and their movement patterns. According to researcher Krishna Bhusal, the vulture stopped at Jatayu Restaurant in Gaindatal and Lumbini during its journey to Ayodhya. On its return, it passed through Kapilvastu and Syangja, covering the distance back to Pokhara in a day.  

The tagged vultures include one juvenile and four adults aged between four and five years. Satellite tags, powered by solar energy, record data every two hours, allowing researchers to monitor the birds’ movements, roosting sites, flight altitudes, and potential threats in real time.  

According to Bhusal, Ayodhya is a suitable habitat for vultures due to the availability of food near cow shelters. White-rumped vultures from Pokhara have also flown to Ayodhya in the past. 

Similar studies recorded long-distance travel by other vulture species, including the white-rumped vulture reaching Jammu and Kashmir (1,100 km) and the Himalayan vulture traveling over 5,000 km to India and China.  

Egyptian vultures and slender-billed vultures, however, show relatively limited movement compared to these species.  

Bhusal, who has been involved in conservation and research of vultures for a long time, is conducting this study as part of his doctoral research. Of the six native vulture species in Nepal, five have been studied using satellite tagging. The current study, initiated in late August, is the first to focus on identifying threats to Egyptian vultures.  

The satellite tags help researchers monitor the birds’ health and location. If a tagged vulture falls sick, is injured, or dies, its movement data can aid in timely rescue or post-mortem analysis.  

Nepal is home to an estimated 1,000 Egyptian vultures, with Pokhara hosting around 50 percent of the population. Tanahun and Arghakhanchi districts are also the preferred habitat of this species. 

These vultures play a vital ecological role by consuming carrion and small organic waste, helping maintain a clean environment.  

Most Egyptian vultures in Nepal nest on cliffs in mid-hill regions, with some also nesting on trees in the lowlands. 

The study is expected to provide valuable insights into their breeding patterns, lifespan, and the challenges they face, according Ankit Bilas Joshi, program head of vulture conservation at Bird Conservation Nepal. 

During my travels across 79 countries, I’ve encountered a myriad of flavors, from the buttery aroma of freshly baked croissants in Paris to the rich, hearty scent of bread in Turkey and Austria. Being an early riser by nature, I’ve often walked the streets of these places, enchanted by the art of baking.

Growing up in Pokhara, however, bread was a rare luxury—a delicacy my father would bring home only for special occasions. Birthdays were marked with fruit cake if my father was home. Otherwise, homemade laddus and simple sharbat sufficed for celebration. I vividly recall the joy of unwrapping a cupcake sprinkled with coconut—a luxury in those days, where even a sprinkle of peanuts could elevate the treat. Today, despite the abundant offerings of bakeries worldwide, it’s these simple, nostalgic flavors that hold the greatest charm for me, especially the timeless Krishna Pauroti of Nepal.

In Nepal, bread (pauroti) owes much of its legacy to the pioneering efforts of the Karnikar family, especially Krishna Bahadur Rajkarnikar. His journey as a baker began 76 years ago when he returned from India and established Nepal’s first bakery of its kind. Krishna Pauroti, the bakery he founded, became synonymous with bread in Nepal, and its legacy endures to this day.

Krishna Bahadur, the visionary behind Krishna Pauroti, honed his baking skills during his time in Calcutta, India. Inspired by the bustling tea stalls he encountered there, he envisioned introducing a similar culture to Nepal. In 1948, upon his return, he set up Krishna Pauroti in Kamal Pokhari, Kathmandu, along with a tea stall. This combination of freshly brewed tea and warm bread was revolutionary, marking the dawn of Nepal’s fast-food culture.

Bisheshwar Prasad Koirala, fondly known as Sanu Dai, was one of the regular patrons of Krishna Bahadur’s tea stall, further cementing the bakery’s reputation as a space where influential figures and ordinary folk alike could enjoy the humble pleasure of bread. Beyond introducing pauroti to Kathmandu, Krishna Bahadur mentored countless others, inspiring a wave of pauroti entrepreneurs across Nepal and beyond.

Krishna Pauroti was a cultural institution. Krishna Bahadur’s son, Ghanshyam Raj Karnikar, now 84, came to be known as Nepal’s ‘King of Pauroti.’ The Karnikar family’s ties to historical figures like Maharaj Bir Shamsher, through Krishna Bahadur’s friend Heera Man Singh, imbued Krishna Pauroti with a sense of heritage and tradition deeply rooted in Nepal’s history.

The Karnikars belong to the Halwai community, known for their mastery of sweets and delicacies. Their family name, Raj Karnikar, means ‘Royal Crafter,’ an apt title for a lineage that brought an artisanal touch to Nepali cuisine. Krishna Bahadur’s innovative techniques, learned during his time in India, helped Krishna Pauroti stand out as Nepal’s premier bakery.

For many years, Krishna Pauroti was the go-to bakery in Kathmandu, synonymous with quality and tradition. The bakery introduced bread varieties unfamiliar to Nepal, experimenting with ingredients like millet and buckwheat. By incorporating native grains, Krishna Pauroti fused local ingredients with traditional baking methods, offering familiar flavors in novel forms.

Even King Mahendra was a regular customer, and royal patronage helped solidify Krishna Pauroti’s status as a top-tier bakery. In 1972, Krishna Pauroti transitioned into a private limited company, ushering in a new chapter for the bakery.

Today, Krishna Pauroti is more than a bread bakery. It has expanded its offerings to include cakes, cookies, and other baked goods, adapting to the evolving demands of a changing Nepal. Despite its modern expansion, the bakery remains true to its roots, embodying the humble craftsmanship and dedication of its founder.

Operating from four locations in the Kathmandu Valley—Kamal Pokhari, Khumaltar, Hattiban, and Mahalaxmi—Krishna Pauroti continues to offer a taste of nostalgia alongside its innovative creations.

Krishna Bahadur not only founded a bakery but also inspired a generation of bakers and entrepreneurs. Many of those he trained went on to establish their own bakeries, spreading the legacy of Krishna Pauroti within Nepal and beyond. His influence significantly contributed to the growth of Nepal’s bakery scene, cultivating an appreciation for bread and pastries in a culture previously unfamiliar with such foods.

Whenever I visit Krishna Pauroti, ‘am reminded of the simplicity of my childhood treats in Pokhara and the joy of savoring a fruit cake or a coconut-sprinkled cupcake. It’s remarkable to see how far the bakery has come—from a single tea stall to a network of bakeries that remain at the heart of Nepal’s culinary landscape.

The evolution of Krishna Pauroti mirrors Nepal’s growth, transforming from a modest yet ambitious enterprise into a symbol of entrepreneurship and resilience. Through every loaf of bread and every pastry, Krishna Pauroti continues to tell the story of its founders and the flavors of a nation.

As the scent of freshly baked bread wafts through Kathmandu’s streets, Krishna Pauroti serves as a beautiful reminder of Nepal’s culinary journey—from its humble beginnings to its role in shaping modern Nepali food culture. It’s a story of dedication, realized dreams, and a family’s unwavering commitment to their craft.