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Former King Gyanendra Shah’s visit to Bhutan at the invitation of Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk in the first week of October has reignited discussions about Nepal’s monarchy. 

Bhutan is the last absolute monarchy in South Asia, and the warm reception extended to Shah has emboldened pro-monarchy activists and sympathizers campaigning for the restoration of both the monarchy and a Hindu statehood in Nepal. Though Shah has claimed his visit was personal and that the respect he received reflected honor for Nepal and its people, the political and diplomatic circles in Nepal have been abuzz with speculation.

The visit has given a much-needed shot in the arm to pro-monarchy forces. For a decade and a half since the abolition of the monarchy, Shah has maintained a low profile. Despite no longer being on the throne, the former king maintains connections with the public, particularly during festivals like Dashain. In his recent Dashain message, he expressed concern over people’s unfulfilled dreams of prospering in their homeland, stating that this has heightened his “restlessness”. He has also been continuing the royal tradition of offering Tika to the public during Vijaya Dashami. 

Despite his consistent silence on the monarchy’s future, his followers continue to rally around him. The pro-monarchy Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), the fifth largest party in the House of Representatives with 14 seats, is one of the leading political forces advocating for the restoration of Hindu statehood and monarchy. A senior RPP leader said that they have received information that Thimpu invited Shah on the suggestions of some Hindu forces in India who favor Nepal's return to Hindu statehood. Since India has a strong influence on Bhutan's foreign policy, there could have been some consultations, the leader claimed.

Social media has played a key role in promoting pro-monarchy sentiments. Since June 2024, a Facebook page named ‘Unified Nepal’ has gained 250,000 followers. The page has spent over $2,500 on sponsored content, and its posts have drawn substantial engagement. It has been posting contents highlighting the contributions of past monarchs like Gyanendra, Birendra and Mahendra. A study of social media pages suggests the presence of a broader digital ecosystem supporting the monarchy because these pages have similar comments in support of monarchy.

Street protests have also been intensified for the restoration of monarchy. In April, the RPP organized large street demonstrations in Kathmandu which were met with police suppression. Similar rallies took place in November last year, led by pro-monarchy businessperson Durga Prasai, who capitalized on dissatisfaction among citizens affected by micro-finance schemes. Scores of sponsored Facebook posts were used to mobilize the Monarchy supporters in both protests, data from the Facebook Library shows. 

Prasai’s demands for the restoration of the monarchy and a Hindu state reflect a broader sentiment among royalist forces that frustration with Nepal’s political establishment is creating an opportunity for their cause. For pro-monarchy activists, this is seen as a high time to push their agenda as Nepal continues to grapple with deep political and social changes. With new parties like the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) emerging to challenge the status quo, royalists believe that they too can exploit growing public disillusionment with major political parties.

The impact of westerly and local winds in the country remains active.

This has resulted in partly to generally cloudy in Lumbini Province and the hilly regions of the country and the weather in the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to mainly fair, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.

Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at one or two places in Lumbini Province and hilly regions of the country, it said.

Furthermore, the Department said that there are chances of light snowfall at one or two places in the high hilly and mountainous region of the country.

Tonight, the weather will remain partly to generally cloudy in the hilly areas and partly cloudy to mainly fair in the rest of the country.

Light rain or thunder and lightning is likely to occur at one or two places in the hilly regions of the country.

Basant Raj Mishra, a pioneering figure in Nepal’s tourism industry and the founder and executive chairperson of Temple Tiger Group of Companies, passed away on Sunday morning while receiving treatment for dengue at Norvic Hospital, Kathmandu. He was 71.

Born on 20 Feb 1953, in Kathmandu, Mishra attended Padmodaya School before graduating from Patan Campus in Lalitpur. With a passion for entrepreneurship, he traveled to Europe after his studies to take courses in business management and marketing. 

Reflecting on his journey in The Annapurna Express’s ‘ApEx Pioneer’ column, he once said, “I was born into a family with a bureaucratic background, but a government job never appealed to me. My interest was rather in business, to start something of my own.”

Mishra’s insights into life and work were profound. “Europe taught me that work is vital, not just for income but also to establish your identity. Ultimately, what matters is not how much you earn but who you are.” This perspective guided his career, as he began working in tourism in 1977, eventually founding the Temple Tiger Group of Companies 11 years later, one of the first businesses to promote sustainable and responsible tourism in Nepal.

This visionary’s contributions went beyond entrepreneurship. He was a former chairperson of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter and a PATA Life Member, and played a pivotal role in linking Nepal with international tourism circles. His goal was always to establish Nepal as a stand-alone tourism destination. “When I was starting, many tourists visited Nepal through Indian travel agencies, which considered Nepal an extension of their own country. My goal was to make Nepal a stand-alone destination,” Mishra said in the interview.

Mishra’s nephew, Pius Raj Mishra, described his uncle in the ‘ApEx Pioneer’ column as a man who lived by the mantra ‘work is worship’. He noted, “Hard work has given him global recognition as a successful tourism entrepreneur and conservationist. Even in our own family, everyone rushes to him for help and advice.”

A colleague, Sanjay Nepal also reflected on Mishra’s character in the same interview, saying, “In tourism, many people are double-tongued, but he is what he is. If he is angry, he will show it to you. He is also open-minded, a quality that many lack. Most importantly, he is a determined learner. To this day, he calls me for suggestions.”

Mishra’s impact on conservation tourism in Nepal was groundbreaking. As he said, “Shifting to conservation tourism was my best career decision. In light of the prevalent climate change, Nepal has always been at the forefront of travel practices that minimize environmental waste, encourage conservation and educate travelers on the environment.” He often remarked that ‘Nepal is the Africa of South Asia’ when it came to wildlife tourism, emphasizing the country’s role in promoting sustainable travel.

Mishra was also the founding director of the Nepal Tourism Board, an entity established  in 1998 to foster private-public partnerships in tourism promotion. His leadership helped transform Nepal into a global example of successful conservation, adventure and wildlife tourism.

Despite facing numerous challenges, including the closure of hotels inside national parks, Mishra’s adaptability and resilience were key to his enduring success. “I have overcome many odds to succeed in this sector,” he said. “There are new setbacks and challenges every other day, but I can deal with them as I am a very adaptable creature.”

Mishra’s legacy as a global ambassador for Nepali tourism will continue to inspire future generations.

He is survived by his wife, Jyanu Mishra, his son, Brajesh Raj Mishra—and his contributions to the tourism and hospitality industries. 

His last rites were performed on Sunday noon at Pashupati Aryaghat. His visionary leadership, commitment to sustainable tourism and passion for promoting Nepal’s identity on the world stage will be remembered for years to come.

The government has launched a new system for issuing digital chits (e-challan) to drivers who violate traffic rules in the Kathmandu Valley. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak inaugurated the Traffic Violation Record System (TVRS) during a program held at the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office on Sunday. Under the new system, drivers can receive fines for traffic violations through digital chits, which can be paid immediately using a digital payment wallet. This initiative will be implemented in the first phase across Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur districts. To facilitate this process, the government has provided traffic police with special devices for issuing digital chits.

In addition to the e-challan system, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announced that drivers will no longer need to carry a physical driver’s license after passing their driving test. Instead, the license will be accessible on the individual’s mobile phone via the Nagarik App. Oli emphasized the government’s commitment to enhancing service delivery, stating that preparations were underway to add other services to the Nagarik App. He said the government was gearing up to eliminate the hassle of queuing up for any work done at government offices and expressed hope that this will help the state to serve the citizens promptly.