Petrol, diesel, electricity, hybrids. They are various forms of engines automobiles used to propel them forward. Few know that the first cars 150 years ago were actually battery-powered, but the Ford Model T overtook them. Ever since the first vehicles were carried over Chitlang pass to their Rana owners in Kathmandu in the early 1920s, Nepalis have been fascinated by the traditional internal combustion engine that burns some form of liquid fuel. But in the past five years, there has been a switch to battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs). Better range and lower cost due to tax rebates made Nepal the second country after Norway last year to adopt EVs. But there is another option for Nepal that predates the recent popularity of electric vehicles: hybrids. Early on, electric vehicles also faced a monumental challenge in Nepal to gain acceptance. Skepticism behind the technology was by far the biggest hurdle for the industry. People were not ready to adopt it and even if they did, it was a gamble because only a few knew how to maintain and repair such vehicles. Furthermore, there was zero charging infrastructure, and it was not feasible to travel long distances.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260319090316_6dcf0c22a1910ad99535fb8d177d43bfbd59254d540850d5730f9ce782c37a93.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20260319090316_6dcf0c22a1910ad99535fb8d177d43bfbd59254d540850d5730f9ce782c37a93" data-rendition-name="original" width="1250" height="829" loading="lazy" alt="hybrid cars in Nepal"></figure>  It was the excise tax cuts that made EVs affordable, and while the taxes have crept up over the years they still remain below that of traditional internal combustion engines. Newly-elected MP Swarnim Wagle, who is being touted as the RSP’s new finance minister said last week he wanted to bring down the taxes on petrol cars too. However, the taxes never came down for hybrid cars even though they position themselves as an alternative to petrol. The tax structure for hybrids is similar to traditional gasoline vehicles. As a result, most hybrids available command a steep starting price above Rs10 million. The smallest Toyota hybrid, the Yaris Cross, comes at Rs12.9 million. Toyota also sells the Corolla Cross and Rav4 hybrid. To be sure, hybrids have been around for 20 years, and this paper actually test-drove and reviewed the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius in 2013. Toyota brought an early gen Prius model back in 2007, and its owner Suryansh Vaidya of Toyota Nepal says the car is still running smoothly with over 85% battery health after all these years.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260319090316_8623eabd426e8b8a4d606c8cb7abe85b125a255d09158aa22b555b26b48401fd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20260319090316_8623eabd426e8b8a4d606c8cb7abe85b125a255d09158aa22b555b26b48401fd" data-rendition-name="original" width="1750" height="984" loading="lazy" alt="hybrid cars in Nepal"></figure>  Unlike internal combustion engines that solely rely on the combustion of a fuel to move the crankshaft and propel the car forward, or BEVs that solely rely on batteries to spin electric motors that then spin the wheels, hybrids usually have both. They mostly come equipped with a smaller sized battery pack and motor that is integrated into the output of a traditional gas engine. Over the years, hybrids have evolved and provide a number of advantages to traditional petrol and diesel cars such as better mileage and smoother ride handling as the tiny battery and electric motor. At lower speeds (and traffic) hybrids fully utilise its electric half, thereby saving fuel and providing better pickup. Hybrids have evolved in size and shape and have come to replace the much favoured gasoline engine vehicle in many countries globally. The market remains robust in Japan where nearly 30% of vehicles are hybrids and even USA has seen 7 million hybrids till date. There has been a wave of adoption hitting some European markets such as Switzerland and the Netherlands.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260319090316_2bdc91b607f7307e834a9bcd566f77e33120cb896d833c1c1479d9c0cfd0380b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20260319090316_2bdc91b607f7307e834a9bcd566f77e33120cb896d833c1c1479d9c0cfd0380b" data-rendition-name="original" width="1750" height="874" loading="lazy" alt="hybrid cars in Nepal"></figure>  ELECTRIC NEPAL However, Nepal has taken the EV road. And although this reduces the country’s petroleum imports, EV battery packs contain a lot of rare earth and other metals that if disposed haphazardly can be toxic. Most EV distributors claim their batteries will easily last a decade (or more) and provide an industry standard of eight years warranty. Both BYD and Deepal, among the top-selling EVs in Nepal, even provide extended warranties up to 10 and 11 years. Annie Gardner Vaidya from Vijay Motors, the importer of Subaru says the smaller hybrid batteries tend to last longer: up to 15 years. And this generally seems to be the case as unlike in EVs the on-board hybrid batteries rarely fully charge or fully drain and constantly operate in a safe middle-ground, dramatically reducing wear. Both the 2,000cc Subaru Forester and Crosstrek deliver between 14-16 km per litre with moderate driving. Whereas the 1,496cc Toyota Yaris Cross hybrid with a smaller engine claims a slightly higher mileage of 18-20kpl. “What hybrids gives you is almost unlimited range within Nepal with a much lower fuel cost with models that have a proven record in rough terrain,” says Annie Gardner Vaidya from Vijay Motors. In most countries, the general trend is that gasoline vehicles are the cheapest to purchase as they are easiest to mass produce and simplest in technology. Hybrids are the middle ground as they have both an engine and a battery, making their drivetrain slightly more complex. Hybrids are still cheaper than most EVs because the battery pack is much smaller. But EVs are the most expensive of the three, as the large battery pack contains expensive rare earth minerals. However, this chronology is not followed in Nepal. EVs vehicles are the cheapest, followed by traditional petrol and diesel cars, with hybrids generally being the most expensive. Taxes are to blame. Better, more favourable taxes and subsidies for the hybrids, just like their EV counterparts, would have been beneficial for the country in reducing petroleum imports as well as air pollution. “Where investments on the EV charging infrastructure had to start from scratch, hybrid technology would not have needed any because all they require is