<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111016118/636d14ae9c7e80680e0a998cjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="3210" height="3156"/><figcaption>The Dark Light by Dipesh Nepali.</figcaption></figure>At first glance, it screams utter sorrow. It projects out-and-out unhappiness of the mind, body and soul, a feeling of having given up on life itself. It is dark, it is lonely, it is sad.But do not dismiss <a href="https://www.mona.com.np/art/v/the-dark-light" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the painting</a>, give it some time to grow on you. The painting may fleetingly transport viewers to painful periods of their lives, long repressed. Most of us have experienced such 'dark' moments, where we struggled and persevered only to emerge elatedly on the other side.This painting is the work of 16-year-old Dipesh Nepali who is from a village in Jumla district, in the isolated mountains of north-western Nepal. An ordinary school student, Dipesh has had a difficult life in a harsh environment where food is often scarce, winters are long and dreary, and access to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/saving-one-nepali-mother-at-a-time/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">basic healthcare and education is minimal</a>.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111016118/636d14b19c7e80680e0a998djpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="961"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>In his spare time, after finishing his household chores, Dipesh likes to draw and paint. It is his escape from the daily grind, a chance to express himself and bare his soul."Art was my escape from the world, and from myself,” Dipesh told me recently. “It is a way to be truly free from the chains of family and society. It is where the chaos of my mind and soul find rest, art is a medium to bring it all out."Talking to the young artist in Kathmandu recently helped me understand the written and unwritten rules of society, not least materialism and the desperate search for instant, superficial gratification which ultimately led him to seek solitude, go into hiding, and retreat into himself.Yet, in his work, Dipesh has retained the curiosity of his childhood, the questioning and seeking, and in doing so he has discovered that art resided within him. It only needed to be kindled gently to become a powerful tool.At first glance, this painting does not seem to inspire much, it looks ordinary and is not pleasing to the eye, either. But give it time and space to incubate, and it radiates a quiet energy, like an inner applause for a battle won ove<a name="m_1340593093098604498__GoBack"></a>r negative emotions. Proof that the artist has been at a low point in his life, and is back up to show us how it felt.If we reflect on the painting long enough, it may bring back our own dark moments, reminding some of us of the process of recovery, how we emerged stronger, determined and self-reliant. No matter what our struggle, there is always more ahead to look forward to. But evoking and honouring these memories empowers us to meet adversity head-on and overcome themDipesh was confused about himself and about his passion for art. So, he travelled to Kathmandu seeking skill and exposure. Luckily, his older brother was in the city and took care of him.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/i-m-a-g-i-n-a-t-i-o-n-by-uttam-nepali/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">IMAGINATION by Uttam Nepali</a>, Rajan Sakya"Yet, internally I found no relief, being weighed down with my own thoughts, feelings and emotions. I submerged myself in my work, as an escape. Hard work became a form of a band-aid, but it never really healed the wounds,” Dipesh relates.As a teenager, I too had issues like Dipesh. And as a way to escape them, I travelled to the United States at age 17. My band-aid was enrolling as an exchange student, my senior year in high school. Folks in Nepal covered my costs, and I lived with an American family for a year.Unfortunately, I had developed vitiligo, a depigmentation of skin colour. For a teenager trying to adapt to a new society, this was disheartening. With no relatives or friends, I felt totally isolated, not because I was bullied, but due to the turmoil inside me.My horror at my own appearance and how people would view me was unbearble. I lacked confidence, kept away from people, afraid of how they would react. It got to the point where for four months I ate my lunch in the school bathroom, and then went straight to class. There was a sense of achievement in just avoiding people.Today, I no longer feel embarrassed or inferior. I believe those hard years gave me a solid foundation to face anything and everything that life throws at me.Dipesh Nepali’s art transports me back to that time of my own life: the sadness, the loneliness, the anxiety, the feeling of being trapped by powers beyond my control. Yet it also reminds me of a personal battle that I waged and won over myself. I would not be who I am today if it was not for that ordeal.Dipesh’s mind has travelled further than his young body. With an incredibly mature and unique vision of the world, one finds in his work expressions of anguish and a yearning to be free. Painting has become an outlet to bring out his repressed emotions and feelings.The depth in his art is there for everyone to see, but less obvious are numerous and varied technical skills he has improvised to create his painting -- his choice of oils to achieve a unique blend and shades of colours. The painting is now on exhibit at the Museum of Nepali Art (MoNA) in Kathmandu.<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/the-compassionate-white-tara/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">A work of art</a> can mean a different thing for different people, response is by definition subjective. Dipesh Nepali's art touched the deepest and darkest parts of my own past, and reminded me of my own struggles. But I also found contentment and peace in the darkest reaches of this canvas.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111016118/636d14b49c7e80680e0a998ejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="853"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Rajan Sakya is the founder of the <a href="https://www.mona.com.np/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mona.com.np/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1636885001579000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ALJGKdDeixs8GvIU7FLGG">Museum of Nepali Art</a> at Kathmandu Guest House, Thamel and contributes this monthly column For Art’s Sake in Nepali Times.

Rajan Sakya

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Dipesh Nepali’s dark light

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111016110/636d12c49c7e80680e0a98efjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1333" height="2000"/><figcaption>Photos: MUSEUM OF NEPALI ART</figcaption></figure>Samundra Man Singh Shrestha began his career in art when he was only 14, and today he is one of the most sought-after Nepali artists by museums, galleries, collectors and monasteries all over the world. His expressionism has inspired a whole new generation of young artists, and prints of his work are found in prayer rooms of private homes, business centres and spiritual establishments.Shrestha’s sketches, watercolours, paubha, neo-traditional and conceptual works are known for their own unique style that transforms and communicates the most complex ideas into approachable and relatable visual manifestations. Indeed, Shrestha’s style and methods are imitated by many Nepali and international artists.Shrestha himself views these works as compliments to his craft, style and aesthetic sensibility. (Samundra means 'ocean'). An unveiling of his new paintings are always a highly anticipated affair in the art community.Saptalochani, or the White Tara, is one such work. Spectacular and beautiful, it represents a  new era of Shrestha’s œuvre. A variety of emotions emerge, from surprise to awe, when viewing this masterpiece, culminating in a sincere understanding that with this painting, Shrestha has indeed redefined beauty once again.A prominent feature of any masterpiece is not just its aesthetic magnificence but the way it provokes our innermost feelings at an intimate level. When contemplating Saptalochani, one is immediately immersed in a calming wave of quietude.Shrestha’s confident, effortless and surrealistic brush strokes can be seen in his linework, the rhythmic flow and blend of colours. What one sees is not just a drawing of a beautiful deity representing compassion and contentment, but a visual expression of Shrestha’s lifetime of experience and learning. The mind, body and soul resonate with this osmosis of gentle spiritual energy touching the inner self, elevating one’s consciousness.<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/i-m-a-g-i-n-a-t-i-o-n-by-uttam-nepali/">I.M.A.G.I.N.A.T.I.O.N by Uttam Nepali</a>, Rajan Shakya<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111016110/636d12c89c7e80680e0a98f0jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1002" height="1500"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111016110/636d12cb9c7e80680e0a98f1jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1106" height="1500">The White Tara is a symbol of love, compassion and beauty, and Saptalochani as a work of art reminds the viewer to appreciate that, and to be humble, grateful and compassionate ourselves -- to be mindful of the pain and sorrow of those around us.But understanding just the meaning of the word, or only asking what we can do to be more compassionate do not make us better persons. We must also implement our understanding and findings into actions to help another being overcome their miseries without expecting anything in return. Shrestha communicates the essence of compassion through his art.The ancient teachings and paintings of the White Tara are strict on iconography, and we can find perfect depictions of the deity in paubha, thangka, idols, temples and monasteries in Nepal. Iconography is the visual language through which a spiritual art is communicated.However, as with all works of art, there is a question of how one can pass down the knowledge of this language from one generation to the next, retaining the same level of intensity, emotion and faith.<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/jeevan-rajopadhyays-untitled/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jeevan Rajopadhyay’s Untitled</a>, Rajan ShakyaThe answer perhaps can be found in Shrestha’s style and creation. His detailed knowledge of the White Tara is prominent in the painting’s simplicity, subtlety and beauty. In these qualities he has poured his emotions and love, expecting nothing in return.Many artists paint for money, but Shrestha takes it a step further in communicating what is important and what might be lost as we grapple with modern lifestyles. He shows us how to express and understand the impermanence of beauty.Viewing Shrestha’s work makes it clear that the key to a peaceful life can be found in creating art, sharing it, and then letting it go. While a masterpiece may relate to individuals in personal ways, looking at it through the artist’s eyes helps us identify with the artist rather than just relating it to our own life experiences.This helps us develop compassion for the artist’s craft and style, something we are often tempted to overlook. Art styles can emerge from an infinite number of sources, and continuously transform. There are many external forces that bring about such changes such as war, famine, disaster, which may be easily recognised.<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/n-a-r-i-by-mukti-singh-thapa/">N A R Ì by Mukti Singh Thapa</a>, Rajan Sakya<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111016110/636d12ce9c7e80680e0a98f2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1013" height="1500"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111016110/636d12d19c7e80680e0a98f3jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1010" height="1500">However, there are internal influences as well, such as personal grief, experiences that are not obvious. Yet, artists are moved by their surroundings and their feelings, and it is through their art that they express them.Shrestha’s White Tara invites us to participate in this shared experience, uniting both the artist and the viewer in a peaceful and compassionate embrace. The essence of art is that it should be provocative and inspire viewers and artists to engage in discussions, and lead to an understanding of our place in this world.Let us hope that Samundra Man Singh’s art satiates our hunger to delve further into art and the eternal questions of existence, impermanence and compassion.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/lain-singh-bangdels-sigh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lain Singh Bangdel’s ‘Sigh’</a>, Rajan SakyaRajan Sakya is the founder of the <a href="https://www.mona.com.np/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mona.com.np/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1636885001579000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ALJGKdDeixs8GvIU7FLGG">Museum of Nepali Art</a> at Kathmandu Guest House, Thamel and contributes this monthly column For Art’s Sake in Nepali Times. Museum of Nepali Art will be displaying Samundra Man Singh Shrestha’s work in a solo exhibition from 28 January to 15 February 2022 at Kathmandu Guest House, Thamel.

