Submit your Article

‘I’m not the creative sort’—we have either said this about ourselves or heard someone close to us say it about themselves. It’s the biggest lie ever. Everyone has creative potential. They just need to tap into it. Here’s how you can do it. 

Journal your thoughts and ideas

Writing things down can be a great way to get rid of mental clutter. In recent years, morning pages is something that has been gaining a lot of popularity. The idea is to write down three pages of whatever comes to your mind the moment you wake up. You keep a diary and pen next to your bed and write down your thoughts before you get out of bed. You can also practice it after doing your morning routine. This is a great exercise to get your thoughts and ideas flowing. Alternatively, get into the habit of keeping a pen and notebook with you at all times and write down the random thoughts and ideas that come to your mind as you go about your day. You will find that this simple exercise will train your brain to think more creatively. 

Pick up a paintbrush

We tend to feel intimidated by the thought of painting something. We think we can’t make something nice or replicate a drawing we like. But it doesn’t have to be so complicated. And seasoned artists vouch that painting and drawing aren’t all that difficult if you just give it a try. It’s definitely a skill that can be honed. Get some canvas, some paints, and a few brushes and just have a go at it. You will find it to be quite enjoyable. You can make cards for your loved ones as well. Painting has many benefits and some of them include enhanced creativity and stress relief. It’s a family activity as well. Spread some newspaper on the floor, plop your paints and canvases on it and get painting. 

Take some pictures

We all have smartphones and we all take pictures of everything, from mirror selfies to the food we order at restaurants. But have you ever tried your hand at taking aesthetic photos of the many different things that are around you? Try capturing a lovely sunrise, or take some photos of flowers up close. Photography is an activity that forces you to think creatively. You start observing your surroundings differently and paying attention to the details. It’s also a lifelong learning process. No matter how long you have been taking photos, you can always take better ones. You can learn new techniques, skills, and styles. Learn to shoot in the macro form that allows you to take interesting photos of miniature subjects like ants, bees, and the like. Street photography is another fascinating thing to try. You could also try your hand at styling objects and taking aesthetic photos of them. 

Learn new things

You are never too old to learn a new skill. Learning new things will sharpen your mind and keep you on your toes. Studies have also shown that constant learning can slow down aging and keep you mentally agile. Sign up for an online course. It could be learning a new language, coding, or graphic design. The options are endless. If you prefer, you can even sign up for physical classes. Dance, vocals, or swim lessons can be good options. There are so many workshops and training being held these days that you can just pick something that suits your mood. These aren’t even long sessions so you don’t have to commit much time. Duolingo is a great app for learning new languages. In 10 to 15 minutes a day you can pick up new words and phrases and be quite a pro at any language of your choice in a year or two, if you are consistent with practice. 

Break up your routine

Most of us are creatures of habit and we tend to follow the same routine day in and day out. Without realizing, this makes our days a little mundane and dulls our mind in the long run. While everyone loves rituals and a sense of structure to their days, it’s essential to switch things up every now and then so that we don’t get bored. This allows your mind to think freely and not be constrained by a particular way of thinking. Try taking a different route to work, order takeout from a restaurant that you normally don’t go to, thrift items you need instead of heading to the market to pick something off the shelf or see if you can repurpose something around the house to serve your needs. Breaking up your routine not only allows for more flexibility but it also forces you to think before you do anything.

Seventy-eight-year-old Malgodami Badi never had the chance to attend school—not as a child, nor as a teenager. She had no desire to study, nor did anyone ever encourage her to do so. A resident of Shreegaun in Dangisharan Rural Municipality-6, Dang, she spent most of her life engaged in household chores. But today, not a single girl in her family, community, or among her relatives is out of school. In fact, girls in the Badi community now enjoy 100 percent access to education. “We didn’t know how to study, but now everyone goes to school,” she said.

Nirmal Nepali, a leader of the Badi community and a human rights activist, recalls that the community only began accessing education after the Education Act was passed in 1971. “We feel like the first students from the Badi community. We started going to school in 1978/79,” said Nepali, who is also a teacher. “Initially, just one or two of us went to school. Gradually, the message spread that the whole community should pursue education. Now, all children in the Badi community—especially girls—have 100 percent school access.”

Similarly, 70-year-old Suntali Kusunda from the endangered Kusunda community has never been to school. Illiterate and unable to recognize letters, she is now committed to ensuring her children are educated. “Reading and writing is difficult in the Kusunda community,” said 68-year-old Birma Kusunda. “I didn’t learn the alphabet, but I have educated my children up to secondary level.”

Until 20 to 25 years ago, Kusunda girls received no formal education. Today, however, most girls in this small community—consisting of 170 people in 36 households—are in school. Around 15 to 20 Kusunda girls have completed secondary education. According to Dhan Bahadur Kusunda, president of the Kusunda Society, political changes have helped raise awareness. “With increased awareness, our people now say that girls must be educated,” he said. Depending on their economic condition, Kusunda children now attend both government and private schools. “I’m 59 and have never seen a school from the inside. But all four of my children are studying, though they have yet to find jobs,” he added.