fueling up at any existing gas station,” explains Suryansh Vaidya at Toyota. “In fact, hybrids did not even have a learning curve from traditional petrol or diesel cars, unlike EV’s that need to be driven differently to maximise range and efficiency.” Despite being well acknowledged and proven worldwide, hybrids never found momentum in Nepal largely due to pricing, policy and timing. While hybrids arrived carrying the cost burden of both expensive petrol cars added to a complex electric drivetrain, government incentives quickly began to overwhelmingly favour battery-powered electric vehicles after the Covid pandemic. Import duties on EV fell sharply, making them dramatically affordable and offering better value for money for everyday consumers. Why spend 10 million when you could get a sleek EV for half that? Rising fuel prices and aggressive improvements and the rapid spread of charging infrastructure paved the way for quicker adoption. Slowly but surely, public perception in favour of EVs was building up. This left hybrids too expensive to compete with not just EVs, but against petrol cars. In Nepal’s context for cleaner and smarter mobility, hybrids did not fail due to weak technology, but because the market moved faster than their value proposition could keep up. As of 2026, besides Subaru and Toyota hybrids, cars like the BMW X5 (plug-in hybrid), BYD Shark (plug-in hybrid), GWM Tank 300 (hybrid), GWM Tank 500 (hybrid), Mitsubishi Outlander (plug-in hybrid), Nissan X-trail E-Power (series hybrid) and Suzuki’s Grand Vitara (hybrid) and Victoris (hybrid) are also available. But unless the new government changes the tax structure, all these names remain largely absent in Nepal. <h2>Hybrid types</h2>  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260319090316_1c7a2884549b6853351ea314146aae6814968387b9ad34b26082c0e9bc6e9f59.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20260319090316_1c7a2884549b6853351ea314146aae6814968387b9ad34b26082c0e9bc6e9f59" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="843" loading="lazy" alt="hybrid cars in Nepal"></figure>  A full hybrid contains both a gas engine and electric motor with a sizable battery that can alone drive the car. The battery is charged internally when the vehicle is in motion. A plug-in hybrid is just like a full hybrid with the only difference that you can actually plug the battery to charge it. A mild hybrid again follows the same principle of using both motor and battery, but due to the smaller size of the battery, it alone cannot drive the vehicle.  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260319090316_23309d735cc8b788dc1ce6605e3f37b0c20e0886874b0c4538b79a2fe685912d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20260319090316_23309d735cc8b788dc1ce6605e3f37b0c20e0886874b0c4538b79a2fe685912d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="844" loading="lazy" alt="hybrid cars in Nepal"></figure>  And then there are other variations to the system called series hybrid where petrol is actually used to operate an in-house generator that produces electricity, which then in return powers the car such as the newest generation of Nissan X-Trail in the Nepali market. And then finally come micro-hybrids that assist during ignition (auto on/off in traffic) and have some form of regenerative braking that captures the vehicle’s kinetic energy during deceleration to charge the on-board battery. Arnav Upadhyay is a content creator who reviews automobiles and promotes road safety on Youtube, Tiktok and IG under the handle Casually Annoyed Driver. This is his regular Drive Line column in Nepali Times.

Arnav Upadhyay

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High tax hinders hybrids

Transportation globally accounts for 7 billion metric tons of CO2 every year, and 75% of that comes from vehicles on the road. Replacing gas-guzzling vehicles is the shortcut to reducing a country’s carbon footprint. Nepal’s per capita petroleum consumption is so low that nothing we do is going to help much to save the planet. But reducing petrol, diesel and LPG use can save the country’s economy, since petroleum products make up nearly 25% of our imports. Nepal is hardly responsible for the buildup in atmospheric carbon leading to global warming, but is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate breakdown. In the past year, 14% of all vehicles sold around the world were battery-powered – up from only 4% four years ago. China is the biggest EV manufacturer, accounting for 60% of all EVs sold worldwide. One of the most remarkable shifts has actually happened here in Nepal. Of the nearly 18,000 vehicles imported in the past year, official records show that 12,000 were battery-powered. One big reason was the zero excise duty and only 10% custom duty in 2022, and last year the taxes were even less on EVs below 50kW. This was drastically lower than the 30-80% taxes on petrol and diesel cars. Taxes are higher on more powerful (and expensive) battery-powered SUVs. The Finance Ministry has always been ambivalent about EVs, fearing rising sales will eat into revenue from car and gas station taxes, forgetting that in the longterm battery vehicles will reduce petroleum imports. In a classic case of one step forward, two steps back, the budget by the previous government in June reinstated hefty taxes on EVs, despite a national commitment to make 20% of all vehicles electric by 2025. EVs use domestically-generated hydroelectricity of which there is a surplus, yet are punished. Despite the rapid rise in EV sales worldwide, growth has slowed. Mainly, this is because of range anxiety and long charging times, as well as the comparatively low resale value of battery-powered vehicles. A recent survey in the US and India of EV owners had more than half of them saying they were switching back to petrol. EVs use lithium ion batteries, and there are questions about the environmental cost of mining lithium, the difficulty in recycling and disposal of the cells, and the delays in using substitutes like sodium. Lithium is also seen as a stepping stone to solid state batteries, and green hydrogen fuel. <h2>HYBRID FUTURE</h2> This is where hybrids come in, as a compromise between fully battery-powered cars and those with internal combustion engines. Hybrid technology has been around much longer than modern EVs, and do not have the disadvantages mentioned above. Hybrids use a mixture of fossil fuels and electricity to power the vehicle, providing almost unlimited range. Hybrids have batteries to store regenerated energy and different hybrids obtain power in different ways. ‘Plug-in’ hybrids can be charged like an electric vehicle, while a conventional hybrid can use the vehicle’s kinetic energy while braking, or route unused engine power to charge the battery. Most hybrids sold in Nepal are conventional. Worldwide, hybrids make up about 10-12% of all cars sold. They are especially popular in Japan, with manufacturers like Toyota and Honda which pioneered the technology refusing to join the EV bandwagon 20 years ago. Toyota has a 1:6:90 study in which its engineers calculated that the raw materials and energy used to make one fully-electric vehicle could make six plug-in hybrids, or 90 conventional ones -- leading to drastically less emissions in the whole manufacturing and operational cycle. Despite the growth in EV sales, hybrid cars are rare in Nepal. Even Toyota’s popular Prius model never made inroads. Of the over 12,000 EVs Nepal imported last year, only 36 were petrol-electric or diesel-electric hybrids – despite the fact that hybrids are actually cheaper than full electric cars elsewhere. The main reason for this is that successive Nepali finance ministers in the past decade have put hybrids in the same tax bracket as petrol cars, slapping an 80% tariff on them. Price tags of hybrid SUVs available in Nepal are already high, and the tax pushes them into the high end of the market. The other reason is that the manufacturers themselves have in the past not trusted after-sales service for hybrids in Nepal, and not pushed them as much. The Chinese company BYD has the largest market share among EVs in Nepal. However, in China and globally, half the cars BYD makes are hybrids. We asked BYD Nepal’s Yamuna Shrestha why she is not promoting hybrids here. She answered simply: “Taxes.” <h2>SUBARU (Crosstrek)</h2> Subaru recently launched its Crosstrek Hybrid, and most of those who have bought it are doctors, businessmen, politicians, generals and traders who need to drive down to the border a lot. “We frequently hear from customers that they simply do not get tired driving our vehicles,” says Annie Gardner Vaidya of Vijay Motors, which sells the Subaru Crosstrek at its showroom in Gyaneswor. “Subaru has the highest customer retention rates of any car brand with owners getting their second or third Subaru, even couples buying them for their marrying kids.” The main selling point of all Subaru models are its safety features, which makes it the preferred family car. The hybrid Subarus come with features present in its petrol models – with All Wheel Drive and ‘EyeSight’ technology that uses radar and cameras to alert drivers of possible hazards and collisions. “Our customers do their research well, and know what they want,” adds Vaidya, who has tales of Subarus that have climbed inclines where even tractors fear to tread. Tarun Onta was one of the first customers of the Crosstrek and was at the launch event to receive his keys. He wanted an eco-friendly vehicle because he was not fully satisfied with EVs. He says, “My top priority is safety. I have been driving the Crosstrek and other than a faint jolt when switching between electric and fuel, it has been a top-class car so far.” Despite all this, Subarus are so rare in Nepal that when two of them pass on the road, drivers wave at each other. It only sells three models, only one of them hybrid, and is too expen sive for most first-car buyers. Subaru Crosstrek hybrid  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240823070856_7dd4af1d741b3d69cc3708ce93f68a90eac9f82199676681b2460761ab945cc1.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20240823070856_7dd4af1d741b3d69cc3708ce93f68a90eac9f82199676681b2460761ab945cc1" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="892" loading="lazy" alt="Subaru crosstrek NT"></figure>  Type of Hybrid : Conventional (not a plug-in) Mileage : 13.9km/L Fuel Tank : 63L Price : Rs14,000,000- Rs16,900,000 Other: All Wheel Drive system, Max speed 198 km/h, ground clearance: 220, Eyesight <h2>TOYOTA (Corolla, the Camry, the RAV4, and the Yaris)</h2> Toyota has been a pioneer in hybrid transmission, and decided early on not to bet on full-electric cars. In fact its Prius hybrid predated full-electric cars when it was launched back in 1997 as ‘a car for the 21st century’. In Nepal, Toyota sells four hybrid models: the Corolla, Camry, RAV4, and Yaris. Toyota Nepal’s Suryansh Vaidya is convinced that despite the surge in EV sales, Nepal is “not in a place financially and infrastructure wise where there would be mass market for EVs”. Essentially, it boils down to prices. If the taxes on hybrids were brought down, they could be competitive with full-electric vehicles, and definitely score over petrol cars. “Reducing the tax on hybrid cars would actually increase government revenue because hybrids would be more popular and more would be sold than presently,” Vaidya argues. Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid Electric  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024082308080_487f61d5903bf874ee98ffe97f2b130e8ce223cf787fccdaf20d926739149a66.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2024082308080_487f61d5903bf874ee98ffe97f2b130e8ce223cf787fccdaf20d926739149a66" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="883" loading="lazy" alt="Toyota Corolla NT"></figure>  Type of hybrid: Conventional Mileage:15-20km/L Fuel Tank Capacity: 36L Price: Rs18,100,000 Toyota Camry Hybrid Electric  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024082308080_9c481570468cb9b71e88f902f4f0100e2f34071f66192b9170495df7f76dbcbd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="2024082308080_9c481570468cb9b71e88f902f4f0100e2f34071f66192b9170495df7f76dbcbd" data-rendition-name="original" width="2416" height="1100" loading="lazy" alt="Toyota Camry"></figure>  Type of hybrid: Conventional Mileage: 15-19km/L Fuel Tank Capacity: 50L Price: Approx Rs20,000,000 Toyota RAV4  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024082308080_21ef534c2bb4422fb41418483669562e9aa01798ea6e39be86967a8176dfe0d7.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2024082308080_21ef534c2bb4422fb41418483669562e9aa01798ea6e39be86967a8176dfe0d7" data-rendition-name="original" width="2250" height="1178" loading="lazy" alt="Toyota RAV4"></figure>  Type of hybrid: Conventional Mileage: 15-19km/L Fuel Tank Capacity: 55L Price: Rs19,500,000 Yaris Cross Hybrid  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024082308080_811968606c4931e5a543674f5c2b8e714ea870cba353fb9edbbc587bdceb5cc1.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="2024082308080_811968606c4931e5a543674f5c2b8e714ea870cba353fb9edbbc587bdceb5cc1" data-rendition-name="original" width="1391" height="699" loading="lazy" alt="Toyota Yaris"></figure>  Type of hybrid: Conventional Mileage: 20-25km/L Fuel Tank Capacity: 36L Price: Rs12,500,000