The compassionate White Tara

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161132/636d19729c7e80680e0ac81djpeg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533"/><figcaption>The art festival was inagurated by noted Nepali actor Rajesh Hamal (second from right). Also pictured, general manager of Turkish Airlines Abdullah Tuncer Kececi (first from left). Photos: MONA</figcaption></figure>More than 1,500 children in Nepal are diagnosed every year with some form of cancer. Many of them are treatable, but because of the lack of timely diagnosis and proper treatment, many young lives are tragically lost.Help from them has come from an unexpected quarter: Nepali artists who have been representing the country’s social issues on canvas, sculpture or digital art.Earlier this month, 33 of Nepal’s most prominent artists from all genres took part in a live painting performance at <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepals-first-private-art-museum/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Museum of Nepali Art</a> in the Kathmandu Guest House premises in Thamel. Part of the proceeds generated from the sale went to the oncology ward of the Kanti Children’s Hospital.Less than 30% of Nepali children have their cancers diagnosed on time, but many of even those are unable to afford expensive treatment.The art festival was inaugurated by noted Nepali actor Rajesh Hamal, who kick-started the event by painting his own contemporary piece ‘No smoking’ under the guidance of noted artists Kiran Manandhar and Lok Chitrakar.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161132/636d19759c7e80680e0ac81ejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533"><figcaption>Renowned contemporary artist Kiran Manandhar with participating artist Sangee Shrestha.</figcaption></figure>As the artists warmed up to the performance, it was evident that they were producing a diverse body of art with differing techniques. It ranged from traditional pauba and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/vibrant-mithila-art-thrives-in-nepal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mithila art</a> to abstracts embodying cubism and conceptual art forms.But they were all sharing the space and participating in an exercise that aimed to help underprivileged children with hope. Access to diagnosis and treatment is literally a matter of life or death for many young patients.The art festival coincided with the inauguration of the Kathmandu Guest House (KGH) by renowned <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepals-far-sighted-eye-care/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ophthalmologist Sanduk Ruit</a> with founder/director of the Museum of Nepali Art (MoNA) <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/i-m-a-g-i-n-a-t-i-o-n-by-uttam-nepali/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rajan Sakya</a>.“We are committed to conducting similar events annually to promote art for a cause so that it serves those in need,” Sakya said.Following the main event on 7 October, the paintings were exhibited at MoNA in the presence of Bishnu Rath Giri, head of the oncology unit at Kanti Children’s Hospital.Lately, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepali-art-going-places/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nepali art has been getting the recognition</a> it deserves with many of them being exhibited at famous museums, art galleries and private collections worldwide. These pieces fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars in the international art market, and yet it is rare for contemporary Nepali art to shine at home.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161132/636d19779c7e80680e0ac81fjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161132/636d197c9c7e80680e0ac820jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>MoNA aims to be a crucible for Nepali art, so that the gallery is an ‘art hub’ in Kathmandu’s bustling Thamel neighbourhood. Such art hubs are common in developed countries including France, Italy, China, and Japan.Established in 2020, MoNA is Nepal’s first museum dedicated to preserving and promoting <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/jeevan-rajopadhyays-untitled/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nepali art</a>, especially those of living artists. And this is the first time that a live art festival has been held to support a cause.“This event is the start of the crucial process of bridging this social and intellectual gap between artists and the general public,” says Sakya. “One need not be an art historian or critique to recognise creativity and beauty, and artists do not differentiate between ethnicities. Art is tangible culture and a living expression of us Nepalis.”Sworup Kant AdhikariPaintings can be viewed online <a href="https://www.mona.com.np/art/art-fest-2021">here</a>.

Art for a cause

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110111128/636cd2a19c7e80680e08f924jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1781"/><figcaption>Museum of Nepali Art (MoNA), a private museum, opened to the public in February 2020. MoNA has traditional and contemporary art on display. Photos: DRISHNA STHAPIT</figcaption></figure>Just entering into the basement museum inside one of the new blocks at the <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=3761#.YAGk8y2B3R0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kathmandu Guest House</a> complex in Thamel, visitors may feel their eyes are playing tricks.Is this the Rubin Museum in New York? Visitors can be forgiven for doubting if they are still in Nepal--the subdued lighting, elegant interior exude a perfectionist attention to detail, a place where modern melds seamlessly into traditional.Right away on entry, there are paintings of Ganesh, the auspicious elephant deity, and right after that the eyes are arrested by Raj Prakash Tuladhar’s Five Yoginis, a depiction of the Buddhist guardian deities of Kathmandu.The <a href="http://www.mona.com.np" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Museum of Nepali Art</a> (MoNA) was set up by Rajan Shakya (pictured below), the CEO and scion of the <a href="https://ktmgh.com/kathmandu-guest-house/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kathmandu Guest House (KGH) group</a>, who believes strongly that contemporary Nepali art compares to the best the world has to offer.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110111128/636cd2a39c7e80680e08f925jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="844"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>“Religion and art are interwoven so deeply in Nepali society. Yet most people here do not know about art even as they worship idols and temples,” says Shakya. “Think about the hands of those artists, and the talent it takes to be able to invoke <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/new-newa-art/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">gods in idols</a>, and inspire such deep faith in another human being.”<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110111128/636cd2a69c7e80680e08f926jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="606" height="580">Shakya’s passion shows in the museum that he has helped create. He has long known that <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepali-art-going-places/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nepali art makes the rounds in international exhibitions</a>, and that buyers wait in line to snap up work by Nepali artists.“I wanted Nepalis to know that there is a place in Nepal for Nepali art, and be proud of our artists, whether they construct temples, make paubha, or sculpt statues,” says Shakya whose MoNA houses contemporary and traditional art by living Nepali artists, around 85% of which is from Shakya’s private collection.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110111128/636cd2a79c7e80680e08f927jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="947"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>“There is nothing more meaningful to Nepali artists than having a permanent space in Nepal itself,” says Raj Prakash Tuladhar, whose paintings have been exhibited internationally.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110111128/636cd2ac9c7e80680e08f928jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="225">MoNA’s walls are dedicated to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/old-art-meets-new/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">contemporary art</a> that spans styles and methods, from golden prints of Kathmandu’s temples to vibrant acrylic abstracts. Up-and-coming artist Rashana Bajracharya’s reimagination of Mona Lisa as a cancer survivor—serenely smiling, without hair—hangs front and centre, one frame away from <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/lain-singh-bangdels-legacy-lives-on/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lain Singh Bangdel</a>'s painting of casually geometrical, multi-coloured roofs, titled Huts of Kathmandu. <figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110111128/636cd2ad9c7e80680e08f929jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Sarada Man Shrestha’s In Quest of Water, a murky mixed media piece portraying a woman at a ढुङ्गे धारा stone spout done in earthy browns and greens, hangs close to a pencil sketch of Queen Aishwarya.“The museum was created for present-day artist, they should be able to enjoy fame in their lifetime,” says Shakya. But some of the paintings span generations of artists. Indeed, four out of six paintings from Manik Man Chitrakar’s Buddha’s Life series are on display at the museum.Three paintings hang on the Arya Tara Wall of the museum, two among them completed decades apart by Anandamuni Shakya, the Nepali pioneer of 3D sketches, in 1938 and his grandson Surendra Man Shakya, in 2017.The third Arya Tara painting, Samundra Man Singh Shrestha’s oil on canvas, compared with Anandamuni Shakya’s mineral pigment on canvas serves as historical documentation of how the <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Buzz-the-art,671" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">traditional Nepali art-form</a>, and 3D art, has evolved.Shrestha’s Green Tara is so detailed, the gold ornaments against her skin so intricately painted, that one almost expects to feel the ridges of gold and gemstones should they reach out and touch the painting.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110111128/636cd2b09c7e80680e08f92ajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="842"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>The museum is dedicated not just to showcasing art, but also to the work and resources that go into the process. Purna P Hyoju’s mineral paints are staged along with one of his incomplete paintings, as are Anandamuni Shakya’s paintbrushes, Surya Bahadur Chitrakar’s inkwell, and Raj Prakash Man Tuladhar’s eyeglasses, a way of connecting the art to the artist, and the artist to the viewer.The museum also has sculptures ranging from floor to ceiling bronzes to black stone busts. Besides curated artwork, attention is also paid to the interior, the deep red walls providing a textured backdrop to some of the exhibits. There are carved wooden columns salvaged from a building destroyed by the earthquake.Gold frames, sleek and streamlined, hold the contemporary artwork, while the ones that display the traditional paintings are ornate and detailed. The ambient conditions also need to be just right, and MoNA has humidifiers, air purifiers and temperature control.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTNHpYk4ZvwMoNA opened in February 2020, but <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/a-single-brushstroke/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">could not welcome visitors because of the pandemic</a>. It did hold two online exhibitions during the lockdown: a virtual 360° Covid-themed show titled tangential stress 2020 was the first of its kind in Asia.The year of isolation gave Shakya and his team the time to iron out the kinks for the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepal-museums-reopen-after-8-months/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">physical opening after the lockdown</a>. Shakya hopes to eventually set up different museums for contemporary and traditional art, and hopes to expand to Patan and Pokhara, while collaborating with museums internationally.“Art is at the forefront of the preservation of our culture and heritage,” says heritage conservationist Alok Tuladhar. “But Nepali art is only accessible to the über elite, and we need to expand that circle so that more people appreciate the artwork and the artist.”For people who are unable to visit the museum, all the artwork is available for free perusal online. Says Shakya, “In Nepal, visiting museums has never been an activity like shopping, or going to the movies or restaurants. Nepalis also need entertainment that is more stimulating and meaningful.”

Shristi Karki

Nepali art finds a new home

Fenerbahçe Beko won the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague finals in Abu Dhabi, held 23-25 May, defeating Monaco 81-70 in the final. Olympiacos, who defeated Panathinaikos 97-93, finished the series in third place. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the final match, Nigel Hayes-Davis from Fenerbahçe Beko, received a prize of 1,000,000 Miles&amp;Smiles from Turkish Airlines’ Chief Commercial Officer Ahmet Olmuştur. The carrier has been the title sponsor of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, a top tier tournament, since 2010.

Turkish Basketball

Thousands of Nepali students dreaming of an American education have been forced to look elsewhere as the Trump administration’s visa restrictions make their future uncertain.
The US was long considered a top destination for higher studies, making Nepal the 10th biggest country of origin for international students in America.&nbsp;
However, that number has seen a significant decline with the total for Nepali students now at 16,482. Some 8,000 Nepali students obtained no-objection certificates to study in the US from the Ministry of Education in the past year.&nbsp;
India, Australia, Canada, South Korea, United Kingdom and Japan are the other popular destinations for Nepali students. There are no clear numbers for Nepalis going to India, but a slight decline was noted this year after the deaths of two female students.
The US State Department has issued a circular to its embassies not to issue new visas to applicants until further notice. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the directive stated that the department planned to expand the screening of applicants' social media.&nbsp;
While new applicants are barred including those applying for visitor visas, students with scheduled interviews are allowed to proceed.
“Many of our students are affected by the new restrictions, but those who had applied for student visas earlier have got interview dates,” one Kathmandu-based college counsellor told us.
Meanwhile, even foreign students with spotless records already in the US have not been spared, as visa scrutiny intensifies under the new policy. In a move that underscores the growing sense of insecurity, many US colleges advised international students to carry their passports and documents at all times, even when traveling locally.
“Me and my friends did not go home this summer because we were not sure we would be allowed back, so we just went to Niagara Falls,” said a Nepali undergrad in Ohio, who like many interviewed for this report did not want her name used for fear of repercussion.
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Nepali students have adopted a cautious stance, with many choosing not to return home during summer vacation due to fear of visa revocations as well as travel bans. Meanwhile, over 7,000 Nepalis with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will have to come back to Nepal by 5 August or face deportation. Thirty-seven were flown back to Kathmandu on Omni Air last week.
“The US is one of the most sought-after destinations for higher education, and the ban will definitely impact bright students,” says Narottam Aryal of the King’s College in Kathmandu.
Indeed, Nepali undergraduates admitted into Ivy League colleges for the 2025 academic year have been asked to look for alternatives. The entire Fulbright Foreign Scholarships Board resigned on Wednesday citing interference from the Trump administration on the selection of this year’s cohort. Some Nepali students already on Fulbright scholarships have noted disruptions, delays and even cancellation of stipends.&nbsp;
The student visa restrictions were initially just for foreign students admitted to Harvard University, but it was later extended to all Chinese students and now to all students. Universities like Columbia which actively recruit foreign students, face sharp enrolment declines, threatening their financial stability and diversity.
An Indian female PhD candidate at Columbia University had her visa revoked by the US State Department, and said she was targeted on the basis of her social media posts on Israeli military attacks in Gaza. Social media vetting of political activism has raised concerns about privacy and freedom of expression in a country where such rights were a given.
Many students have been informed via email that their visas have been revoked for getting speeding or parking tickets, but even others with no criminal record have been affected. The fear of deportation looms large amongst international students, including those from Nepal.&nbsp;
For most Nepalis who migrate to the US for education, the journey is a high-stakes investment. They come largely from middle-class families, often rely on a patchwork of scholarships, work-study programs, loans, or even the sale of family assets to afford fees.
Most Nepali students pursue STEM subjects which offer extended Optional Practical Training (OPT) periods that help fund their education. But with the US backsliding on education and humanitarian matters, countries like the UK and Canada are becoming more attractive despite their own recent stricter controls on student visas.&nbsp;
The UK universities saw a 63% rise in Nepali students’ admissions in 2024. Japan is another popular destination with 64,816 Nepali students enrolled as of 2024.
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Already, China, Hong Kong and Malaysia are poised to benefit from the increased scrutiny of US student visas. Several Hong Kong universities are offering unconditional admission to affected students, while Malaysian institutions are targeting previously US-bound Asian students. China and India have 330,000 and 280,000 students respectively in America, but the numbers for China have seen a sharp drop in the past year.
Elsewhere, branch campuses of American institutions such as NYU in Abu Dhabi, Georgetown in Dubai and Northwestern in Doha are getting more admission applications, and universities in the Gulf region are expanding infrastructure to accommodate those who would otherwise have gone to the US.&nbsp;
Even educational institutions in Nepal are hopeful that the US visa restrictions can be an opportunity to at least keep Nepali undergrads in Nepal, and also attract foreign students from the region.&nbsp;
“Many students might choose to complete their undergraduate degree here in Nepal and then move abroad for their Master’s degree later,” says Aryal of King’s College. “There was a need for quality higher education in Nepal anyway in terms of innovation and opportunities, so this could be the time to reduce our dependence on other countries.”
Nepal’s strategic position between India and China makes it sensitive to US policy shifts. India, a key ally, is also under US scrutiny for potential student travel restrictions. Chinese universities are already offering more scholarships to Nepali talent to capitalise on the US retreat.
American universities have challenged student visa restrictions in the courts. A federal court in Boston revoked the blanket ban on Harvard, and the State Department has ordered the resumption of processing student and exchange visitor visas.&nbsp;
Some are still hoping that President Trump will backtrack on the student visa restrictions, just like he has done with many of his more drastic executive orders.
Even so, the visa see-saw and longer-term uncertainties about living in the United States and its education system means students across the world are making alternative plans.
Says Aryal: “Policies of foreign countries change according to their needs, so excessive dependence was never a good idea. We should work to create different opportunities and choices of higher education within Nepal, so students are retained.” &nbsp;

