Pratibha Shrestha -Miss Purbanchal 2011 preparing for Miss Nepal

Miss Purbanchal 2011, Pratibha Shrestha, has started to prepare for Miss Nepal contest that is going to be held after one month in the capital. Pratibha Shrestha (16), from Dharan-11 was crowned with title Miss Purbanchal 2011 in the 2^nd Miss Purbanchal Competition, organized by Buddasubba Trainig Center, Dharan on Saturday evening.

5 feet 5 inch tall Shrestha was entitled out of 22 contestants at Sabhagriha. 1^st Runner UP was Laxmi Subba (20) and 2^nd Runner Up was Anita Bishwokarma (20). All three beauties got direct entry for Miss Nepal 2011 Competition to be held in Kathmandu.

Pratibha Shrestha was also entitled with Miss Catwalk and Roji Baraili became Miss Viewers’ Choices.

PM Khanal inducts 10 new ministers after Maoist pressure

Despite strong objection from his party CPN-UML and from opposition parties, Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal inducted 10 new ministers—nine from UCPN-Maoist with its Vice Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha leading the team as Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister and one from Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum Nepal (MJF-N).

The prime minister’s move comes after the Maoists withdrew the bulk resignation of the other ministers while keeping the support to the government intact. On Saturday evening, Maoist Chairman Dahal had handed over group resignation letters of his party ministers to PM Khanal in order to exert pressure for the reshuffle with 24 new faces.

PM Khanal on Monday administered oath of office and secrecy to 10 new ministers amidst a special function at Presidential Palace at Shital Niwas. However, the prime minister has said that he would tender resignation if the Maoists failed expedite peace process within next 10 days.

Aryan Sigdel talks with ABC Limelight

Nepali actor Aryan Sigdel at the time of the release of his upcoming movie K Yo Maya Ho, talks with ABC TV’s Limelight.

Aryan Talks about the relationship with Rekha Thapa and her husband Chhabi Ojha and production house.

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Dandi Biyo – Is it the Nepali National Game?

Dandi Biyo is a very simple game, but it is equally dangerous. Some say it is the National Game of Nepal. But, there is no documentary evidence to prove it (at least, I don’t know. If you have more information please comment.)

I am not against this sports being a National game. But, before a decision is made there should be certain prerequisite of sportsmanship and safety of players and spectators. To illustrate my point let’s analyze the following photo:

In the photo above CPN-UML leader KP Sharma Oli is seen inaugurating Dharan Sports Tourism Festival, by playing Dandibiyo in Dharan on April 27‚ 2011. Some
points to be noted:

• A sports need to have standard playing gear. The dandi KP is using to play the game is a simple piece of wood. That piece should be standardize in terms of the type of wood, length, diameter and grip friction.
• Same applies to the biyo piece. Length, diameter, tapering angle and so on.

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Bol Bom

In a religious rally Bool Baam on on the occasion of Chaturdasi of Sawan Mahina, devoties walk towards Legship Kirataswar Mandir to offer holy water.

Photo taken on Jorethang Road by Prabin Gurung.

Remind me of the Bol-Bomb posted earlier:

Maoist ministers resign en masse

UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has handed over group resignation letters of his party ministers to Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal on Saturday evening.

During the meeting at the PM’s official residence in Baluwatar, Maoist chairman also gave an ultimatum to the PM either to reshuffle the cabinet by inducting the proposed Maoist members in the government as per Maoist decision or else have the Maoist party withdraw  its support to the Khanal led government. Prior to this meeting, Maoist standing committee has made such decision.

Today, a meeting was held on the same agenda between PM Khanal and UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Dahal, but, has ended inconclusively as the meeting failed to find common ground.

Nepali actresses’ first child – daughters

In Nepali movie industry, it is seen that, most of the actresses give birth to a daughter as their first child. A Nepali movie related online media, filmykhabar, has collected a data of Nepali actresses who have already become mothers. It is surprising to find that majority of them have daughter as their first child. Not only the current mothers, to be mother like Arunima Lamsal is also expecting a daughter.

Bhuwan Chand with her husband and three daughters

Let’s see who are those actresses and their daughters:

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Samata school teachers resigned en masse

All 34 teachers of the Nawalparasi-based Samata School except Principal Sheshkanta Rimal resigned en masse on Friday saying that their demands including salary hike went unheard. A teacher said the teachers resigned collectively following heated disputes over salary hike and acknowledgement of their contribution by the school management committee.

The School was closed on Thursday, and on Friday, the school decided to close classes for five days after endorsing the resignation of teachers. The school is popular in imparting quality education to its pupils at a very less fee of Rs 150 per month only and has its branch across the nation.

After the parents’ gave pressure to seek a solution to problems, a meeting was conducted between the management and teachers on Saturday. According to Director of the school, Binod Pandey, the school has been paying each teacher up to Rs 8000 monthly salary and the school plans to run classes up to 10 from the next year.