Vishad Raj Onta

Rev your car (and charge it, too)

Nepalis looking to splurge on a new car for the new year might want to think about electric or hybrid options. Gone are the days of small, claustrophobic EVs, there are now battery-powered cars that are as green as they are cool.&nbsp; If you have been out on Kathmandu’s roads these days, and with the air quality being what it is this week we understand if you have not, there seems to be a lot more battery-operated vehicles on the streets. As range improves, there are a lot more EVs even on the highways, negotiating the mud and dust.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240412120436_ff293ae4da0a697a030334ccb1f9d723ef20b4d902a5153e9f95c8252d95afa5.png" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20240412120436_ff293ae4da0a697a030334ccb1f9d723ef20b4d902a5153e9f95c8252d95afa5" data-rendition-name="original" width="956" height="726" loading="lazy" alt="EV"> </figure>  The numbers back this up. By March, nearly 6,500 electric vehicles had been imported into Nepal in the six months of the fiscal year. During the same period last year, this number was only 2,198.&nbsp; The battery-powered cars in Nepal are imported from China, India, Indonesia, the United States, South Korea, and now from Germany. Import numbers of electric three-wheel taxis also show an increase of 54% from 5,380 to 8,303.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240412120436_de4ba3e82f7af336a34d5c590b28a109eef625441b88b164c8a0a09ec46e3ee7.png" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20240412120436_de4ba3e82f7af336a34d5c590b28a109eef625441b88b164c8a0a09ec46e3ee7" data-rendition-name="original" width="857" height="551" loading="lazy" alt="EV"> </figure>  This means the contribution of vehicular emissions to air pollution levels in Kathmandu Valley is going down, although the other sources (wildfire smoke, roadside dust, and transboundary pollution) are getting worse. The bigger change can be in Nepal’s petroleum import bill, which makes up nearly a quarter of total imports. Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) reports that petrol and diesel demand has gone down slightly, but there will have to be a lot more electric public transport and private cars to make a dent on the trade deficit.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240412120436_d9b2c5e2ad232d224065605813ea6c1558dcaac5c1ed7513493f4ed0f6270080.png" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20240412120436_d9b2c5e2ad232d224065605813ea6c1558dcaac5c1ed7513493f4ed0f6270080" data-rendition-name="original" width="833" height="654" loading="lazy" alt="EV"> </figure>  Besides fully battery-powered cars, hybrids and plug-in hybrids are also available, although the numbers so far are tiny. Only 17 hybrids were imported in February-March, and 21 in March-April.&nbsp; Hybrids tend to be more expensive than fully electric cars, and they also need more specialised maintenance backup since they have both a gasoline engine and an electric motor.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240412120436_0d7f8b2559c78646a518c09a1faa7231216d502fb988e91a8b27ba40ee4e04cf.png" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20240412120436_0d7f8b2559c78646a518c09a1faa7231216d502fb988e91a8b27ba40ee4e04cf" data-rendition-name="original" width="1282" height="675" loading="lazy" alt="EV"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240412120432_057a1a2ba625c116b47cfca4e50fbb18dcd985b29763cc62dcd8492d786e071b.png" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20240412120432_057a1a2ba625c116b47cfca4e50fbb18dcd985b29763cc62dcd8492d786e071b" data-rendition-name="original" width="1012" height="782" loading="lazy" alt="EV"> </figure>  The difference between regular hybrids and the plug-in hybrids is in how the battery is charged to power the electric motor. Regular hybrids charge their batteries while driving, and there is regenerative braking which means the motor turns into a generator to charge the battery. Also, when the petrol engine is producing more power than the car needs, the car’s computer routes the extra energy to the battery.&nbsp; Plug-in hybrids have these capabilities as well, but can also be plugged in to wall sockets for charging. While the electric motors in regular hybrids only assist the gasoline engine, plug-in hybrids can run entirely on the charged battery just like in EVs, and switch to gas when it runs out.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240412120436_4230544724483b7898da0d610247ecb439e199c116fcbdab4c876654823e7593.png" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20240412120436_4230544724483b7898da0d610247ecb439e199c116fcbdab4c876654823e7593" data-rendition-name="original" width="1099" height="829" loading="lazy" alt="EV"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240412120436_8d674ca57678d7f707970a8c900883e60a811a0c86b78f4e58c52eb8c3cf405e.png" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20240412120436_8d674ca57678d7f707970a8c900883e60a811a0c86b78f4e58c52eb8c3cf405e" data-rendition-name="original" width="852" height="751" loading="lazy" alt="EV"> </figure>  Regular hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles all save fuel and are better for the ecology and economy than petrol or diesel cars. There are, however, trade offs in choosing any one kind. &nbsp; A fully electric vehicle will use no fossil fuels at all, so it is the best in reducing emissions. But they can be expensive up front, and are limited by range because of the lack of charging infrastructure. Charging is slow, which is not ideal during long trips.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240415090428_d7345578eb15e0834e03f0fa50a14ad7256a1f23c60a82fd8f7b9f6afb279703.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20240415090428_d7345578eb15e0834e03f0fa50a14ad7256a1f23c60a82fd8f7b9f6afb279703" data-rendition-name="original" width="674" height="356" loading="lazy" alt="Audi electric"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240412120432_539206ecb44998657426ef1b0cdc54774c5c6e1a61cd6053a1da4c731e3a275c.png" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20240412120432_539206ecb44998657426ef1b0cdc54774c5c6e1a61cd6053a1da4c731e3a275c" data-rendition-name="original" width="1049" height="857" loading="lazy" alt="EV"> </figure>  Electric cars have not been around as long as regular ones, so maintenance experts and replacement parts are harder to come by. &nbsp; A regular hybrid does not need to be plugged in at all, so there is no range anxiety. However, it is going to use more fuel, leading to a higher running cost and some emissions. There are more components, so there are more things that can go wrong.