With these political and social shifts, girls are now actively participating in education, and the demographic makeup of schools has transformed over the years. Data shows that the retention rate of girls in schools is now higher than that of boys, and classrooms today have more girls than ever before. “Earlier, there used to be just two to four girls in a class—now, most of our classrooms are full of girls,” said teacher Dharmaraj Poudel.

In Lumbini Province, the changes in school enrollment levels have been especially notable. From basic to secondary levels, there are more female students than male students in public schools. “This is a pillar of change,” said Lumbini’s Minister for Social Development, Janamjaya Timilsina. He credits state policies aimed at ensuring no one is left behind in school education for this shift. “A few years ago, there were obstacles for girls’ education, but now those issues are largely resolved. This progress is essential for education reform,” he said.

National data up to grade 10 also supports this trend: there are 2,522,049 female students compared to 2,422,969 male students—a gap of nearly 100,000. Experts say this growth in girls’ education is driven by evolving social attitudes and the erosion of traditional barriers.

“The number of girls in public schools has surged over the past 10 years,” said Bhagwat Poudel, principal of Tulsipur Secondary School Center. “Fifteen years ago, you’d see more boys in classrooms. Now, it’s the opposite. Many factors have contributed to this shift.”

Parents’ attitudes have also changed significantly. “Even families from marginalized communities now believe their children should be educated, and they are sending them to school,” he added.

In 2004, there were 17 percent more male students than female students in Nepal. By 2024, that trend had reversed, with female students slightly outnumbering male students. However, a subtle disparity persists: while girls are often enrolled in public schools, boys are more frequently sent to private institutions. Ironically, the dropout rate among boys is now higher, with fewer boys than girls appearing for the Secondary Education Examination (SEE) in 2024.

Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2024, ‘Brotherless Night’ by V.V. Ganeshananthan is a beautiful and heartbreaking account of a family torn apart by the civil war in Sri Lanka, fought between the Sinhalese-dominated state and Tamil separatist groups. As someone who grew up during the civil war in Nepal, I could relate to the story and it helped me sort out the many emotions of the time that I still find myself struggling with. I must confess that the subject got a tad bit heavy at times and I had to put the book down. But I loved it and I have been recommending it to all my friends and colleagues. 

The story is narrated from the perspective of 16-year-old Sashi Kulenthiren who wants to become a doctor. Over the course of the decade as civil war rages through her hometown of Jaffna, she finds herself struggling to survive and her dreams take on a different course. Her brothers and her best friend get caught up in various political ideologies and their lives too turn out differently than anyone had imagined. 

After Sashi’s eldest sibling is killed in anti-Tamil riots, Sashi begins to question everything she has learnt and believed in over the years. Soon, as more of her siblings join the movement, she too finds herself in the heart of it. Her friendship with K, a high-ranking militant, offers her a chance to become a medic at a field hospital and this leads her to keep secrets from her family. However, her motivation behind taking up the position is simply that she wants to do good and help people, despite their political inclinations. But when the militants turn on civilians and other helpless members of the society, she starts wondering about her role in the war. Years later, she tries to document all the human rights violations committed by various parties during the war. 

Sashi is a passionate and intelligent narrator. She always finds a way to protect the ones she loves but she is also torn between her love for her brothers and best friend and her sense of what is right. The book shines light on a woman’s perspective on war and how they often have to sift through complicated emotions in order to make sense of and survive in a difficult world. The other characters are also well crafted and feel like people you know or have met. The brilliant characterization and plot make the story come alive. I felt it could be adapted into a really good movie. 

Brotherless Night is a historical fiction based on real events. But it feels raw and real, especially if you have seen war up close or seen people suffer its consequences. It’s brilliantly researched and written and thus compelling. It has been a while since I read the book but it has left a lasting impression on me. It has also definitely made me want to read more of the authors’ works. Brotherless Night is Ganenhananthan’s second book. Her first book ‘Love Marriage’ is also set in Sri Lanka and was longlisted for the Orange Prize.

Fiction

Brotherless Night

VV Ganeshananthan

Published: 2023

Publisher: Penguin Random House UK

Pages: 348, Paperback

Just as the Russia–Ukraine war, initiated by Russia’s  invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, was entering its fourth year, the international community was shocked by reports alleging that the North Korean regime has refused to repatriate the bodies of its soldiers who were unlawfully deployed and subsequently killed on the battlefield at Kursk, instead seeking to preserve them through a controversial “freeze-drying” technique known as “promession.” Even though the Kim Jong Un regime’s atrocious human rights record has long been widely recognized, its refusal to bring home its war dead and its bizarre approach to managing their remains further underscore the regime’s brutality and disregard for basic human dignity. 

