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I am writing from Hyderabad, where I’m representing Nepal at the 72nd Miss World. I carry with me the voices of rivers, mountains, and winds—beings who have always journeyed with us. As an indigenous youth, I long to see the strengths of our heritage honored, and the wisdom it holds remembered. Nepal, and many indigenous communities across the world, carry practices shaped not by dominance, but by deep coexistence. In a time when snow caps are melting and climate disasters escalate, maybe what we truly need is to slow down—not rush forward.

I think of my grandfather cracking open walnuts while my grandmother peeled oranges, telling stories passed down from their elders—stories of birds, plants, and insects that once thrived around them. They sowed their own clothes, grew their own food, and lived within cyclical, respectful relationships with land and life. Whether such a way of living is considered viable today may be debated. But the sense of connection to land, food, and time is something anyone can feel. Perhaps it’s this disconnection where our solutions begin to fail.

As a climate activist, I’m not here to save the planet—but to stay with it, with love and reverence. This world does not belong to humans alone. It belongs equally to the more-than-human. Perhaps it’s time we re-listen to the stories they’ve always been telling.

My journey to Miss World is not a pursuit of a crown, but an offering—to remind us of the depth within the word “world.” The only way we can echo this eco journey is through one another. Not just through votes, but in the quiet moments when you remember me and listen again to the songs sung by our rivers, mountains, and winds. What do they tell you? Could you tell me too?

Singer Pratap Das has released a new music video titled ‘Soltini Ukhumaai Manparyo’. The song premiered on Tuesday evening on his official YouTube channel. In this duet, Das is joined by singer Shantishree Pariyar. The lyrics were penned by Santosh Sapkota, with music composed by Arjun Sapkota. The video features Anjali Adhikari. Music arrangement, mixing, and mastering were done by HBN Kismat, and the track was recorded at 1DB HD Studio. The video was choreographed and directed by Ramji Lamichhane.

The Nepali film Anjila was specially screened at Bhojpur Municipality Hall in Bhojpur district. Directed by Milan Chams, the film was shown for the fourth time in the hall equipped with a digital screen and sound system, with the participation of around 500 spectators. Bhojpur Municipality Mayor Kailash Kumar Ale attended the screening.

Director Milan Chams, who was present at the event, expressed his pride in seeing continuous film shows in a place where movie theaters had previously shut down. “It is a historic achievement to have regular screenings in a location without a permanent cinema hall,” he said, adding that he was thrilled to be part of the occasion.

The special show coincided with the ‘8th International Invitational Mayor Bhojpur Gold Cup.’ Chams announced that the proceeds from the screening would go toward building a house for Anjila Tumbapo Subba, the film’s lead actress and real-life protagonist.

Mayor Ale also expressed his happiness at being able to host a meaningful film like Anjila and pledged continued support for such initiatives. Praising the movie team for taking on a role the state should fulfill, he announced a cash donation of Rs 50,000 from the municipality toward Anjila’s house construction. Director Chams said he hopes for similar support from other local governments across Nepal.

Currently in its seventh week of screening, ‘Anjila’ is still showing in about 40 locations nationwide, including the Kathmandu Valley. The team is preparing for a special 51-day celebration event on May 2. Though released on March 12, ‘Anjila’ has already secured a spot among the top five Nepali films of the year and, according to distributors, has grossed over Rs 100m.

Based on the life of Angila Tumbapo Subba, the captain of Nepal’s women’s national football team, the film stars Anjila herself in the lead role. According to director Chams, the film’s portrayal of struggles and dreams resonates deeply with audiences, creating a strong emotional connection. The movie also features performances by Prem Kumar Shrestha, Sunil Thapa, Dayahang Rai, Bijay Baral, Sirjana Subba, Mao Tse Gurung, Sumin Gurung, Buddhi Tamang, and others.

As the release date draws closer, the promotional campaign for the Nepali film ‘Oonko Sweater’ is gaining momentum. The film’s team has been touring different parts of the country, engaging directly with audiences. As part of this campaign, an event titled ‘Oonko Sweater Saajh Pokhara’ with Sujan Chapagain was held Friday evening along the scenic Fewa Lake in Pokhara.

Popular singer and the film’s music director, Sujan Chapagain, delivered a live performance in front of hundreds of spectators at Hallan Chowk. Chapagain performed hit songs from the movie, including ‘Makhmali’, ‘Kafle’, and ‘Phool’. Marking the 90th birth anniversary of the late legendary folk singer Jhalakman Gandharva, Chapagain also delivered a special tribute performance. He sang ‘Bala Joban’ alongside students from the Jhalakman Sarangi School, who captured the audience’s hearts with their sarangi performances. Jhalakman’s family and the Sarangi School were honored during the event.

The event saw the presence of actor Bipin Karki, actress Pariksha Limbu, debutant Alex Paras, artist Mao Tse Gurung, director Naveen Chauhan, executive producer Milan Khatri, distributor Pushkar Ghimire, and media executive Jeevan Parajuli, among others. 

Three new posters of Oonko Sweater were also unveiled during the program. Addressing the crowd, Bipin Karki described the film as original and urged audiences to watch it in theaters. Mao Tse Gurung shared that he always chooses to work with quality banners and readily accepted Artmandu’s offer for this film. Director Naveen Chauhan expressed confidence that the movie, like Artmandu’s songs, would satisfy audiences and encouraged everyone to look forward to its release on May 9.

Actress Pariksha Limbu said she was thrilled by the overwhelming audience response, while newcomer Alex Paras, who had previously gained attention for his role in Artmandu’s music video ‘Phoolthunge Rani’, expressed his excitement about interacting with audiences directly. Adding to the evening’s excitement, Alex and Pariksha performed a lively dance to the song ‘Kafle’, while artists from the Pokhara Art Center also entertained the crowd with vibrant dance performances. 

The next event in the ‘Oonko Sweater Saajh with Sujan Chapagain’ series is scheduled for May 1 in Dharan.