Keshab Poudel

MELAMCHI TUNNEL Strength Test

Although the incident should not have happened with a loss of two persons, the burst of bulkhead gate, a critical part of Melmachi Tunnel Project, has taught a great lesson to prevent future accidents

By Keshab Poudel Aug 04, 2020

CHANDRA PRASAD DHAKAL Reflections Of A Victor

Despite conspiracies against Chandra Prasad Dhakal to prevent him from being elected the vice president, he is challenging his opponents in words as if from a victor’s reflections

By Keshab Poudel Aug 04, 2020

MELAMCHI Dream Come True

Almost thirty-six years after it was conceived as an alternative source of drinking water supply to Kathmandu valley, Melamchi Drinking Water Project, which has seen many political, technical, administrative, managerial and natural disruptions, has finally started the commissioning and testing process of carrying water to Kathmandu valley. Many ministers and leaders might have aspired to lead the ministry during the beginning of Nepal’s mega project. However, what a coincidence, Minister Bina Magar, of the same age as the project, is leading the ministry with a competent team of technically sound secretary Madhav Belbase for this historic moment

By Keshab Poudel Jul 12, 2020

NEPAL-INDIA RELATIONS Bound By Destiny

Extreme views at the political level seek to derail Nepal-India relations. However, there are so many commonalities between the two countries that are hard to break

By Keshab Poudel Jul 07, 2020

Journey To Energy Mix

Following the first installation of a hydropower plant in Nepal in Pharping almost 150 years ago, Nepal’s energy sector has been following two model hydropower and diesel plants to generate the electricity. Delayed in implementation for years due to several reasons, the World Bank-funded project started after the initiative taken by Kul Man Ghising, managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority. As the project had waited to come into operation in the scheduled time due to various obstructions, it has set a new record in mixing solar energy with Nepal’s hydro-dominated grid system. With the completion of the first unit of the plant in the lockdown, connecting the solar electricity to the national grid, MD Ghising has made another breakthrough in Nepal’s grid distribution system

By Keshab Poudel Jun 23, 2020

Nepal Israel Sixty Years Of Diplomatic Relations

As Nepal and Israel celebrate sixty years of establishment of diplomatic relations, the time has come for Nepal to show its strong solidarity with the genuine cause of Israel in the international forum

By Keshab Poudel Jun 09, 2020

UPPER TAMAKOSI As If No Lockdown

As the country is under lockdown, Upper Tamakosi Project has completed one of the most difficult parts of the work, that is, installing the penstock pipe in lower vertical shaft. Constructed under Nepali investment and supervision by technicians of Nepal Electricity Authority, the construction work of 456 MW project is in full swing, awaiting completion by 2020

By Keshab Poudel Jun 07, 2020

PM OLI Under Nationalist Guard

Clever and cunning, prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli knocked out his opponents using the slogan of publication of new map

By Keshab Poudel Jun 06, 2020

NEPAL-INDIA Bonds Across Border

Nepal-India relations are unique and complex. There have been many ups and downs at the official level, from time to time, but the relations at the people-to-people level have remained intact. Despite the politicization of the sensitive border issue by individuals at the state level, social, cultural and religious linkages continue to stand strong

By Keshab Poudel May 30, 2020

LIPULEK BORDER ISSUE Street Diplomacy

Nepali power circles have always raised the sensitive border issue on the street rather than taking it up quietly at the negotiations table

By Keshab Poudel May 16, 2020

DR. BADRI RAJ PANDE Health Sector Pillar

Starting in 1951, with high maternal and infant mortality rates, when the life expectancy hovered around 30 years, Nepal has drastically improved its health system. Mortality rates have gone down and life expectancy has crossed over 70. Dr. Badri Raj Pande, son of renowned scholar late Rudra Raj Pande, has seen all this change through the lens of a patient, practicing doctor and policy maker. A founding member of Nepal Family Association, Dr. Pande has seen epidemics, cholera, malaria, typhoid and polio, among various seasons of flu, including the present pandemic caused by neo-coronavirus. As the global community, including Nepal, wages a war to contain coronavirus, Dr. Pande is observing all this from his Maharajgunj house. Dr. Pande, 85, has shared his experiences and observations here

By Keshab Poudel May 08, 2020

NEPAL-INDIA RELATIONS Rhetoric and Reality

From unitary monarchy state, Nepal is now federal democratic republic. What Nepal is unable to do is to build the relations of trust

By Keshab Poudel Mar 14, 2020

YOGENDRA SAKYA: Hotel Ambassador And Story Of Three Generations

Born in a house of Kathmandu’s renowned jeweler late Basanta Bahadur Sakya, who switched to hotel business giving up his traditional jewelry business of inheritance, hotelier Yogendra Sakya, 65, has seen many changes in his lifetime but he has been able to overcome all the challenges. Inherited from his father late Sakya, founder of Hotel Ambassador, Yogendra Sakya, chairman of Ace Hotels, continues to drive his venture successfully luring his son Rahul Sakya in the business as the third generation in the row. As the world’s economy, particularly tourism sector, has been shaken badly by the spread of new deadly coronavirus, he recalled the story of late Shree Basanta Bahadur Sakya and Hotel Ambassador of resilience, change, opportunity to bounce back and the 3rd generation

By Keshab Poudel Mar 13, 2020

NARAYAN PRASAD ARJAL Order Of Rising Sun

Although senior bureaucrat and former ambassador of Nepal to Japan Narayan Prasad Arjal has immensely contributed to Nepal’s development and progress, only a few from younger generation of civil servants know about this. In his entire career span in civil service over 22 years, 87-year-old Arjal, a living genius of Nepal, worked in various ministries and departments. Retired about 40 years ago following the completion of his tenure as secretary and ambassador to Japan twenty years ago, Arjal has been living in his own healthy lifestyle with the family. With the announcement of Government of Japan to confer him with Order of the Rising Sun for his contribution to strengthening Nepal-Japan relations, Arjal's isolation has got a break

By Keshab Poudel Feb 25, 2020

PM OLI’s Two Years Getting Established

With growing concerns about weak health, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli completed his second year in the government with firm control in party and cabinet. How will he carry this political gain forward remains to be seen

By Keshab Poudel Feb 23, 2020

Nepal Army Day: Remembering Glory

By Keshab Poudel Feb 23, 2020

NEPAL ARMY DAY Sacrifice To Remember

With more than 300 years of glorious history and remarkable achievement in nation building, Nepal Army, the country’s oldest institution defending sovereignty and integrity of Nepal, celebrated the Army Day by demonstrating its modern capacity in disaster management, global peace building and institutional preparedness. Having gone through many upheavals, Nepal Army stands as an organization with highly competent human resources equipped with lots of international exposure

By Keshab Poudel Feb 22, 2020

MCC Is In Nepal’s National Interest: PM Oli

By Keshab Poudel Feb 04, 2020

NCP POLITICS Battle Royale

Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has given in to co-chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal while choosing the nominee for the post of new speaker

By Keshab Poudel Jan 24, 2020

“Nepal Government, Traders Had Interests Converging On Palm Oil “ Dr. Posh Raj Pandey

With the imposition of restriction by India on the imports of Palm oil from Nepal, there is a hue and cry from a group of exporters. Having more than 25 years of experience of working on the issue of trade, renowned trade expert Dr. POSH RAJ PANDEY, who is the Chairman at South Asia Watch on Trade Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), a consortium of South Asian NGOs, spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on the implication of Nepal’s trade with India. Excerpts: