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Birth: 8 April 1931, Thamel
Death: 4 April 2021, Chhauni

During the 1950s, education for Nepalis outside Asia was still an abstract dream, even for the elites. So Arjun Narsingha Rana struggled to convince his family to let him pursue his studies in the US. Nonetheless, after joining the Royal Nepali Army, he ended up becoming the first Nepali to complete a US Staff College course.

Regarded as a trendsetter who wanted to reform the then Royal Nepali Army, Rana was responsible for instituting many changes in the institution. The United Nations had started deploying peacekeeping forces to troubled places in the world in 1948. But it was only in 1974 that Nepal expressed its interest to deploy its army on such missions. Under the leadership of the then colonel Rana, (now) Nepal Army sent 571 peacekeepers to UNEF-II in Egypt from the Purano Gorakh Battalion, the first such contingent of UN peacekeeping troops from Nepal.

Gradually, after almost 10 years, in 1983, Rana got promoted to the Chief of Army Staff for a four-year term. Under his leadership the army in 1986 established the Directorate of Military Materials Production and the Directorate of Health Services, with the goals of manufacturing necessaries for the army inside the country and for free treatment of army personnel and families, respectively.

Even now, the Directorate of Military Materials Production oversees Sundarijal Arsenal, Saywambhu Baroodkhana, Multipurpose Garment and Plastic Industry, and Sunachuri Emulsion Plant.

Similarly, in 1986, Rana’s command inaugurated the Directorate of Animal Development and Medicine that supplies to Army Animal Hospital, Soldier Stud Farm Centre and Bhairab Bahan Battalion. It also includes the Training and Animal Selection Guide for veterinary training, animal breeding, diagnosis and treatment of army pets.

Moreover, he wanted to modernize the force and with this intent established, first, a taskforce for air service and air defense, and then built a separate army air base. He also ensured proper combat dress and insurance for every army personnel.

After retirement, Rana served as Nepal’s ambassador to Pakistan (1988-1992).

Rana completed his schooling from Aligadh and Banaras, India and returned to Nepal for his Bachelor degree education at Tri Chandra College. He joined the then Royal Nepal Army as a Second lieutenant in 1952

Rana had been admitted to Birendra Military Hospital, Chhauni when he contracted Covid-19 at the age of 91. He later passed away from pneumonia.

Three years ago, he had lost his wife and only a month ago his only son, Arun Narsingha, to cancer. He is survived by his four daughters and a daughter-in-law.

Nepal Finance Limited (NFS) this opened a new branch at Bhurjungkhola in Machhapuchre Rural Municipality-2, Kaski. The branch became operational from April 4.

NFS, which is the first finance in Nepal to open through private sectors, was established in 1992. With its head office at Kamaladi, Kathmandu, NFS currently has branch offices in Pulchowk, Lalitpur; Banepa, Kavrepalanchowk; Murgiya, Rupandehi and Nawalpur, Gaindakot.

After the opening of the new branch in Kaski, NFS plans to expand its services with new branch offices at Dahnushadham, Janakpur and Hetuada, Makwanpur within this fiscal year. The finance company also plans to open services counter at Kantipath and Kalimati in Kathmandu within the same period.

Presiding over the eveng was NFS Chairman Prof. Hirendra Man Pradhan, along with Promoter/director Diprash Shakya, Chandra Kumar Rai, Rajan Prajapati, Laxmi Maharjan,  CEO Uddhab Raj Thapalia and Assistant CEO Bishnu Prasad Gautam. 

Radisson Hotel Kathmandu organizes “Jyoti Ko Paila”

Radisson Hotel Kathmandu recently organized “Jyoti Ko Paila”, an initiative to educate students of Shree Jyoti Secondary School, Jalapa, Khotang as a part of its corporate social responsibility with themes “Think Planet”, “Think Community” and “Think People.”  

In the initiative organized in this week, 40 students of grade IX and X of Shree Jyoti Secondary School were hosted for an educational day tour at the hotel. The event started off with welcome greetings, brief introduction about hotel industry, career opportunities and hiring procedures which provided an insight to the students regarding the career possibilities in one of the largest industries of Nepal. The students, 95% of whom had never left their district before, were oriented with the operations of the 5-star hotel and were delighted by the experience, press release issued by the hotel reads. 

Radisson Hotel Group is known globally for their responsible business practices. Likewise, Radisson Hotel Kathmandu has put up continuous effort by showing that they care about the lives of people outside the walls of their businesses by conducting numerous CSR activities every year. The company encourages and advocates on sharing resources with need-based entities to unite for common causes, the press release read. 

Nepal Finance Limited opens new branch

Nepal Finance Limited (NFS) this opened a new branch at Bhurjungkhola in Machhapuchre Rural Municipality-2, Kaski. The branch became operational from April 4.

NFS, which is the first finance in Nepal to open through private sectors, was established in 1992. With its head office at Kamaladi, Kathmandu, NFS currently has branch offices in Pulchowk, Lalitpur; Banepa, Kavrepalanchowk; Murgiya, Rupandehi and Nawalpur, Gaindakot.

After the opening of the new branch in Kaski, NFS plans to expand its services with new branch offices at Dahnushadham, Janakpur and Hetuada, Makwanpur within this fiscal year. The finance company also plans to open services counter at Kantipath and Kalimati in Kathmandu within the same period.

The branch opening event was chaired by NFS’s Assistant CEO Bishnu Prasad Gautam, promoter/director Diprash Shakya and Chairman Prof. Hirendra Man Pradhan.

