Diplomat-poet spearheads three new initiatives to boost Indo-Nepal cultural ties

Kathmandu (Nepal), April 23 (ANI): A number of initiatives have been launched recently to boost cultural ties between India and Nepal. Credit for these initiatives goes to diplomat-poet Abhay Kumar, who as the secretary of the B.P. Koirala India Nepal Foundation, has come up with three innovative monthly programmes - (1) Conversations (2) Poemandu and (3) Cinemandu. All three programmes are aimed at promoting Nepali art, literature, music and films, and to provide platform for the younger generation of Nepal to share their ideas, experiences and stories. The Conversations platform was started by the B.P. Koirala India Nepal Foundation from January 2013 to develop a literary hub in Kathmandu at the Nepal-Bharat Library where the Nepali writers and readers could gather to learn from each other. The first edition of Conversations had eminent Nepali authors Krishna Dharawasi and Amar Neupane, who spoke on Mr. Neupane's critically acclaimed volume 'Seto Dharti'. Both speakers are recipients of Nepal's highest literary award-Madan Puruskar. Similarly, the second edition of Conversations had author Sheeba Shivangini Shah speaking with Saguna Shah, who heads 'bookaholics' an online book talk forum. Ms. Saguna Shah spoke on Ms. Sheeba Shivangini Shah's all three volumes - The Loyals of the Crown, Facing My Phantoms and Beyond the Illusions. The third edition of Conversations that took place in March had prominent filmmaker, poet and lyricist Prakash Sayami in conversation with Ghazal maestro of Nepal Prof. Sanat Kumar Wasti. Both of them spoke on Sayami's popular book 'Barsati Dinharu' and also spoke on Sayami's writing and film-making career. For this month of April, Conversations will be featuring Dr. Sanjeev Uprety, author of the popular novel Ghanchakkar in conversation with Prof. Abhi Subedi. This initiative has become widely popular in Kathmandu. The launching of Poemandu was done on March 21, 2013 on the occasion of the World Poetry Day. Many poets of Nepal despite having so much potential remain behind the scene for there are not many platforms where they can gather to recite their beautiful verses. In order to bring them together, B.P.Koirala India Nepal Foundation and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu started the monthly poetry recitation programme from March this year. The launching ceremony was graced and inaugurated by the National Poet of Nepal Mr. Madhav Prasad Ghimire and Chancellor of Nepal Academy Mr. Bairangi Kainla. Thirty poets of Nepal participated in the recitation during the launching ceremony which included Mr. Dubasu Chhetri, Mr. Yuyustu RD Sharma, Mr. Rajendra Salabh and Ms. Momila Joshi among many others. The beauty of this launching ceremony was that poetry recitations were in several languages- from Nepali to Hindi, Newari, Maithili, English, Awadhi, Urdu and Bhojpuri. The second edition of Poemandu is taking place on 25th of April, 2013 and will have the Nepali journalist-poets reciting their poems at the Nepal Bharat Library, Sundhara. Among all these three initiatives by B.P. Koirala India Nepal Foundation and Indian Embassy, Cinemandu is the most fresh idea.With Nepali film fraternity progressively marching ahead, a new generation of filmmakers and actors are working extensively to give Nepali film industry a niche of its own. The screening and re-screening of notable Nepali films, with their cast and crew allows the audience to interact with them. The first film to be screened under Cinemandu was Nepali blockbuster film Loot on 12th April. Highway will be the next film to be screened on 10th May under CInemandu banner. All these three events are completely free for the audience. (ANI)