Gorkhapatra – Insufficient Bandwidth

When I wanted to see the online edition of the oldest newspaper in Nepal, Gorkhapatra, I was surprised to the following screen:

It is surprising for a few reasons:

1. The media is the mouthpiece of the Government of Nepal.
2. It is state-owned: meaning they have more money to spend in quality webhost than any other private owned media in Nepal.
3. They have more manpower than other media houses
4. The newspaper is not that popular to have that many visitors (Stats show that they have less than half the visitors in xnepali).
5. Bandwidth are really cheap these days.

Now, I don’t know what this means in Gorkhapatra!

Technology in Ashram!

A laptop being used to teach the hymns in an Ashram in India.

Although, the spiritual and devotional Guru’s are not willing to change the 100s of years old (or is it thousands of year old?) style of clothing, it is good to know that technology is compelling enough to embrace.

I can visualize the kids swiping their hands on iPads (or, any other tablets) in a couple of years!

FIFA ranking: Nepal-1 in South Asia, 20 in Asia and 136 in the world

With the release of latest FIFA rankings, Nepal leads the South Asian region climbing up to the 136th position. Nepal has climbed 12 spots in the FIFA ranking list published on Wednesday that is released every month by football’s world governing body FIFA. Nepal ascended to the 136th position collecting 184 points, and in the South Asia, Bangladesh is the next following Nepal at 147.

India has slipped six places and is ranked 153 in the world rankings and third in South Asia. Nepal and Bangladesh are the only two countries in the South Asian region to ascend in the FIFA rankings whereas Bhutan remains unchanged at the bottom at rank 201 and all other remaining five countries have fallen back.

According to the latest FIFA rankings, ranks of South Asian countries are: -

Nepal – 136

Bangladesh – 147

India – 153

Maldives – 160

Pakistan – 171

Sri Lanka – 176

Afghanistan – 179

Bhutan – 201

In the history, Nepal’s new ranking is the second best. The first best, the highest ranking was 124 that Nepal had achieved from December 1993 to February 1994. The lowest ranking was in February 2008 when Nepal declined to 188.

In Zonal ranking among 46-member nations of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Nepal ranks 20.  On the basis of three international matches played recently by Nepal within a month, Nepal has achieved this new improved ranking though Nepal lost against Jordan with a huge margin last week. Nepal  was able to defeat East Timor 2-1 and 5-0 in two legs of the first round of 2014 World Cup Asian zone qualifying matches.

Meanwhile on Thursday, Nepal managed to hold Jordon to 1-1 draw in the second leg of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers played at the Dasharath Stadium, Kathmandu.

News in Brief – Inaruwa tense, Dispute resolution panel, Ambulance plunged in Trishuli

Locals picket Inaruwa police station

Devanunj of Sunsari has been tense after the locals clashed with police on Friday. The clash ensued after the locals pelted stones at the police who had confiscated illegal cotton brought from India. Police reportedly fired some rounds of tear gas shells into the air to contain the situation. According to DSP Indra Dahal of Sunsari Police Office, around five hundred locals picketed the police station this afternoon. Around six people have been injured in the scuffle, police said.

Dispute resolution panel resumes discussion

The Dispute Resolution Subcommittee under the Constitutional Committee has given continuity to resolve contentious issues on Friday. The meeting held for an hour in Singhadurbar this morning decided to focus the sub-committee on subjective issues to reduce the disputes seen in constitution drafting and House obstruction, sub-committee member Laxman Lal Karna informed. The next meeting has been scheduled for Sunday. The sub-committee formed under the coordination of UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has till date reduced the contentious issues seen in the committee for state restructuring and forms of governance to 25 from 78. However, the political parties are yet to forge consensus on other contentious issues including state restructuring, form of governance and election procedure.

Ambulance, truck plunge into Trishuli

An ambulance and a loaded truck plunged into the Trishuli River along the Mugling-Narayangarh Road stretch on Friday morning. Five persons have been injured in the accident. The truck (Na 3 Kha 6605) heading for Kathmandu from Narayangarh collided head-on the ambulance (Sa 1 Cha 682) and plunged into the river, informed District Police Office of Chitwan. Both the vehicles have been damaged in the accident. (Source – Kantipur)

May the corrupt rot – MaHa, Rameshowr Khanal, Bhagawati Kafle and 200 others

In a protest against corruption, high profile protesters like Bhagawati Kafle, Rameshore Khanal, MaHa jodi (Hari Bansha Acharya, Madan Krishna Shrestha), Rabindra Mishra, and others gathered in front of the office of The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), wearing the T-shirt with the message "Bhrasthachari laai kira paros" (Let the corrupt rot).

 Photo credits – edited from Chandra Maharjan’s photo

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