America no longer prime destination for Nepali students

While Nepal was hosting the Sagarmatha Sambaad international climate conference in Kathmandu this month, on Mt Everest it was pretty much business as usual.&nbsp; The signs of climate breakdown are all there: a river now runs through Base Camp in summer, the Khumbu Icefall is more unstable, and there are more &nbsp;frequent avalanches. When expeditions arrived in March, the mountains were bare: it had not snowed since September, but then blizzards dumped unseasonal snow in May. And despite climate worries, such is the pull of Himalayan mountaineering that the Everest Industry showed no signs of slowdown. More than 600 international climbers and their Nepali guides had made it to the summit of the world’s highest mountain. At one point there were an estimated 2,000 people in the tent city on the Khumbu Glacier. All the ropes and ladders on the Icefall came down on Thursday, marking the official end of the spring climbing season, and just in time to avoid a monsoon cyclone approaching from the Bay of Bengal. It has been an action-packed season. One factor could be that Everest fees will go up from September: each foreign climber needs to pay a $15,000 royalty, up from the present $11,000. The cost for a Nepali climber on the South Col route will also go up: from Rs75,000 to Rs150,000.&nbsp; The fee to climb Everest in autumn is $7,500 (up from $5,500), but most climbers still prefer spring. Winter permit fee (December-February) is only $3,750 per person and the mountain is now also open for monsoon (June-August) climbs, when the fee is ever lower at $2,750. The revised rule also makes it mandatory for every two climbers on an 8,000m peak to hire one Nepali mountain guide.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025053004050_67f856fe52714e4bdcf21ae7d45c6f18c82117b9d0a5f73ed1efa04c96de1046.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2025053004050_67f856fe52714e4bdcf21ae7d45c6f18c82117b9d0a5f73ed1efa04c96de1046" data-rendition-name="original" width="931" height="732" loading="lazy" alt="The Everest Industry graph 1"> </figure>  In addition, climbers also have to pay for porters and guides, equipment, Base Camp costs, Ice Fall and fixed rope team fees, so climbing Everest does not come cheap. But such is the draw of climbing the world’s highest peak that some say the increased fees will not diminish the crowds next year. The government has tried to spread expeditions out to other seasons and other 8,000ers, but with not much success. Earlier this year, Nepal unilaterally increased the number of 8,000m peaks to 14 by adding six more sub-summits to broaden the choice for climbers. Added were: Yalung Kang (8,505m), Yalung Kang West (8,077m) &nbsp;Kangchenjunga Central (8,473m), Kangchenjunga South (8,476m), Lhotse Middle (8,410m) and Lhotse Shar (8,400m).&nbsp; The announcement could go against the accepted topographic criteria that a stand alone peak has to be at least 300m higher than an adjoining prominence, and at more than 3km isolation from it. The UIAA (Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme) still recognises only 14 mountains as eight-thousanders, and only eight of those are in Nepal, or on the border with China. Nepal’s revised mountaineering regulations also increased the insurance coverage of high-altitude workers to protect porters and high altitude guides who usually take more risks on the mountains. Rescue teams and clean-up campaigners to collect trash and remove bodies of dead climbers up to Camp IV of Mt Everest do not need permits.&nbsp; The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee is now using drones to fly down trash in 20kg sacks. Each climber is also required to bring down at least 6kg of waste and not just their own, but this rule is erratically enforced. With five fatalities on Everest and Lhotse, Spring 2025 had a historically low death toll. Another five climbers died on Annapurna, Kangchenjunga and Makalu.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025053004050_38681de22f0fefb6faa12b01755566d09c5064d0ff84e12ccc7b5d68ea9ba38a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2025053004050_38681de22f0fefb6faa12b01755566d09c5064d0ff84e12ccc7b5d68ea9ba38a" data-rendition-name="original" width="665" height="740" loading="lazy" alt="The Everest industry graph 2"> </figure>  Journalist Ben Ayers who ran the Everest Live social media channel from Everest Base Camp with daily updates credited the low death rate to dramatic rescues of climbers from the ‘Death Zone’ by their Nepali guides and longline helievacs — the visuals all uploaded on YouTube.&nbsp; “Ironically, this perception of safety is bringing more and more inexperienced climbers to the mountain, and they need more rescues,” Ayers said in one of his dispatches.&nbsp; American expedition chronicler and summiteer Alan Arnette suspects there is a lot of under-reporting given that the jet stream and storms were lashing Everest even till late in the season. He told us: “I heard a lot about frostbite and rescues that were not made public. It’s become practically impossible to cover the details on Everest. All the teams report nice news, and they don’t talk about bad stuff to avoid hurting businesses.” Although trash on Nepal’s mountains makes headlines, what does not receive as much attention is the climate impact of so many expeditions. The Sagarmatha Sambaad conference sidestepped this issue, which is ironic given that the impact of climate breakdown is most evident on Himalayan peaks and their glaciers.&nbsp; <h2>Need for Speed</h2> The big stories this year have been about speed-running from their home cities to the top of Everest. Ukrainian entrepreneur Andrew Ushakov flew out of JFK on 15 May at 10:15AM Nepal time, and was on the summit 3 days, 23 hours, and 7 minutes later on 19 May at 9:22AM.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250601080640_1c5cc6fc991307861768f07037ed9d30930fb20f35dbb57dc31c9a92a9e1a885.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20250601080640_1c5cc6fc991307861768f07037ed9d30930fb20f35dbb57dc31c9a92a9e1a885" data-rendition-name="original" width="1440" height="1800" loading="lazy" alt="The Everest Industry"> <figcaption>Andrew Ushakov at the summt. Photo: ELITE EXPED</figcaption> </figure>  “I could never find the time for the traditional 40-50 days of acclimatisation,” Ushakov explained matter-of-factly. His ‘Everest Sea-to-Summit’ climb was possible because he spent 400 hours in hypoxic sleep tents over the past four years in New York. However, Ushakov did use ropes already fixed, hired four Nepali guides, helicoptered to Base Camp, and used much more oxygen than an average climber. And after the climb, Ushakov was arrested at Kathmandu airport for being in possession of $20,000 of undeclared cash and spent a night in jail and fined $60,000.&nbsp; The other speedsters were Garth Miller, Alastair Cairns, Anthony Stazicker, and Kev Godlington, all former British Army commandos. They left London and summited five days later on 21 May, and flew right back. They also used hypoxic tents to simulate the thin air high on Everest.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250601080644_90c8dd5cc07b4b43f2989b1dc0c0650ab80f10ebb06680c25a6909c519957bd8.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20250601080644_90c8dd5cc07b4b43f2989b1dc0c0650ab80f10ebb06680c25a6909c519957bd8" data-rendition-name="original" width="810" height="668" loading="lazy" alt="The Everest Industry "> <figcaption>All four members of the Furtenbach team at the summit. Photo: Sandro Gromen-Hayes</figcaption> </figure>  But more controversial was their use of xenon gas therapy in a German hospital to ramp up the production of oxygen-carrying haemoglobins in their blood. Xenon is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency for being performance enhancing in sports. Expedition leader Lukas Furtenbach said this rule does not apply to mountaineering, as it is not a regulated sport like swimming. Nepal has no rules about xenon, but the Department of Tourism said it was launching an ‘investigation’ to decide on future policy since it is difficult to ban xenon, but allow oxygen. The controversy has also divided the mountaineering community, with some climbers saying they just want to maximise their chances of survival. Spending less time on the mountain could make climbing safer by reducing avalanche risk. It would also mean less trash on the mountains, but it would reduce the income of Nepal’s expedition industry. It is also unclear how much of the success was due to xenon therapy and whether the ex-special forces were already in good physical shape.&nbsp; The need for speed hides the fact that climbing in the Himalaya is dangerous business, and climbers cannot sprint to the top just by huffing xenon. But ultra-fast climbs could be charged more, and the revenue generated can be used to establish state-of-the-art rescue operations, and increase pay and insurance for guides. Two other speed chasers this season were Swiss-Ecuadorian Karl Egloff and American Tyler Andrews, both on Everest without oxygen. Andrews choppered to Base Camp to catch a weather window, but turned back from 8,500m due to high winds. Heavy snow and wind also forced Egloff to descend from 7,000m. Slow and steady climbers like Anja Blacha from Germany did make it to the summit without oxygen, while Kami Rita Sherpa broke his own record with his 31st Everest summit as he led a 26-strong Indian Army group. There were 468 permits issued for foreign climbers from 48 expeditions to Everest this spring. Nepal’s other eight-thousanders together had only 17 expeditions. Nepal has more than 1,000 peaks above 6,000m, and has opened only 476 of them for climbing.&nbsp;

