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MAK Lubricants marked International Women’s Day by organizing a women’s riders meet and two-wheeler rally under the theme ‘Accelerate Action: Her Day, Her Way’. The event, aimed at empowering female riders and promoting MAK’s high-quality lubricants, saw enthusiastic participation from women across various fields. The rally began at Sipradi Trading’s office in Thapathali, Kathmandu, and concluded at the Satdobato Swimming Complex, Lalitpur. Sipradi Trading, the sole authorized distributor of MAK Lubricants in Nepal, facilitated the event in collaboration with Bharat Petroleum.

The rally was flagged off by Sipradi Trading’s CEO Rajan Babu Shrestha, COO Rajesh Prasad Giri, Vice-president Saurav Raj Thapaliya, Head of Lubricants Department Dinesh KC, and Bharat Petroleum’s Country Head Mihir Jyoti Dutta. Popular female riders and influencers Surakshya KC and Barsha Basnet joined the event, alongside other passionate riders. The program featured games, recreational activities, and awareness sessions on MAK products, including MAK 4T Scootech NXT and MAK 4T NXT, which enhance engine performance and efficiency. The rally concluded with the distribution of certificates to participants and winners of various competitions held during the event.

More than 100 men took to the streets of Lalitpur, demonstrating their commitment to ending violence against women and girls. The ‘Men’s March: Men Against Violence Against Women and Girls’ was organized to mark International Women’s Day. The rally commenced from Jawalakhel and passed through Pulchok, Gabahal, and Mangalbazaar before culminating in a large gathering at Patan Durbar Square. A significant number of women also joined the concluding assembly, reinforcing the message of collective responsibility in addressing gender-based violence.

Addressing the gathering, Surendra Basnet, Executive Vice-president of the National Youth Council, emphasized that true awareness and empowerment come from rejecting discrimination and ensuring dignity and equality for women. Bam Bahadur Baniya, Vice-president of the National Child Rights Council, highlighted the importance of instilling gender equality in children from an early age through school education. Dharma Raj Rimal, President of Yuwalaya, the coordinating organization, noted that Yuwalaya has been leading such initiatives for the past decade, underscoring men’s solidarity with women on International Women’s Day.

Young writer Mani Niraula has been awarded the ‘Yog-Hari Poudel Memorial New Creator Talent Award 2025,’ presented by Nawa Sarjak Sahitya Chautari Nepal, Hetauda. The award was conferred during the ‘Second National New Creator Festival and First Central Convention 2025’ in Hetauda, recognizing Niraula as the provincial talent awardee from Koshi.  

Former Chief Minister of Bagmati Province, Dormani Poudel, and award founder, literary figure Prabha Poudel, honored Niraula with a ceremonial scarf, cash prize, and certificate. The Chautari stated that Niraula received the award for showcasing remarkable literary talent at a young age through his published works.  

Prabha Poudel established the award in memory of her grandparents.  

During the event, emerging writers from all seven provinces were honored in various literary categories. Additionally, veteran writer Dr Chudamani Bandhu was presented with the ‘Loknath Neupane Memorial Children’s Literature Award 2081.’  

Niraula made his literary debut with the poetry collection ‘Pahilo Paila’ in 2077 BS and recently released his second book, the novel ‘Gupta Prem’.

Pearson has opened a new Pearson VUE Test Centre Select (PVTC Select) in Chitwan, expanding access to the Pearson Test of English (PTE) in Nepal. The move aims to support aspiring students and professionals seeking international education and employment opportunities, says the institution. “The newly launched 10-seat testing facility, operated by ACE Testing Hub, is equipped with enhanced identity verification and surveillance technology, ensuring a secure and reliable testing experience. PVTC Selects operate in over 100 countries, providing standardized testing services worldwide.”

Nepal has a growing demand for international education, with 19 percent of its tertiary-level students studying abroad in 2021. In the fiscal year 2023/24 alone, over 112,000 Nepali students obtained No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to pursue education in 66 countries, including Japan, Canada, Australia, the UK, and the USA. Additionally, approximately 494,000 Nepali citizens migrated abroad for employment in 2023.

“The new Pearson VUE Test Centre Select in Chitwan represents our commitment to enhancing connectivity and support for test-takers in Nepal,” said Prabhul Ravindran, Regional Director, South Asia, English Language Learning, Pearson. “This expansion aligns with our mission to provide accessible and reliable testing services to meet the growing needs of the Nepali community.”vPearson aims to strengthen its presence as a leading English assessment provider in Nepal. “We are proud to extend our world-class test centres to offer a convenient and secure PTE testing experience,” said Gary Gates, Managing Director, Pearson VUE. “Our goal is to support more aspiring candidates in achieving their academic and professional ambitions.”

PTE is recognized by over 3,500 global universities and the governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK for visa applications. It is also accepted by leading professional organizations in fields such as nursing, accounting, and engineering. Test-takers can use their PTE results to apply for prestigious scholarships, including the Australian government’s Australia Awards, New Zealand’s Secondary School Scholarships (NZSS), the UK’s Chevening Scholarships, and the Fulbright Scholarships in the US.  

“With more than 475 secure test centres worldwide, PTE delivers results within 48 hours, utilizing AI-driven assessment technology for fairness and accuracy. Last year, over 1m test-takers relied on PTE to advance their education and career prospects globally,” as per the institution.