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240412120432_4efd199719ebc37050c7b4d8ccc6711d64fe8cd0c508e6bee8e30f48a416f9e3.png" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20240412120432_4efd199719ebc37050c7b4d8ccc6711d64fe8cd0c508e6bee8e30f48a416f9e3" data-rendition-name="original" width="1093" height="554" loading="lazy" alt="EV"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240415090428_f650e2834b231ec2550e3862dd3804791367fad4e6f6133e1fcd093e1e24bd62.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20240415090428_f650e2834b231ec2550e3862dd3804791367fad4e6f6133e1fcd093e1e24bd62" data-rendition-name="original" width="640" height="507" loading="lazy" alt="Tata Nexon"> </figure>  A plug-in hybrid offers the most flexibility as it can run on either electricity or fuel. However, the battery capacity is limited and fuel is the option on longer drives. The price tags of these cars are much higher. &nbsp; There is some debate about battery-powered cars not being as climate friendly as claimed because of the lithium, cadmium and other raw materials needed for batteries and electrodes have to be extracted through energy-intensive methods.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240415090428_8cefbd01237b1e3803588125c79412233460b3056290610a6a9a157ce0f50b32.jpg" data-media-id="editor_11" data-image-id="20240415090428_8cefbd01237b1e3803588125c79412233460b3056290610a6a9a157ce0f50b32" data-rendition-name="original" width="701" height="503" loading="lazy" alt="Subaru hybrid"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240412120432_c6fedf87a122a94bce272b1f5d98165a945851171ff060d30e00800d9ece334e.png" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="20240412120432_c6fedf87a122a94bce272b1f5d98165a945851171ff060d30e00800d9ece334e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1036" height="840" loading="lazy" alt="EV"> </figure>  A lot more lithium and other resources goes into making fully electric cars simply because they need higher capacity batteries. The same lithium could be used to make many more gas-electric hybrids or plug-ins, leading to a lower carbon footprint over the lifetime of the cars. A Toyota document states that 90 hybrids can be made with the resources to make one fully electric vehicle, reducing carbon emission by 37 times over their lifetime, compared to the electric car.&nbsp; Whatever you choose to buy, there is a range of choices of models and propulsion systems. BYD, Tata, Hyundai, Tesla, and Audi all offer fully electric vehicles. Toyota and Subaru have popular hybrid options.

EVs, Hybrids, and Plug-ins

‘One early morning, we heard the ambassador’s wife cry out, “Ram, Ram, Ram!” A disaster has befallen Nepal!” She had heard on the radio that a fire had consumed Singha Durbar." This is not about the arson attack on 9 September 2025, but the one on 8 July, 1973. It started in the South Wing of the then single-largest building in all of Nepal. It took two days to bring the blaze under control, requiring the use of explosives to demolish one wing to protect the imposing western facade. As Bhekh Bahadur Thapa recalls in the English translation of his memoir A Life in Public Service: Nepal from Autocracy to Democracy, he was then on leave from the Nepal government serving with the IDRC in Ottawa.&nbsp; He had already served as Nepal’s Finance Secretary at age 25, went on to be Finance Minister and Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank. He was already younger than some of the GenZ ministers in Nepal’s present RSP government. Thapa, now 89, was at the launch of the book in February which was attended by former diplomats and bureaucrats. After speeches by panelists, there was a question from the audience about how Thapa had managed to be the diplomat he was, managing Nepal’s international relations on the world stage.&nbsp; Writer and journalist Akhilesh Upadhyay, who was moderating the panel, responded by going into the section of the book where we see Thapa as an ambassador to the US, playing tennis with White House officials, cultivating a network of contacts to project the identity and welfare of Nepal, and making it possible for a state visit by King Birendra to Ronald Reagan’s America. The book is full of anecdotes that suggest Thapa was a clever and strategic diplomat, always calm and unruffled, easily making friends in high places with his maturity and engaging sense of humour. Thapa’s memoir is heavy on details about Nepal’s administrative history during the years he was active in public service, serving as minister and ambassador under three kings: Mahendra, Birendra and Gyanendra, and alongside five prime ministers.&nbsp; Aside from an insider look on how certain treaties, development deals and research projects in Nepal came into fruition, Thapa goes into great detail about his personal and professional relationships with the kings, ministers, ambassadors, foreign leaders and politicians.&nbsp; As a reader, one is struck by the level of detail around the events that unfolded in Nepal over the years during Thapa’s tenure. Was Thapa recording a journal over the years of the events and the conversations that transpired, or were they committed to his phenomenal memory? Either way, the reader gets a glimpse of Nepal’s recent history from the early days of the Panchayat, through the People’s Movement and the democracy period, the Maoist insurgency, Royal Palace massacre of 2001, and Gyanendra’s coup of 2005.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2026041204048_125dc8ae300a1e33124f394abe724d42727f83e067b0201d2008b58d60c459a4.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2026041204048_125dc8ae300a1e33124f394abe724d42727f83e067b0201d2008b58d60c459a4" data-rendition-name="original" width="1584" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="How to win friends and influence nations NT"> </figure>  Not enough is said about the political parties of the time whose presence led to the way Nepal’s multiparty democracy came to be shaped. The book keeps its focus on the administration and the key figures around it, mostly those in the Panchayat era. Towards the second half of the book, we do start to hear about political parties, but not in great depth. Another figure whose presence in the book is conspicuously less prominent is that of his wife, Rita Thapa — the person who seems to have rescued him every time financial quandary or family care became a challenge. Yet, we do not see her as a full person. Perhaps because of the personal tragedies in his life, the children are also barely mentioned.