Professor of Social Anthropology and a Fellow of All Souls College in the University of Oxford, DR DAVID GELLNER, has carried out anthropological research in Nepal since 1982. His two monographs on Buddhism in Nepal are Monk, Householder, and Tantric Priest: Newar Buddhism and its Hierarchy of Ritual (CUP, 1992) and (with Sarah LeVine)Rebuilding Buddhism: The Theravada Movement in Twentieth-Century Nepal (Harvard, 2005). A collection of his essays, The Anthropology of Buddhism and Hinduism: Weberian Themes was published by OUP in 2001. He spoke to SOUTH ASIA TIME on the significance of Guthi system in Nepal and recent controversy regarding the bill (which has now been withdrawn by the Nepal government). Excerpts of the interview:
By NEW SPOTLIGHT ONLINE Jun 23, 2019
At a time when Nepal is working to woo the investors from the Republic of Korea, Ambassador of Republic of Korea to Nepal Park Young-sik spoke to New Spotlight on various issues regarding the present state of Nepal and Korea Relations. Excerpts:
By A Correspondent May 27, 2019
As Nepal is celebrting May Day organising various programs Annette Schlicht, Resident Representative of Friedrich Ebert Foundation Nepal spoke to New Spotlight on various labor related issues. Excerpts:
By A Correspondent May 05, 2019
At a time when Nepal has been launching national campaign for quality population extending safe delivery health centers with skilled birth attendant, One Heart World-Wide, a United States based INGOs has been supporting to Nepal’s priority sector establishing safe health centers. If Nepal needs to reduce maternal mortality and infant mortality, there need to have programs for safe pregnancies and healthy babies. ARLENE SAMEN, APRN, president and founder of One Heart World-Wide, who recently visited Nepal, spoke to NEW SPOTLIGHT on various issues regarding the organizations. Excerpts:
By NEW SPOTLIGHT ONLINE Apr 15, 2019
Former director General of Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DoHM) DR. RISHI RAM SHARMA is a well known meteorologist having a long experience working in the sector. After almost five years working as a Director General of DoHM, Dr. Sharma has been transferred to Water and Energy Commission secretariat recently. Following the deadly storm in Bara and Parsa, there is a growing debate over whether DoHM is capable enough to predict or preempt this kind of phenomenon in future, Dr. Sharma spoke to NEW SPOTLIGHT On various issues. Excerpts:
By A Correspondent Apr 03, 2019
As Nepal has been passing through a political crisis and facing severe economic challenges, former finance minister and leader of Nepali Congress DR.RAM SHARAN MAHAT spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on various contemporary issues. Excerpts:
By Keshab Poudel Mar 29, 2019
Dr. Christian Wagner is a senior fellow on Asia Division at German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), which primarily advises in decision-making on international politics and foreign and security policy to the German government and Bundestag. He has been involved in research on security and strategic affairs of South Asia. Probably one of the best known researchers on South Asia and Nepal in Germany, he spoke on a wide range of issues, including Nepal’s geo-political challenges, impact of China and India’s rivalry in South Asia, the way ahead of Nepalese federalism and experiences with our special representative, Lekhanath Pandey— Lecturer of Tribhuvan University, Nepal and Research Fellow of Humboldt University, Berlin— at SWP headquarters in Berlin, Germany. Excerpt:
By Lekhanath Pandey Mar 26, 2019
As Nepal is passing through a major phase of political and economic transformation, NEW SPOTLIGHT has interviewed FARIS HADAD-ZERVOS, the country manager of the World Bank, Nepal Office, on a wide range of issues related to economy and development. Known for his intensive international experience, Hadad-Zervos, a US national, had joined the World Bank in 1996 in the Private Sector Development Department. He served as Head of Mission for Iraq (2003-2005), Operations Manager for the West Bank and Gaza (2005-2008), and Country Manager for Bolivia (2012-2015) before taking a leave of absence from the World Bank to serve as the Deputy Head of the Quartet Office for the Middle East Peace Process, based in Jerusalem. Hadad-Zervos holds a Master's Degree in Economics from George Mason University, and a Master's Degree in Finance from George Washington University. The full text of his written interview follows:
By NEW SPOTLIGHT ONLINE Feb 21, 2019
SARVENDRA NATH SHUKLA, former minister and leader of Rashtriya Janta Party-Nepal, is a well established veteran politician from Madhesh. Having secured victory several times in the national parliament from Rupandehi district, Shukla, who is now a key figure of Madhesh based RJP-Nepal, spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on various contemporary political issue. Excerpts:
By Keshab Poudel Feb 16, 2019
Visiting Nepal several times in the past few years and travelling to different parts of the country to see the projects supported and funded by Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Rev. Dr. Y. Franklin Ishida, Director, Asian and the Pacific Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, was in Nepal recently. Rev. Dr. Ishida spoke to New Spotlight on various issues regarding ELCA's supported programs and projects. Excerpts:
By NEW SPOTLIGHT ONLINE Feb 15, 2019
CHRIS TWEEDALE, the Chief Executive of GEP Academies and a Consultant to the British Council, gave an informative presentation about the importance of teacher training and improving school leadership development in Nepal at the Education Symposium on 14 January 2019. With 28 years of teaching experience and posts within the UK Government to advise school policy and development, including in the British Council where he has worked with them for over six years, Tweedale spoke with SAIMA PUN about why the British Council’s Education Symposium is significant for Nepal.
By Saima Pun Jan 26, 2019
WENDY MARSTON BEM, Co-Founder and Advisor of Burns Violence Survivors (BVS) Nepal, the only organisation in the country dedicated to supporting burn victims, has been helping this cause for more than a decade before BVS was established in 2008. Mrs Marston sat down with SAIMA PUN to talk about how she came to settle down in Nepal and her work of helping Nepalis in desperate need of burn support.
By Saima Pun Jan 26, 2019
VALERIE JULLIAND, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and recent United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative in Nepal, has been working in the country since July 2016 overseeing the work of the various UN agencies in Nepal. Julliand sat down with SAIMA PUN at the UN House to discuss the United Nation’s involvement in supporting Nepal’s development.
By Saima Pun Jan 14, 2019
Bimal Acharya, a young and dynamic Mayor of Mechinagar Municipality of Jhapa District, is committed to bringing transformation in his area, which has been restructured recently with several Village Development Committees of the past falling under his jurisdiction. Mayor Acharya, a young leader of Nepali Congress, spoke to New Spotlight on various issues related to the local governance. Excerpts:
By Keshab Poudel Jan 12, 2019
Twenty American Peace Corps Volunteers, the first since the organization suspended its operations in Nepal in 2004, are back again. As this year marks the 50th anniversary since the Peace Corps arrived in Nepal in 1962, former Peace Corps Volunteer SCOTT SKINNER spoke to KESHAB POUDEL about his experiences and contributions in Nepal. Skinner served in Nepal between 1962 to L964 and visited the country frequently. Excerpts:
By NEW SPOTLIGHT ONLINE Dec 21, 2018
VERONICA CODY, the European Union Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Nepal, assumed her current role in Nepal from September 2017 and has been working with the European Union for 25 years where she has held a number of significant positions as a diplomat in that time. Ambassador Cody met with SAIMA PUN at the EU’s Office to discuss the European Union and Nepal’s extensive development partnership and relationship.
By Saima Pun Dec 20, 2018
Although he also served as an assistant minister at the center and got elected to the central parliament, the Mayor of Baitadi Municipality, Keshab Bahadur Chand, chose to contest the election in his local municipality. Chand, who secured victory as the mayor from Nepali Congress, finds there is more work here to complete. Under the new constitution and act, the mayor of municipality’s exercises more authority than the minister of the center. Chand spoke to KESHAB POUDEL at his office in the Patan Municipality of Baitadi district, reverently about the function and power of municipality. Excerpts:
By Keshab Poudel Dec 09, 2018
International Organization of Migration, UN Migration Agency Nepal, has been supporting Nepal in various sectors related to migration. Paul I. Norton, Chief of Mission, International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Migration Agency, Nepal, spoke to New Spotlight on various issues.
By A Correspondent Nov 19, 2018
Despite a decade after the emancipation of Haliyas, the government is yet to provide shelter and livelihood opportunities to all freed Haliyas. Gopi Mainali, Secretary of Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, spoke to NEW SPOTLIGHT on various issues regarding the programs. Excerpts:
By A Correspondent Nov 03, 2018