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Bhuwan Hari Sigdel is a 74-year-old Nepali poet and novelist who has 10 books to his credit. Some of his notable works are ‘Aamoi’, ‘Ramila Nani’, and ‘Jadau Malik’. Babita Shrestha from ApEx talked to Sigdel about his writing career. You started your writing career a little late. What inspired you to write?  I worked for a company in the private sector before becoming a writer. Although I enjoyed reading, I didn’t write much. I first started writing poetry after I retired in my 50s. The first poem I ever wrote was ‘Aartanada’ back in 2002. It’s based on a soldier’s history as well as the works of half a dozen other poets. After 2009, I decided to try writing prose. Since then, I have published several other writings. But initially, my friends thought writing prose would be challenging. And it was. It was the will to pursue that challenge that motivated me throughout the journey. I like to test my limits and push my boundaries with my work. Can you run us through your writing process? I write in a pretty conventional manner. I still write stories on paper rather than typing them out. For the first draft, I let my writing flow without any corrections and while editing I make the changes. Before anything else, I create chapters for my novel to avoid redundancy. Then I decide on the plot for the chapters. I try to employ hooks in the initial pages to draw the curiosity of the readers and use other strategic approaches. I get completely lost when I’m writing. I actually detach from all social activities, turn off my phone, and just write. What has been the most challenging part of your literary journey? I was nominated for the Madan Puraskar for my book ‘Aamoi’. But I didn’t win. The fifth edition of the book has just been released since it’s still in demand. To avoid paying shares, the market publishes and sells the book while keeping the writer in the dark. So, the market has been my greatest challenge in the writing world. But I believe I was able to overcome that, establish myself, and receive numerous honors. I took a break from writing for a while, due to some health issues. Now, I’m working on my autobiography. Which among your books do you think readers should not miss out on? I would specifically recommend ‘Aamoi’. It’s a story about the life of a woman from 104 years ago. ‘Sarangi’ is a good choice too. It tells the story of a member from the Gandarva community, who lost his hearing. I think people should also read my other book called ‘Jadau Malik’, which tells the story of the Chaudhary community in Bardia. It portrays the custom followed in Bardia where the male head of the village (Malik) marries a laborer. In my writings, I strive to assemble the dark aspects of society, including the gloomy pasts of many regions of Nepal. What advice do you have for aspiring writers? Digital technology is deteriorating the new generation’s capacity to be creative. There is also a decline in the reading culture. So, I’d advise them to develop a reading habit. Read literature related to your field and interests. It will help you develop your ideas as well as express them clearly. The first person to read your writing is you. Make sure you are satisfied with the work you have done. Don’t be afraid to rewrite. Be persistent and patient. Most importantly, try to be original and create your writing style. Sigdel’s picks: Char Khola Ko Aaganima by Bhabani Khatiwada It’s a verse poem about Khatiwada’s travel journey to Ilam. Anurag  by Jaya Ojha This is a contemporary fiction about women empowerment and motherhood.

Double amputee Hari Bahadur Budha Magar, who scaled Mt Everest on May 19, has been welcomed at the Tribhuvan International Airport on Tuesday. Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kiranti, tourism entrepreneurs and Magar Community welcomed Budha at TIA. Photos: Sunita Dangol Budha Magar arrived in Kathmandu from Lukla this afternoon. Also an ex-Gurkha army, Budha Magar had reached atop the world's highest peak on May 19. With this, he has set a record to become the first double amputee mountaineer climbing Everest.  He had scaled Mt Everest with the support of prosthesis. On the occasion, Minister Kiranti congratulated climber Budha Magar, saying he had shown indomitable courage time and again in his life. Minister Kiranti said, "Budha Magar has given a new message from the top of Everest. He has given a message to the world community that nothing is impossible through hard work and willpower." Similarly, climber Budha Magar extended special gratitude to the team helping him for the success. He said, "My attempt to scale Everest would not have been successful without the team that helped me to reach atop the highest peak putting their life at risk." Budha Magar had lost both legs below the knee to an IED explosion in Afghanistan in 2010.

A total of 5,312 cases related to banking fraud and financial crime have been registered in Kathmandu Valley. According to the District Police Range, Kathmandu, the highest cases have been registered in banking fraud and financial crime in Kathmandu Valley in the current fiscal year. Spokesperson of the Range and Superintendent of Police Sitaram Rijal said that out of 9,256 cases registered in Kathmandu Valley in the current fiscal year, more than half are of banking fraud and financial crime. He said that most of the cases under banking fraud and financial crimes are related to cheque bounce, dollar exchange, and lottery in recent period. Range Chief Senior Superintendent of Police Dan Bahadur Karki said that around 35-40 cases related to banking fraud and financial crime are registered in the Range every day, adding cases of banking fraud and organized and financial crimes have increased in Kathmandu Valley in recent days.

Noted climber Kami Rita Sherpa scaled Mt Everest for the 28th time on Tuesday. He reached the summit of the world's highest peak at 9: 23 am today. With this, he broke his previous record of the highest number of ascents on Mt Everest. This is his second expedition to the world's highest peak this spring. He scaled the peak for the 27th time just a week ago on May 17. The 53-year-old climber has a record of 40 summits to the mountains above 8, 000 meters including Choyu (eighth time), Manaslu (three times), Lhotse and Mount K2. He celebrated his first summit to Everest on May 13, 1994. Likewise, Pasang Dawa Sherpa has a record of climbing the world's highest peak for the 27th time. The 46-year-old scaled Everest for the second time this spring on May 22, equalizing the record with Kami Rita. Now, Kami Rita broke his own record by reaching the top of the world for the 28th time. In Nepal's 70-year-old expedition history, the Department of Tourism issued the highest number of permits for mountain climbing this spring. According to the Department, 478 climbers of 44 expedition teams acquired permission for climbing mountains in Nepal.