&nbsp; The book is therefore less personal and more technical. Throughout, we learn about Thapa’s thinking as he navigated the world of diplomacy to win him the trust of those who mattered. There are tips here for a new generation of Nepali officials and diplomats about how much commitment and focus is needed to be good at one’s job and serve the national interest. This book adds to tomes that have been written on Nepal’s fragile relationship with India. ‘India has always wished for Nepal to remain dependent on it,’ writes Thapa, who served as Nepal’s ambassador to India and later in the Eminent Persons Group &nbsp;on Indo-Nepal relations that has been allowed to languish. The book has several insights into the Indo-Nepal trysts with diplomacy and agency.&nbsp; China’s role is also recorded, viewed through conversations during a visit to Beijing, but all that was before Nepal’s neighbour to the north emerged as a world economic and military power. The book also has such sudden instances of quirkiness and humour. For instance, we see a young Thapa in America explaining to a government official why he would like to return to Nepal instead of settling down in the US. “Because, Nepal is beautiful,” he said. The text is immaculate and does not read much like a translation, credit for which clearly goes to the team that put the edition together: translator Prawin Adhikari, &nbsp;Anagha Neelakanthan and Bhekh Thapa’s daughter, Manjushree. As Nepal enters a new era of governance and diplomacy, A Life in Public Service: Nepal from Autocracy to Democracy should be essential reading for students of political science, economics and foreign affairs who can gain a fresh perspective on the country’s trajectory.&nbsp; There are dozens of forgotten state secrets recorded in the book, but the reader must also remember this is a story told from one person’s perspective and there may be others.&nbsp; So, what really made Thapa the diplomat he was? I met him in 2004 at the Kantipur TV studio when he was serving as king Gyanendra’s foreign minister. He was there for a studio interview, and I was just done with my English newscast.&nbsp; He surprised me at the door: “Pratibha! I’ve been reading your articles in The Kathmandu Post. You must keep writing.” I thanked him, glad to have been noticed for my work by a stranger. That was perhaps one of the things that set Thapa apart — he excelled at staying close to those in power, while also noticing those who were not.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260412040412_213e706136a038ec9f5e2b8c6d7f7c1e9ceed9479e22fe2884872ad7bd20955f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20260412040412_213e706136a038ec9f5e2b8c6d7f7c1e9ceed9479e22fe2884872ad7bd20955f" data-rendition-name="original" width="1136" height="702" loading="lazy" alt="Book details"> </figure>

How to win friends and influence nations

This is the 91st episode of Diaspora Diaries, a Nepali Times series in collaboration with Migration Lab providing a platform to share experiences of living, working and studying abroad. I have still not come to terms with the reality that my daughter Ruby Thakur is now the Deputy Speaker of Nepal’s Parliament. Sometimes, when I am walking, the thought hits me, and I cannot believe it.&nbsp; Things changed for my daughter in a very short time. I had dreamt that the best my daughter could achieve was a good engineering job. Fate had bigger plans for her. She is no longer just my daughter, she is the nation’s daughter. Nepal’s daughter.&nbsp; My children’s education was always my foremost priority. That is the main reason I went overseas for employment. I realised the value of education while working in Saudi Arabia. In my office, colleagues with good education earn $8,000 per month working on computers. Those with low education toil outdoors in the heat for much lower wages. A good education or skills can change everything. I am in Nepal on vacation and will soon return to my job. Ruby is all set now. But I still have to take care of my other children's education. As the eldest son, I myself never got a chance to prioritise my own education. I dropped out in Grade 7 because I had to take care of my ageing parents and younger siblings. I have done all kinds of jobs. I worked in a landlord’s field for a share of the harvest. Even now my wife and I farm for the land owner and have to give away half of what we grow.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260413120444_051b61e01a5189af538aa1e011acd3e2b38d5f42825116b2afd325d93d0c519b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20260413120444_051b61e01a5189af538aa1e011acd3e2b38d5f42825116b2afd325d93d0c519b" data-rendition-name="original" width="4032" height="2268" loading="lazy" alt="DD"> <figcaption>Sogarath Thakur during a break in Nepal with wife tending to his farm.</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260413120448_8a1c3ac3fd559026bc6f981cc8dc82cb8ad09a3a4f55fb9f6f7fd5f49c3d5571.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20260413120448_8a1c3ac3fd559026bc6f981cc8dc82cb8ad09a3a4f55fb9f6f7fd5f49c3d5571" data-rendition-name="original" width="4032" height="2268" loading="lazy" alt="DD"> </figure>  Then I worked as a barber, my family’s line of occupation. I went door to door cutting people’s hair and later worked in a relative’s saloon. Hairstyles were simple back then, and I got to keep half the fee. I also worked in a brick factory where I was paid weekly. &nbsp; I married when I was 16, and my wife was a year younger. As my family and responsibilities grew, I had to migrate leaving behind my three children including Ruby who was just three months old.&nbsp; I went to Qatar where I continued working as a barber. It was a large saloon and the standards for cleanliness and professionalism were higher. I had to hand over 70% of my daily earnings to the employer. I had to rely on my colleague to translate what the customer wanted. But I slowly became fluent in Arabic. I used to jot down words in Nepali and Arabic and memorise them. In Qatar, customers even came at night for haircuts, and people stayed up late. I would work till 3AM.&nbsp; Communicating with my family was one-way. I would go to Bismillah and ask someone to type out questions to my family about their whereabouts, how the harvest was that season. I would offer very little information about my life in Qatar because it was not easy. What was the point of getting them all worried? What could they do? I never received a letter in return, so throughout my time in Qatar, I never knew how my family was faring. When I appeared in the village after five years without any advance notice, it was a bittersweet reunion, and I had no gifts. I still remember how unfamiliar my village felt when I came home after so many years. I had to ask for directions. When I came home, Ruby was already in school. I had left her in my wife’s arms five years prior. I missed her growing up, and did not even see her pictures. My wife had to introduce her to me as her father. But it took just 15 minutes for her to warm up to me.