NIBL Ace Capital appointed registrar for NCC

NIBL Ace Capital Ltd has been appointed debenture registrar of Nepal Credit and Commerce Bank Ltd (NCC Bank). NCC Bank, formally registered as Nepal-Bank of Ceylon Ltd (NBOC), commenced its operation on October 14, 1996 as a joint venture with Bank of Ceylon, Sri Lanka.

 The name of the bank was changed to NCC Bank on September 10, 2002, after transfer of shares and management of the bank from Bank of Ceylon to Nepali promoters.

The Debenture Registrar Service Agreement was signed recently between Rajesh Raj Dhungel, senior manager of NCC Bank, and Sachindra Dhungana, assistant general manager of NIBL Ace Capital Ltd.

One week we print an article on how you could cut down meat from your plate, and the very next week recommend you one of the most meatilicious joints in town: the “Kebab Village restaurant and Bar” at Tangal.

We’re not sure why it’s called a ‘village’ though. It’s located right on the main road beside the Tangal Ganesh Temple (on the way to Bhatbhateni) in a proper new building that also houses the “Swornim Boutique Hotel.”

The Kebab Village has a menu full of the best meat dishes of Middle Eastern and Indian origins with some options for vegetarians as well. There’s also a small multi-cuisine menu but that’s probably not what you go there for. The kebab varieties should be enough to satisfy your hunger. 

Kebab Village restaurant and bar 

Location: Tangal

Opening time:  7:00 am to 9:30 pm 

Chef’s special: 

Tandoori Rock Prawn 

Grilled Chicken

Afghani Kebab

Reservation:  014422177/4422199

Meal for 2: Rs 2500

Biraj Maharjan, Nepal's most-capped national footballer, celebrates with his teammate after Nepal wins the final of the Three Nations Cup against Bangladesh, 2-1, on March 29. With the victory, Nepal ends a 37-year-long drought for a home tournament win. Maharjan, who made his international debut against Pakistan in 2008, played his last international match on the day | Sunita Dangol

Birth: 23 April 1943, Nawalparasi
Death: 18 March 2021, Biratnagar

The year was 1985. In a cold police cell in Biratnagar with only a tiny ventilation hole allowing some rays of light, Ashok Koirala was given third-degree torture for his involvement in anti-Panchayat activities. At one point, the officers inserted a packet-full of red chili powder into his anus, knocking him unconscious. The incident, infamously known as Khursani Kanda in Nepali politics, failed to faze him though. In the grim and blurry moments that followed, he felt an ever stronger resolve to fight for democracy.

Outside, public pressure was mounting and the authorities released him after two months of unlawful custody. Koirala, a member of the outlawed Nepali Congress party, rejoined the ongoing anti-Panchayat democratic movement. Five years later in 1990, a multi-party democracy replaced the Panchayat regime. Biratnagar elected Koirala as its first mayor.

Often regarded as a man of principles by his contemporaries, Koirala was a staunch defender of democratic values. For his opposition to nepotism and never seeking favors despite his right connections, his party colleagues spoke of him highly. While former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala was his cousin, another ex-PM Sushil Koirala was his elder brother.

Koirala was the fourth among 12 children of a civil servant father and a homemaker mother. He grew up in Kailali, Nepalgunj, and Siraha, as the middle-income family moved with the father’s transfers. The young Koirala did not have stable education but plenty of exposure to different places and people.

When his father got transferred to Biratnagar in eastern Nepal from Nepalgunj, Koirala’s family had to split. Ashok accompanied father Bodh Prasad and mother Kumudini to Biratnagar, where he spent the rest of his life. He married Shanta Koirala when he was 46.

Koirala got involved in student politics, and later played a key role in leading the student movement during the 1990 People’s Movement. He was a founding central committee member of the Nepal Student Union, the student wing of the Nepali Congress. He served the union as vice-president under President Sher Bahadur Deuba, who later rose to party presidency and became four-time prime minister.

He is remembered for his outstanding leadership of the second People's Movement of 2006, when he was the president of Nepali Congress Morang district committee. He was a key figure in the consolidation of party organization in its most important base—Biratnagar. Elected to the Constituent Assembly in 2013, he was among the drafters of the new Nepali constitution.

The 77-year-old was undergoing treatment for pneumonia at Biratnagar-based Neuro Hospital when he passed away. He is survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter.

AP1 HD television is live-broadcasting the first-ever season of the franchise football Nepal Super League (NSL). An agreement to this effect was signed this week between Shreyans Karki, director of Nepal Sports and Events Management, and Sachan Thapa, director of AP1 HD TV.

The league is being organized by Nepal Sports and Events Management with technical assistance of All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) at Dasharath Stadium from April 11 to 25. The league’s first edition will feature seven franchise teams named after different Nepali cities.

The teams Biratnagar City, Kathmandu Razors, Lalitpur City, FC Chitwan, Dhangadhi FC, Pokhara Thunders and Butwal Lumbini Football FC will compete in a total of 25 round-robin matches. An auction was also held this week to recruit players for different teams in the league that will also feature foreign players.

AP1 HD television is live-broadcasting the first-ever season of the franchise football Nepal Super League (NSL). An agreement to this effect was signed this week between Shreyans Karki, director of Nepal Sports and Events Management, and Sachan Thapa, director of AP1 HD TV.

The league is being organized by Nepal Sports and Events Management with technical assistance of All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) at Dasharath Stadium from April 11 to 25. The league’s first edition will feature seven franchise teams named after different Nepali cities.

The teams Biratnagar City, Kathmandu Razors, Lalitpur City, FC Chitwan, Dhangadhi FC, Pokhara Thunders and Butwal Lumbini Football FC will compete in a total of 25 round-robin matches. An auction was also held this week to recruit players for different teams in the league that will also feature foreign players.