The Everest Industry

While Nepal marked <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/mt-everest-pvt-ltd">Mt Everest</a> Day on 29 May, on the other side of the planet in the US state of Colorado dozens of Nepalis who have climbed the world’s highest peak multiple times were busy working as chefs and Uber drivers. Among them is Nima Doma Sherpa, who climbed Mt Everest in 2019 after her husband Tshering Wangchu was among 16 crushed by an avalanche on <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/on-thin-ice-in-the-khumbu">the Khumbu Icefall</a> five years earlier. A large serac broke off the West Shoulder of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/the-everest-industry">Mt Everest </a>and fell directly on a group of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/more-porters-sick-on-everest-trail">porters and guides</a> making their way up the Icefall at 5,800m. Their bodies were flown by helicopter to Khumjung where Tshering Wangchu was born. He was excited about climbing Mt Everest for the first time.&nbsp; In Khumjung, Nima Doma felt like her own life had also ended. This was the kind of news Sherpa wives, mothers and sisters dreaded every <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/peak-climbing-season-2025-s4abrxny">mountaineering season</a>. She stayed home for more than two years grieving, but ultimately gathered up all her emotional strength to take care of her 6-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter. Nima had grown up in Khumjung hearing <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/stories-of-nepal-s-summiteers">tales of adventure on the mountains </a>from their father, Ang Chubi Sherpa who had climbed Everest in 1993. He used to bring her and her sisters and brother European chocolates after every expedition, and used to tell them that the chocolate bars grew on the mountains. “It was only after we got older did we realise that he told us that chocolates grew in the mountains so we would not worry about him putting himself in harm's way,” Nima Doma recalled with a faraway look at her home in Boulder this week. Nima went to the school that <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/commemorating-edmund-hillary-in-nepal,4145">Edmund Hillary</a> opened in Khumjung till Grade 8, and then dropped out to help in the kitchen and <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/when-yaks-go-so-does-culture">tend yaks</a>. She was married off to Tshering Wangchu, who was also a high altitude guide. When Tshering went on expeditions, Nima also started working as a porter from Namche to Base Camp. It was perhaps her father’s tales of mountains of chocolates that had always attracted her to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/knowing-our-mountains-43v4iyvo">the peaks</a>. After her husband was killed ten years ago this month, being a widow with children was not easy for Nima Doma. But she was not alone: there were at least 200 single mothers in <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/khumbu-since-1950-jaww4qn0">the Khumbu</a>, and 20 of them just in Khumjung whose husbands had been killed in <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/tragic-start-to-himalayan-spring-nepal,3695">mountaineering accidents</a>. Some were not even 20 years old, and had children growing up without fathers. But there were also women in the 50s whose husbands had been killed in the 1980s. Nima found sponsors for her children’s education, and moved to Kathmandu. In the capital, Sherpa widows used to meet to help each other. Some of them had joined the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) training for rock and ice climbing. “I decided that it was no use sitting home and crying anymore, after meeting other single mothers I felt less alone,” remembers Nima, who joined the Juniper Foundation and enrolled in an NMA training camp in Manang. There she climbed Chulu East (6,584m) and met Furadiki Sherpa, whose rope-fixing husband had also been <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/on-mt-everest-s-70th-records-and-fatalities">killed on Everest</a> in 2013. They set themselves the goal of climbing Everest one day, and started a fund-raising drive.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250530090544_621be0724b9182c8e3594b2c562a71ec32ac01d985a71d0cf31646de9d51e15a.png" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="20250530090544_621be0724b9182c8e3594b2c562a71ec32ac01d985a71d0cf31646de9d51e15a" data-rendition-name="original" width="2678" height="1274" loading="lazy" alt="Everest summiteers find new life in the US"> </figure>  “We decided we had to overcome society’s stigma of <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/widows-personal-happiness-comes-last-in-face-of-social-financial-hardships,1855">widowhood</a> and prove that <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/remembering-junko-tabei">women could also climb mountains</a>,” Nima said, adding that she was inspired by Nepal’s first woman Everest summiteer Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, who died during her descent in 1993. Nima Doma and Furdiki climbed the technically-difficult Ama Dablam (6,812m) and then arrived at Everest Base Camp in April 2019 as part of their Two Widows Expedition with the motto, ‘So Can We’. While climbing up the Icefall Nima passed the spot where her husband had been killed. It was a jumble of constantly-shifting ice blocks bigger than houses. She closed her eyes and said a prayer. “I remember thinking, this is so difficult and dangerous. This is what my husband had to do to support our family,” Nima Doma said. “I was determined to fulfil my husband’s dream of climbing Chomolungma, and to prove to ourselves that we two women could do it.” It was 23 May 2019 when <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/world/two-sherpa-widows-scale-everest-and-smash-stigma-idUSKCN1SU0MV/" target="_blank">Nima and Furdiki stepped on the summit</a> and looked over into Tibet, and down at Tengboche Monastery to the south.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250530090544_6b822582b5d88ba5e972db084f184690b40653c6efd9901b2dd082ffba2a263b.png" data-media-id="editor_16" data-image-id="20250530090544_6b822582b5d88ba5e972db084f184690b40653c6efd9901b2dd082ffba2a263b" data-rendition-name="original" width="2700" height="1522" loading="lazy" alt="Everest summiteers find new life in the US"> </figure>  Nima Doma hugged Furdiki, took off her mask and wept. But for the first time in five years, it was not from grief but relief — relief for being free of all the sadness and sacrifices and for fulfilling her husband’s dream. They had found <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/life-after-death">life after death</a>. “I felt this immense joy to be on top of the world, it was indescribable,” Nima Doma said, “I have wept only twice in my life. Once when my husband died, and once there on top of Everest.” The tears had frozen on Nima Doma’s cheeks, as she and Furdiki headed back down the mountain.