&nbsp; The Arabic skills I had picked up in Qatar came in handy when I remigrated two years later to Saudi Arabia. I worked as a labourer in the desert heat, but once my company found out I spoke Arabic, I was hired for an indoor job as an office boy. The struggle in Qatar had paid off. I worked in an air conditioned office serving tea or coffee, doing bank runs or getting documents signed and photocopied. I have worked in the same company for the past 20 years, sending money home.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260413120448_f083fa873a6d77b19c8b0bdde623415c643a151fb550c57ff4e52b3c2431355f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20260413120448_f083fa873a6d77b19c8b0bdde623415c643a151fb550c57ff4e52b3c2431355f" data-rendition-name="original" width="5712" height="3213" loading="lazy" alt="DD"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260413120452_5ccd9a01ee05ce26b71381725108215d0f0d3806508b0cb482aabcfea09bbaef.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20260413120452_5ccd9a01ee05ce26b71381725108215d0f0d3806508b0cb482aabcfea09bbaef" data-rendition-name="original" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" alt="DD"> </figure>  My wife is not just my children’s guardian, but also mine throughout the two decades I was away. I trust her with all my earnings, and she manages our household finances well. She makes sure that the children’s school fees and other expenses are paid on time. These days, with video calls, things have become much easier for me to stay in touch with home.&nbsp; When Ruby told me she wanted to do an engineering diploma, I was happy. Later, her friends inspired her to join politics so she started getting involved with Shram Sanskriti Party. I first found out she got the proportional representation nomination through social media while on my work duty in Saudi Arabia. I was so excited, but even more so when she was elected Deputy Speaker. I was back home in Dhanusha on my vacation at the time.&nbsp; We are overjoyed and waiting for her to come back to the village for a visit when she gets a chance so we can celebrate properly with everyone. I plan to go back to Saudi Arabia as originally planned, I have a good job and will work for maybe five more years. Ruby has taken 75% of the load off my back. She can help take care of her siblings.&nbsp; I sleep at 8PM every day and wake up at 5AM to exercise before my day in Saudi Arabia begins – I have stuck to the same routine for the last two decades and it has worked well for me and my health. I have a good rapport with my boss who is an Egyptian. My requests to resign have often been met with counter-offers to stay on. My honesty and hard work have won me the company's trust. I will go back and resume working as I have, despite my daughter’s huge achievements. I am still a farmer’s son, a simple man who has to fulfil his family responsibilities. My colleagues in Saudi Arabia are aware that Ruby is Deputy Speaker in Nepal’s Parliament, they are all happy for me and have congratulated me. This time, when I go back, I have promised them that I will throw a bakhri party to celebrate my daughter’s achievement.

The nation’s daughter

This is the 90th episode of Diaspora Diaries, a Nepali Times series in collaboration with Migration Lab providing a platform to share experiences of living, working and studying abroad. The Musahar community lives in the Nepal Tarai and India, they have been historically excluded and are at the bottom of the economic and caste ladder. Many families still work as sharecroppers for landlords, but overseas migration is changing their lives as this conversation between Abhinash Sada and Lalit Majhi shows. Both were home for a vacation from work in Malaysia which coincided with the election. They are hopeful that the new RSP government will improve things.&nbsp; Abhinash: I was born into such poverty that we worried about the next meal. My family used to work near the river, mining sand and gravel. They were paid in rice. Sometimes we children went to the field to help with work, not for money but for the roti we got for lunch. I was eight when I was sent to school, and I still remember the first day. Lalit: We were classmates. Abhinash already knew how to recite the Nepali alphabet, but did not know how to read the letters. Meanwhile, I knew how to write s v u but did not know what those letters stood for. I just liked using a stick to scribble the alphabets in the sand while tending to the water buffalos. We finally learnt the alphabets properly in school. We used to skip school a lot but became interested after they offered sports like volleyball, and they also let us use a computer once every week. We started focusing on our studies, and Abinash used to stay at my my house so we could start studying together at 4AM because the teacher said our minds were freshest in the morning.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260411040436_431dc4b60a1a49977f5fea69b19aaf66b172e3b606573dd9673aa32c9eb9e2b2.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20260411040436_431dc4b60a1a49977f5fea69b19aaf66b172e3b606573dd9673aa32c9eb9e2b2" data-rendition-name="original" width="1787" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="DD 90"> </figure>  Abhinash: I used to sleep over at Lalit’s house so we could get up and study together early in the morning before school. We enjoyed studying so much we even asked the teacher for more homework. Sometimes, we used to skip class to do some work to earn some money so we could afford stationery or uniforms. Lalit ranked better than me in class.&nbsp; Lalit: My best memories of childhood was us swimming in the river after the rains when water levels were high. My mother thought we would get sick, but we did not listen. When we finally came home in the evenings, she would be fuming. My father worked in Punjab as a contractor and took fellow villagers there to work.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260411040432_0f8b3936c1edef4ff2e3682a66131278bf822022b1e8ae3aca1418e0fa232136.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20260411040432_0f8b3936c1edef4ff2e3682a66131278bf822022b1e8ae3aca1418e0fa232136" data-rendition-name="original" width="1778" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="DD 90"> <figcaption>Abhinash with his family.</figcaption> </figure>  Abhinash: My father went to Saudi Arabia to support the family. When he came home for a break, he enrolled me in a private school so my English would improve and private schools were also stricter. I was in Grade 5 in the government school, but the private school put me in kindergarten. It felt strange because everyone else was much younger. After three years, I rejoined Grade 6 in the government school but Lalit had already moved on to Grade 8. We no longer studied together. Lalit: I did not pass my SLC. Instead of retaking the exam, I went to Chennai and got a dishwashing job although I was promised waiter. I came back after a month and started getting my paperwork done for Qatar. I borrowed Rs100,000 from a villager at 36% interest. Even so, in three years there I helped my family repay loans and bail out my eldest brother who had been cheated in Malaysia. All my savings in Qatar and what my middle brother earned in Malaysia went to rescue our oldest brother.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260411040436_716000dceca4fbf31b9364fa712e30cbdca83783d59c8e10b47f6ae3e39b8825.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20260411040436_716000dceca4fbf31b9364fa712e30cbdca83783d59c8e10b47f6ae3e39b8825" data-rendition-name="original" width="1778" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="DD 90"> <figcaption>Lalit with his mother.</figcaption> </figure>  Abhinash: We Musahars can work hard. Our forebears worked from childhood tilling the fields of land owners whose children went to school. Saying no was not an option. Our fathers’ generation prioritised education because they did not want us to be trapped in servitude. I studied until Grade 12 but failed my exam. I worked in a sweet factory in Bangalore to support my parents. I returned after a year, and did odd jobs in a brick factory and sometimes as a day labourer with my father. I did not go abroad because I did not have money and people were not willing to lend to us. It was only when I got a free recruitment job in Malaysia that I decided to migrate.&nbsp; Lalit: I came back from Qatar, got married and remigrated to Malaysia with Abinash. It has been 2.5 years and we work in the same factory and share a dorm room just as we did as kids. With the money we earned, we have bought land back in our village. We are returning to Malaysia after our vacation here. My wife put mehendi in my palms, and told me that I should remember her whenever I see it. I also gave her a silver chain I was wearing as memento. My wife said the mehendi will last about a month and will fade away, that is the most difficult part of being overseas — but after a few weeks the working life takes over and we get occupied with duty.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260411040436_431dc4b60a1a49977f5fea69b19aaf66b172e3b606573dd9673aa32c9eb9e2b2.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20260411040436_431dc4b60a1a49977f5fea69b19aaf66b172e3b606573dd9673aa32c9eb9e2b2" data-rendition-name="original" width="1787" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="DD 90"> <figcaption>Abhinash's family seeing him off in 2023.</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260411040436_5a4faef596e76365fce3181fe8f3a215306755287cbe353c433e34758df0aaec.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20260411040436_5a4faef596e76365fce3181fe8f3a215306755287cbe353c433e34758df0aaec" data-rendition-name="original" width="1778" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="DD 90"> <figcaption>Abhinash and Lalit getting welcomed by family after their return.</figcaption> </figure>  Abhinash: The election coincided with my vacation and I voted for the RSP in both ballots. They have already started building a road in our area, so there is hope. People in other parties were angry, but I told them my one vote would not have made a difference, they would have still lost. You can feel new energy in the village now, maybe things will change. We Musahars have always been discriminated against, even though our situation has improved. At least we do not have to worry about food anymore. It is not just my father who is the breadwinner. Now, I am also earning to support the family.&nbsp; Lalit: The whole point about migrating is to take care of my parents and make sure they are happy. They are my role models, and struggled all their lives for us. They invested in our studies so we would not have to live through what they did. They are happy that we are earning and supporting them. We bought land with the money saved in Malaysia. Now, as we go back, the next goal is to build a house. Then we will think about our future. When Abhinash and I were children, we thought we would be ठुलो मान्छे one day. I looked up to my teacher and wanted to be like him. But now that I am grown up, I do not have anyone I look up to. I just make my goals and achieve them.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20260411040436_83af55ced9108a0604495df2f808e497f6ecb73d1772c30af72cef94a4f21915.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20260411040436_83af55ced9108a0604495df2f808e497f6ecb73d1772c30af72cef94a4f21915" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="900" loading="lazy" alt="DD 90"> </figure>  Abhinash: We have our whole lives ahead of us, and it is our turn to support our parents. What is the point of anything if our family is not happy? I do not want my parents to have to depend on others for money. We Musahars have been historically mistreated. We are known to be too trusting, and we do as we are told. We grew up believing that we were underdogs because of our caste. People still treat us as untouchable, although less than before. We were invited to parties but made to sit separately; at friends’ houses, we were asked to remain outside. We accepted all this because that is way it always was. Even when it made us feel bad. My younger brother stopped going to parties altogether because he did not like that discriminatory treatment. The new generation is not like that thankfully.&nbsp; Lalit: I once ran away from a feast because the Musahar invitees had to eat last. High caste or low caste, we all have the same red blood. The young ones thankfully are not like that. We were invited to a wedding recently during this vacation from Malaysia, and all of us young boys sat and ate together. But if the elders had been around they would have asked Abhinash and me to sit separately from the others.&nbsp;

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