Ram Chandra who?

Mishra's political philosophy and foresight were remarkable. He was a republican long before the Maoists. Twenty-five years before the Madhes movement, and before people like Mahant Thakur left the NC, Mishra had sacrificed a national party for a regional outfit. He showed how democracy, nationalism, and commitment to the Madhes could co-exist.

Prashant Jha writes about a forgotten Madhesi leader >>

“My mind is like a spin-dryer at full speed, my thoughts fly around my skull while millions of beautiful words cascade down in my lap,” he told The Observer of London in 1987. “Images gunfire across my consciousness and while trying to discipline them I jump in awe at the soul-filled bounty of my mind’s expanse.”

-nolan

Ramesh Bikal Passes

One of Nepal's better known and "progressive" writer has passed away...I remember reading Footpath Minister, about the cliques of street children, and Lahuri Bhainsi. I think he wrote the first and only children's science fiction novel that I've read - Bikram ra usko antariksha yaan.  The story goes something like this, as far as I can recall, read it more than fifteen years ago: Bikram and his friend secretely build a space ship in the woods in their village. And one day they take off. They land in a faraway planet. I think there is civil war there, the bad side has won, temporarily. The aliens are quite advanced scientifically,  they're on a different plane altogether. However, they express admiration for progress in "arts" that the humans have made. Bikram and his buddy help defeat the baddies swishing around in flying machines. After the good side's victory the kids return home with stories to find out that, to their astonishment, barely a day has passed in Nepal. 

here's  links to the obituary:

http://gorkhapatra.org.np/gopa.detail.php?article_id=11698&cat_id=14

 http://gorkhapatra.org.np/rising.detail.php?article_id=11665&cat_id=4

A Hero’s Death

Fifteen years ago, Madan Bhandari died in a car accident. His driver was shot dead immediately after his release when they were rumors that he was going to come out with some ‘shocking’ revelation. The UML, who won the elections, by making his death a national agenda, did not do anything to my knowledge to investigate and punish whoever was responsible. Now the UML has been trashed in the elections, it cadres are disillusioned, and a rift is becoming apparent within the party. Perhaps recalling for an investigation and reevaluating his philosophy would inject some life back into the party.

Said noted Indian communist leader Vinod Misha of Madan Bhandari in his essay “A Death Heavier than the Himalayas”
…the communist movement needed a theoretician who could integrate the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete conditions of Nepal; the democratic movement of Nepal demanded a leader who could fearlessly uphold the banner of consistent democracy; and the Nepalese nation wanted national figures who could boldly champion the national interests and aspirations of Nepal. In Comrade Madan Bhandari, all the three requirements found a unified answer and herein lay his unique contribution.

Pradip Gyawali’s also pays tribute to the great leader in a Kantipur columm today. And an article on Himal Khabarpatrika on the changing leadership structure of UML.

Rest In Peace, Madan Bhandari.