Bhupendra Budhathoki: Balancing duty and passion

He’s a police inspector. He’s also a songwriter. Twenty-eight-year-old Bhupendra Budhathoki is a dedicated officer and a talented musician as well. He is determined to carry out his duties to the best of his ability while pursuing his love for music. His work and his passion are two sides of the same coin, he says. Born and raised in Dang in Lumbini province, Budhathoki says he always dreamt of joining the law enforcement. He began his training right after completing his basic schooling and in just two years he had joined the Nepal Police force. Despite many personal setbacks and financial troubles, Budhathoki managed to finish his training. He says that although the job is a challenging one, he is determined to make a difference. Over the years, he has worked on a wide range of cases, from cybercrime to criminal investigations. He is now stationed in Mugu in Karnali Province. “If you really want to achieve something, you will do so, sooner or later,” says Budhathoki, and that applies to him as well. Ever since his childhood, he has always loved to write. “I wrote poems and gazals whenever I was free, especially before I began my training,” he says. But despite wanting to continue with his hobby, it wasn’t easy because of his hectic job as a police officer.

The idea of writing songs had been on his mind for a long time. But it took him years after joining the police force to get back into songwriting again. Writing songs, he says, is a way to express his thoughts about what he sees around himself. He says he had discovered that he had a knack for creating music that resonated with others too.

So, he started working on songs during his spare time, using his experiences as a police officer for inspiration. Rather than composing the whole song at once, he writes small verses. The songs he writes are mostly about the struggles and challenges that many Nepalis face every day, and his music has brought him a large number of fan following. One of the most remarkable things about him is his ability to balance both his passions for law enforcement and music. But the journey has not been easy. Budhathoki faced financial constraints while trying to release his first song, and also found it challenging to approach people for collaboration during the early stages of his music career. Furthermore, he had no prior experience in the music industry, and he had to learn everything from scratch. Despite these difficulties, Budhathoki didn’t give up. In 2018, his dedication led to the release of his first successful song ‘Hami Nepal Prahari’. He was inspired to write this after realizing there aren’t enough songs about police officers. “So I thought why not compose one myself?” he adds. He then released his second popular song, ‘Phool Bhanau Jindagi lai’, on his own YouTube channel which now has over 11m views. His lyrics have earned him two music awards, namely the Seventh National Award in 2019, and the Second National Brand Music Award in 2022. In Jan 2023, he bagged the YouTube Silver Play Button when his channel hit 100,000 subscribers. Budhathoki doesn’t consider himself a celebrity. “I wasn’t looking to be recognized or famous. I was just trying to pursue my long-lost hobby,” he says. However, his fans are incredibly loyal and dedicated to his music, for which he is grateful. He believes that their loyalty is a testament to the authenticity of his music and the deep messages he conveys through his songs. But pursuing a hobby has led to many accolades too and Budhathoki is happy about it. He says he is proud of himself and where he has reached. “Although I have been busy with my job ever since getting promoted to Police Inspector in 2020, I  have  prepared a bucket list to pursue my interest by writing at least one song a year,” he adds. Apart from his professional and personal achievements, Budhathoki prioritizes his family as well. He is very close to his mother and sister, who are his biggest supporters. He believes that family support is essential if you want to succeed in any field, and he is grateful for the encouragement he receives from his loved ones. “One of the happiest moments for me is when colleagues play my songs at the police station. They enjoy listening to it,” he says. For him, it’s not about having a massive fan following, but rather about creating meaningful connections with his listeners, including people who know him. He hopes that his music will continue to resonate with people and inspire them to bring positive changes in society. “Although I will die someday, I want my songs to live forever,” he says.