Historically, how a nation handles the remains of its fallen soldiers has had a significant impact on military morale and served as a reflection of national dignity. Ensuring that those who sacrificed their lives for their nation are respectfully repatriated and honored is a critical part of sustaining the courage and willingness to sacrifice those soldiers who are alive. The United States, the world’s leading power, tirelessly searches for its soldiers’ remains even in the remotest regions of the world. For example, in the 1990s, the US negotiated with North Korea to excavate and repatriate the remains of American soldiers from the Korean War, demonstrating its commitment to honoring the nation’s fallen heroes.

South Korea also has an organization dedicated to recovering its fallen military members, putting forth every effort to return their remains to their families. South Korea has also continually repatriated discovered remains of Chinese soldiers to their homeland, demonstrating both humanitarian values and respect for national dignity. In stark contrast, the North Korean regime has shown an utter lack of respect even for its own fallen by refusing to repatriate them and instead engaging in an unprecedented and morally reprehensible attempt to freeze-dry their remains. This is a clear demonstration that the regime prioritizes its own security over basic human decency.

The regime’s indecency
This act of indecency by Kim Jong Un’s regime appears to be part of a deceptive attempt to conceal its illegal actions. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law. Labeling it a “special military operation” does not obscure the fact that Russia’s act of aggression has claimed countless lives. 

Most nations, with the exception of a few authoritarian states such as North Korea and Belarus, have condemned the invasion and joined sanctions against Russia. Assisting that nation in this unlawful war constitutes an equally undeniable breach of international law. Regardless of this, North Korea has supplied ammunition, missiles and other military equipment in support. And after strengthening ties with Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny summit in Sept 2023, Kim Jong Un escalated his support by deploying around 12,000 North Korean soldiers to Kursk, a Russian territory occupied by Ukrainian forces. These North Korean troops have reportedly suffered approximately 4,000 casualties.

However, neither Russia nor North Korea has officially acknowledged this troop deployment. North Korean soldiers reportedly carry Russian military identification, wear Russian uniforms, and fight as part of Russian military units. According to reports, most of the fallen North Korean soldiers have been found in horrific condition, decapitated or with severely damaged faces. Eyewitness accounts suggest these gruesome injuries result from either suicide drone attacks or soldiers detonating explosives on themselves just before capture.

Reports have it that Russia attempted to return hundreds of dead North Korean soldiers, but North Korea has refused them. Instead, North Korean officials stationed abroad have reportedly been looking into facilities capable of rapidly freezing and pulverizing human remains—a practice known as promession. Promession, developed by Swedish biologist Susanne Wiigh-Mäsak in 1997, involves rapidly freezing human remains with liquid nitrogen at -196℃ and then vibrating and dehydrating them into powder before burial. However, the practice has not been widely adopted, due to psychological resistance as well as practical concerns. North Korea’s efforts to pursue the use of this technique, despite these issues, suggests a deliberate attempt to permanently destroy evidence of its unlawful troop deployment.

The primary motivation
The primary motivation behind the Kim Jong Un regime’s  actions appears to be the fear that returning soldiers’ remains in such horrific condition to grieving families could trigger enough public outrage to destabilize the regime itself. The North Korean regime has rigorously concealed the truth about its troop deployment to Russia, even from its own soldiers. This was recently revealed through testimonies of two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces.

They stated that they had been told they were traveling abroad for training. The regime also lied to the North Korean people, telling the soldiers had simply gone overseas for training. However, it is only a matter of time before these lies are brought to light. As casualties mount and concealing the truth becomes impossible, the North Korean regime has begun notifying families of soldier deaths, demanding absolute secrecy while offering compensation such as televisions, electronic devices, and additional food.

No matter how strictly a regime maintains control through surveillance and oppression, parents would not just suffer and do nothing once they realize their children have been sent to die senselessly on a foreign battlefield. Should this appalling reality spread across North Korea, it could profoundly unsettle the population.

The unlawful deployment of North Korean troops to Russia is solely driven by Kim Jong Un’s desperate effort to secure his regime’s survival. Due to its efforts to further develop its nuclear weapons arsenal, the international community has exacted punishing sanctions, leading to collapse of North Korea’s economy and great suffering among its people. Kim’s alliance with Vladimir Putin is seen as a way for the former to overcome these challenges and preserve his hereditary dictatorship. However, sending young North Koreans to die on a foreign battlefield and then preventing their remains from returning to the grieving parents goes beyond being profoundly inhumane and will lead to the regime’s collapse—the exact opposite of Kim’s intentions. North Korea must end its unlawful conduct before it’s too late and begin actually practicing its self-proclaimed policy of “putting the people first.”

The author is director of the Center for Korean Unification Strategy at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy