Supercomputer making inroads to Nepal

A supercomputer will soon make its way to Nepal. The supercomputer, first of its kind, is to be brought into the country from India.

"The supercomputer is expected to arrive in the capital within next two months," Mahesh Man Shrestha, Secretary at the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), told The Kathmandu Post.

Shrestha added that the supercomputer would be coming to Nepal from India as per the Programme of Co-operation signed between the ministries of both the countries in the field of science and technology. However, he did not give details about the type of supercomputer. "We still do not know the details about its type," said Shrestha.

Supercomputer is a highly powerful computer for processing a large number of data, in specific numerical prediction. It is basically useful for research works. The necessary training required to operate the computer will be provided by India.

The supercomputer would be accessible to all. It will be used in areas like forestry, agriculture, research on physics, biology, remote sensing and during the national census. However, it is still not clear on where the computer will be kept.

"Specifically the computer would be used by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology for weather predictions," said Shrestha. Quick information processing with accuracy will be achieved through the use of the supercomputer. "After link up with the Indian satellite (INSAT) the supercomputer will be useful providing better, accurate and up-to-date weather forecasting."

However, scientists fear that the supercomputer might end up like giving a laptop to a rural kid.
"A lot of homework needs to be done so that optimal results are gained," said Rishi Shah, a senior scientist. " It cannot just be stacked away somewhere."

"The supercomputer is arriving soon, therefore the Ministry must devise a plan for training manpower required for that," added Shah. "For optimum utilisation of the computer, arrangement have to be made," said Shrestha.

It is worth noting that the present technological manpower in Nepal is still in young stage. And it has not been many years when Nepal produced its first batch of IT graduates. Moreover, the IT postgraduates are yet to pass out from the Tribhuvan University.

Lochan Lal Shrestha, Presidetnt of Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) said that the necessary software also needs to come with the supercomputer. "For day to day maintenance of the computer, enhancement training for the existing manpower is also necessary," he added. "Supercomputer is a matter of pride for Nepal which will help boost the Nepali IT industry."

Nepali journalist wins international award

A "Youth Reporter award" for journalists under the age of 21 has gone to Ms Suvecha Pant from Nepal for her article "Arsenic free water a distant dream for villagers".

The WASH Media Award was established by the WSSCC in 2002 to encourage and promote investigative reporting on water, sanitation and hygiene issues by developing country journalists. An international panel of judges evaluated more than 100 entries from print, radio and TV journalists from over 40 countries.

Egyptian journalist Nadia El-Awady has won the first ever WASH Media Award for an article that illustrates the impact of industrial pollution, sewage and waste on people’s health and dignity along the River Nile.

The "Trachoma Media award", sponsored by the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) for reporting on trachoma-related issues, was awarded to Ms. Agatha Anthony Mshanga from Television Tanzania (TVT) for her TV documentation "The Trachoma Challenge in Dodoma Rural". Trachoma is a serious bacterial eye infection that can be waterborne.

The international panel of judges consisted of Mr Geoffrey Lean (UNEP‘s Our Planet, UK), Mr Nalaka Gunawardene (TVE Asia Pacific, Sri Lanka), Mr Robert Lamb (TVE/BBC Earth Report, UK), Mr Victor Bacchetta (Freelance journalist, Uruguay), Ms Claudia Mazzeo (Freelance journalist, Argentina) and Mr Seidick Abba (Panapress News Agency, Senegal). The panel was looking for originality of subject, quality of treatment and content, quality of investigation and research, the relevance of WASH issues and potential public impact.

As a result of the high quality of entries, WSSCC has decided to give Certificates of Appreciation to a further six journalists. They are: Mrs Yvonne Raharimanga from Madagascar (Radio feature “L’eau: garante de la santé publique et du développement durable” - “Water: guarantee for public health and sustainable development”), Mr Sergio Márquez from Mexico (“Las Dudas de Arcediano” - "Arcediano's doubts"), Ms Lina Samko from Russia (“To drink, or not to drink?”), Dr Asha Krishnakumar from India ("A Sanitation Emergency"), Mr Joachim Ezeji from Nigeria ("Nigeria and sustainable water development"), Mr Takawira Musara from Zimbabwe (“Disaster looms at Porta Farm”) and Mr Rene Ezpeleta Bartolo from the Philippines (“A River of Liquid Life”).

Through my eyes

Through my eyes

Preserving Nepali culture down under

MELBOURNE, Australia, March 24 - They have grown up with Aussie style barbecues and yet they play holi with equal vigor. The second generation Nepalis who have grown up here – now in their 20s – have not forgotten their culture and heritage.

"I think we have the best of both worlds," says Saurabh Sapkota, who has been living in Sydney since he was five years old. The 22-year old understands the importance of his Nepali heritage

"We are in a position to take the best of our Nepali values and combine it with the modern values of western thought," he says. Although, Sapkota has not visited Nepal since his arrival in Sydney, he speaks fluent Nepali.

Core values are being preserved in the Non-Resident Nepalese (NRN) families throughout Australia. This has all been possible thanks to the environment the first settlers have maintained at home.

Most second generation NRNs have grown up with the sound of bells from puja in the morning, speak Nepali at home and celebrate all the religious functions. "My mom does puja every morning, we celebrate Dasain and Tihar," says Anish Aryal of Sydney.

Aryal organised a successful holi celebration for the second time last Saturday. "I believe I am every much Nepali as I am an Australian," he says. The 26 years old left Nepal when he was five years old, has lived in Sydney for the past 12 years. However, his parents have maintained Nepali culture at home that has helped shape them into proud Nepali-Australians. The number of Nepalis in Australia is nearly 20,000.

Often, these NRNs have been brought up with values, which are even conservative by present-day Nepal standards. "People think that because we live in Australia we are modern, I can tell you that youngsters in Nepal seem more modern then we are," says 16 years old Akriti Shrestha.

Sure, this generation of Nepalis have grown up with the heritage their parents brought with them to Australia. But what about the next generation?

Ashish Pradhan, who has lived in Sydney since he was nine years old, believes that there is a need to develop schools and cultural institutes to teach the Nepali heritage to children. "We learnt from our parents but generations after us need someone to teach them."

Pradhan adds such places of learning need to be well structured like many other multicultural communities that form Australia. "There needs to be proper teachers and a strong commitment to such facilities," he says.

Pradhan, who doesn’t speak Nepali, says that if there had been schools when he grew up he might have learnt the language. But, then he also adds, "I think learning depends on the individual. My friends speak Nepali."

Heaven of religious harmony

It was a couple of years ago. I was explaining Nepal to an Australian friend when he asked me a question that took me off guard. He said, ‘What religion are you?’. To which I replied: ‘Hindu and I also added that Nepal was the only Hindu country in the world.’ But then he retorted with this statement; ‘Are not Buddhism and Hinduism separate religions? If Buddha was born in Nepal, how come Nepal is a Hindu kingdom, shouldn’t it be a Buddhist one? Shouldn’t you be a Buddhist? All these questions were unexpected and it took me a long time to understand them. That day I tried to explain to him the reason of this and, as I failed to give him a suitable explanation, I left many questions unanswered. It was when I went home that I really started to think about this fact. Although I was a Hindu, I still worshipped Buddha and it had never occurred to me that, in the eyes of the world, these were two different religions.

The way in which each citizen of Nepal has managed to live peacefully blended by the history of Hinduism and Buddhism is an example that many countries could follow. Nepal is the only country in the world in which two great religions maintain harmony. Temples and monasteries are side-by-side, Buddha shrines and Shiva lingams are seen inches apart, all speak of a wonderful religious tolerance. No iconoclasm has defaced the rich religious art of this country situated on the laps of the Himalayas.

Nepal stretches from the Himalayas. The holy books still mention that the majestic peaks, where the wife of Lord Shiva (one of the great gods who Hindus worship), Parvati was born. Hindu religious books mention many rishis traveled to the Himalayas to meditate and seek enlightenment. In fact, Hindus travel from far across the world just to visit Pashupatinath, the temple of Lord Shiva and various other holy places to purify themselves from evil.

In the terai is the place of Janakpur, where Sita was born. The Ramayana mentions that Lord Ram married Sita. She is taken as an ideal for Hindu women as she depicts the image of a good daughter, daughter-in-law, wife and mother. For Hindus to worship Sita is equal to worshipping Lord Ram and while enchanting prayers they mention SitaRam as one. In Lumbini, Siddhartha Gautam was born and he later became known to all as Lord Buddha. Buddhists around the world dream of coming to Lumbini because for them it is like Mecca for Muslims, Jerusalem for Christians and Banaras for Hindus.

Once upon a time, Kathmandu valley was a lake, considered very holy. One day suddenly a brilliant flame emerged from a flower in its centre. It was no ordinary flower as it shone with gold and precious stone. The flame burnt brighter than the sun was recognized as the miraculous manifestation of Adi-Buddha. As the legend tells, it is believed that the water was drained out of the lake and the sacred lotus still aflame metamorphosed into what is now Swayambhu hill. A large stupa was built on top of this hill dedicated to Lord Buddha and exists in Kathmandu as Swayambhu. Swayambhu’s eyes silently watch Kathmandu valley bringing such peace to the surroundings. While the shrine of Lord Buddha lies on the top of the hill, it is with stark contrast that the Hindu temple of Saraswati (a goddess who is the symbol of education) is situated nearby and yet they seem to belong to each other. Many Nepalese who come to this sacred place visit both the shrine and the temple without a second thought. This is a beautiful example of how Buddhism intermingles with Hinduism to form a place where both live together in peace.

The Newari, Brahmin, Chettri, Sherpa, Gurung, Magar community of Nepal share a strong mix of both religions in their lives and celebrate each religious event with equal importance. People of Patan take out the Machendranath Yatra and although this goddess, Machendranath, is a symbol of Buddhism, it is Hindus who take out this procession. They worship her for she is known to keep peace in the city and also keep the rains away at the end of the monsoons.

There are many other religious places in Nepal and each seems to have a story of its own. What seems to strike many travelers as remarkable is the way in which all these different stories make a book named Nepal. If you read about the many different cultures and traditions it might seem impossible for such a country to be peaceful but it is when a person visits Nepal that he/she realises how they all combine together to become one. I think a Nepali has never thought why a Hindu visits Buddhist shrines or vice versa, because for us it has just been blended into our lifestyle from way back in history.

Nepal has given birth to its people who are soaked with both Buddhist and Hindu teachings. It is perhaps this reason why Lord Buddha, Sita and Parvati were born in Nepal as this country finds no difference between the two religions. Even in the holy books of both religions, Hinduism and Buddhism have been mixed into each other. In Hinduism, the ninth incarnation of Lord Shiva can be seen in daily worship and religious writings. It could be because of such reasons through the course of time, both religions have molded into the lives of Nepalese and turned into their unique identity.

Whatever the case, Nepal from east to west is dotted with temples and shrines and, for the Nepalese, Buddhism and Hinduism are the two pillars of one structure. I now have the answer to that person who questioned me, it is with confidence I say that we Nepalese do not distinguish between a Hindu and a Buddhist, as both are evident in our temples, shrines, lifestyle, religious life, culture and traditions. Majorities of the Nepalese are sometimes Hindus and sometimes Buddhists but most of the time we are both.

High-tech Nepali lab manufacturing IOL

“I waited for a whole year so I could have my operation done by the doctors from Nepal,” said 80 years old Begum of Tangail in Bangladesh during a cataract eye camp. There is no doubt. Tilganga Eye Centre of Kathmandu, Nepal is the leader in blindness prevention in the region.

Inside Nepal, Tilganga is the centre of excellence. Every year at the Tilganga Eye Centre around 100,000 patients with cataract problems are implanted with IOL. Cataracts are treated by implantation of the Intraocular Lens (IOL) through surgery. However, very few might know that the IOL used for cataract surgery is in fact made at the Fred Hollows Foundation IOL Lab in the Tilganga Eye Centre. When one at first visits the Tilganga Eye Centre, it is hard to believe that inside the building lies a state of the art, high-tech lab – the best in the country and in South Asia. Certified by a handful of quality control agencies like ISO 9002 across the globe, it is clearly the prize scientific laboratories in Nepal.

Mainly established for service purposes the laboratory is capable to produce around 1500 lenses everyday. At first, Tilganga manufactured only 33,000 lenses a year but now the lab has a capability of to produce up to 350,000 each year. "From the very beginning we focused on low cost high quality production," said Dr Sandruik, Medical Director of Tilganga. Furthermore, all the technicians involved in the manufacturing process are Nepalese. According to Rabindra Kumar Shrestha, Engineer of the lab, the lenses produced by Nepalese technicians are exported to more than fifty countries. "And the demand is increasing," adds Shrestha.

The centre exports IOLs mostly to developing countries of Latin America, South Asia, South-East Asia, Africa and South Africa. Pleased with the development of the Centre Dr. Ruit said, "In the beginning we suffered a lot while establishing this high-tech manufacturing laboratory because it was a new technology and there was no way to compromise in quality."

Around a decade ago a lens used to cost about 4 to 5 thousand, which has now been lowered to 6 Australian dollars in the Nepalese market, however, the exporting rate is around 8 Australian dollars. Before this IOL implants were only limited to the rich and high-class families. The poor and lower class families had to manage with thick power glasses. But now over 99 percent of the cataract patients are implanted with the IOL lens in Nepal.

The implantation of the lens takes around 10 minutes. And a patient can see within 24 hours. Dr. Ruit has in one day planted the lens in more than 100 patients, while at various eye camps in different districts. Other than eye services within the valley Tilganga also organises eye camps in various remote hilly districts from time to time. Similarly, the centre donates around 4000 lens to various eye centres of remote villages each year.

However, there is still a long way to go. With new doctors being trained overseas like Dr Suman Thapa, the only glaucoma specialist in Nepal who trained in Australia, the legacy of Dr Ruit will continue. The Nepal Eye Glaucoma Clinic, the first ever in the country, will soon be built in Tilganga and a group of Australians a re working hard to raise the money. With these initiations, within the next 10 years the field of eye care in Nepal will match that of the world.

HIV infected women’s exquisite wares

Women may be vulnerable but not weak. This was the slogan under which women infected and affected by HIV/AIDS displayed their works at an exhibition today to mark International Women’s Day 2004

Sneha support group of women and children afflicted by HIV and AIDS, which organized the fair, brought together representatives of the support group from various parts of the country, including Hetauda, Makawanpur, Nawalparasi and Butawal. The major objective of the event was to create awareness about women living with and suffering from HIV/AIDS.

The occasion was not only an opportunity for these women to put up displays of their works but also to sell them. The items displayed at the fair were made by the women themselves and also included candles made by women addicted to drugs.

Moreover, the exhibition provided a forum for these women to interact with concerned agencies. These dialogues may lead to additional support to the ongoing efforts being made by the Sneha group and its district representatives.

Tshering Sherpa, founding member of the Sneha support group, said, “This will also boost their morale to carry on with the battle they are fighting against HIV/AIDS,” adding that the women had been preparing for the event for the past four months.

“The proceeds from the sale will be put aside as an emergency fund for the treatment of women and children infected by HIV/AIDS,” she informed.

Chautari Nepal, another organization formed by the wives of men who are intravenous drug users (IDUs), also put up display items ranging from sweaters to decorative items. The organization produces handicraft goods on a small scale.

“We only make goods that are ordered by our customers,” said a member of Chautari Nepal, requesting anonymity. She added that the business was difficult as the women had neither sewing machines nor financial resources to purchase the necessary raw materials.

“If this business can be continued, then I believe that women can make a good enough living,” she said.

Another fair participant was the recently established Chitawan Positive Group, which displayed cloth paintings. There are 11 women who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in this group. “The women are eager to learn the skills, but it’s difficult for them to even buy the cloth required for painting,” said a member of the group.

Jyoti Punar Jeevan Group, from Hetauda, is also going through the same dilemma. “We don’t get returns according to the hard work that we have to put in. We are especially facing difficulty marketing our products,” said a member of the group.

On a more optimistic note, a member of Makawanpur Women’s Group said that using these skills had given hope to women. “We are just beginning, and we must not be discouraged,” she said, adding, “instead of having to resort to hard labor, we can easily work at home and earn some money.”

This women’s group, consisting of 17 infected and affected members, mainly produce Nepali paper files, envelopes and paper. They also sell packed spices, which is exported overseas, mainly to India. Sneha has 23 members in its support group in Kathmandu and 5 members from outside the valley

Meanwhile, artists associated with Sahara Arts also portrayed beautiful paintings of Nepal’s scenery, the conflict that is tearing the nation apart and the AIDs symbol at the exhibition. The paintings were signed by people living with HIV/AIDS.

Indigenous technology in South Asia

Check this out:

I submitted a paper on the importance of indigenous technology for poverty alleviation in the South Asian Region. It highlights the importance of preserving our indigenous culture, some which have been handed down to us for thousands of years. I have also written a research jest which was published recently by a study in Nepal. It is quite interesting.

Paper presentation at ITDG Conference entitled " Improved indigenous technology for poverty alleviation". South Asia conference on "Technology for Poverty Reduction", held at the British Council in Delhi, India, on 10th & 11th of October 2003. Organised by the India Development Group (IDG), Rural Development Policy Institute (RDPI) Islamabad and Intermediate Technology Development Group-South Asia (ITDG-South Asia). The link is as follows:

http://www.itdg.org/docs/region_south_asia/session3_suvecha_pant_presentation.pdf