Dashrath Sunar strives to connect people and cultures through meaningful conversations

Media entrepreneur Dashrath Sunar’s message to the young generation and fellow media professionals is simple: Prioritize honesty, decency, and positivity in your content, regardless of the platform’s size. As humans, we have the power to influence society positively through truthful and ethical media practices.

Despite having no prior experience with traditional media platforms like television, radio, or periodicals, or online channels, his foray into Nepal’s media landscape has grabbed people’s interest. Witnessing the rapid expansion of digital technology motivated Sunar to consider starting an online YouTube talk show.

VFY (Voice For Youth) Talks was started to introduce innovative program formats, focusing on digital innovations for unique content delivery.

“Despite higher production costs compared to television, I launched VFY Talks on YouTube. This entailed booking full five-star hotels, using red dragon cameras, and hiring a crew of 20 to 25 people on a single day of filming,” says Sunar.

In the early stages, guests appreciated his format of facilitating conversational interactions between two guests, rather than acting as a traditional host. This interactive and sometimes interruptive style resonated well with people, encouraging and motivating him further.

“Since then, I have focused on continuously upgrading the content to achieve substantial scalability. My primary goal has been to maintain and enhance the conversational format while improving production quality,” he says.

“I pitched the concept to superstar Rajesh Hamal, aiming to inspire Nepali youth with a unique motivational format. Hamal suggested evaluating guests based on mission alignment, not follower count,” he says. Many brands and companies focus mainly on how many followers a guest has or what other show they have been on.

However, Sunar strives to create a platform that authentically resonates with the audience and fosters meaningful dialogue.

“When I first spoke with Hamal for the initial episode, he agreed without questions. Initially, our show included live audiences, and we hosted many episodes this way, including 12 episodes with 200 attendees,” he says. “The key reason for Hamal’s appearance is his intellect and broad international experience.”

He recalls a memorable incident. “I met a taxi driver who was Hamal’s fan. The taxi driver had always dreamed of meeting him,” says Sunar, adding that his taxi was filled with Hamal’s photos. “I promised myself to make his dream come true and invited him to my show,” he says.

The taxi driver didn’t know Hamal was a guest. When he met Hamal, he cried. “This was the first episode and it moved and motivated me,” says Sunar. “Posting the video on YouTube boosted the channel’s subscriptions by around 20,000.

Sunar believes in thorough research for each episode, which can be challenging when guests don’t get along. He selects two experts for a chosen topic, aiming for great discussions.

His goal is to deliver different information to both national and international audiences, therefore globalizing Nepal’s media and content. He focuses on developing content that has a worldwide impact, promoting Nepal’s tourism, foreign policy, and international relations.

He wants to prepare Nepali content for the global stage, promote tourism in Nepal, and strengthen the country’s international presence. “Success is not my primary goal as my commitment is unbreakable,” he adds.

“I’m pleased by the backing of worldwide celebrities, politicians, and business leaders. It’s a good indication. My focus is on global issues such as climate change as well as promoting Nepal’s tourism,” he says.

Sunar is originally from Kanchanpur district in the Sudurpashchim Province. When he came to Kathmandu, he found that society followed a single script based on history and culture, with minimal openness and extensive discussion. With digitalization, there has been a shift toward more transparency, encompassing both Western and Eastern traditions.

He is currently working on four projects for the talk show. One is ‘Yatra Nepal Ko with Purnima Karki’ that aims to encourage Nepali tourism. There’s the regular talk show covering a range of topics. Under ‘VFY Global with Rajesh Hamal’ there will be more international interviews. The final is delivering content for the Indian audience through ‘VFY Hindi’.

His objective with VFY Talks is to gain worldwide recognition. “While the purpose of the media is to educate, there is always the risk of prejudice or manipulation. As a content producer, utilizing technology properly is critical to conveying accurate and ethical messages, whether they are positive or negative,” he says.

He believes that the media, from a humanitarian standpoint, should emphasize producing honest and positive material regardless of the size of the platform. His purpose is to offer messages that have a good impact on society, while informing, inspiring, and connecting people around the world.