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Showing posts with label nrna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nrna. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

एनआरएन आन्दोलनको नयाँ जन्म: विप्रेषण अर्थतन्त्रबाट विश्व नेतृत्वतर्फ


 


एनआरएन आन्दोलनको नयाँ जन्म: विप्रेषण अर्थतन्त्रबाट विश्व नेतृत्वतर्फ

गैरआवासीय नेपाली (एनआरएन) आन्दोलन ऐतिहासिक मोडमा पुगेको छ। धेरै लामो समयदेखि नेपालको कथा अस्तित्वको कथा रह्यो, रुपान्तरणको होइन। आज, कार्यशील उमेरका तीनमध्ये एकभन्दा बढी नेपाली देशबाहिर बस्छन् र काम गर्छन्। रोजाइका कारण होइन, आवश्यकताका कारण। नेपाल विप्रेषण अर्थतन्त्र बनेको छ—र त्यो दुर्भाग्यभन्दा कम छैन।

विप्रेषणले साँच्चै सबभन्दा खराब अवस्थालाई रोकिदिएको छ, परिवारहरूलाई जीवनरेखा दिएको छ। यसले सहयोग र व्यापार दुवैलाई प्रभावतामा हराएको छ। तर यथार्थ उस्तै छ: नेपाल आफ्नै जनतालाई बेच्दै आएको छ। मेहनती र प्रतिभाशाली नेपालीहरू अवसरको खोजीमा आफ्नो मातृभूमि छाड्छन्, किनकि स्थानीय रोजगारी अभाव छ र आर्थिक वृद्धि थिल्थिलो।

तर अब, पहिलो पटक, विकल्प सम्भव बनेको छ। कल्किेवाद अनुसन्धान केन्द्रको क्रान्तिकारी अनुसन्धानका कारण, नेपालले निर्भरता तोड्ने र नयाँ समृद्धिको युगमा प्रवेश गर्ने बाटो पाएको छ। यो दृष्टि साहसी छ: वार्षिक २०% आर्थिक वृद्धि, ज्ञान-आधारित अर्थतन्त्र, र नेपाल विश्वगुरु—विश्वलाई शिक्षा दिने राष्ट्र।

अस्तित्वबाट रुपान्तरणतर्फ

कल्किेवाद अनुसन्धान केन्द्रको अभियान व्यवहारिक र दुरदृष्टियुक्त दुवै हो। अन्तिम लक्ष्य हो—यस कलियुगको अन्त्य र सत्ययुगको आगमन—धनविहीन समाज, समानता, गरिमा र समृद्धिमा आधारित। तर तत्क्षणिक कदम स्पष्ट छ: नगदविहीन समाजतर्फ यात्रा।

उनहरूको अनुसन्धानले नेपाललाई रूपान्तरण गर्ने तीन साहसी तर सम्भव सुधार पहिचान गरेको छ:

  1. नगदविहीन अर्थतन्त्र – सबै कारोबार डिजिटल बनाउने, दक्षता, पारदर्शिता र सार्वभौमिक पहुँच सुनिश्चित गर्ने।

  2. सबै बैंकको सरकारी स्वामित्व – सबै वित्तीय संस्थालाई नेपाल सरकारको स्वामित्वमा ल्याउने, जसले बैंकिङलाई निजी नाफाभन्दा राष्ट्रिय प्राथमिकतासँग जोड्नेछ।

  3. शून्य ब्याजदर बैंकिङ – ब्याजदर हटाएर शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य, कानुनी सेवा र उद्यमशीलतालाई निःशुल्क सबै नागरिकलाई उपलब्ध गराउने पूँजी खोल्ने।

यी तीन सुधार कार्यान्वयन गरेपछि, केन्द्रको दाबी छ, नेपालले तुरुन्तै प्रत्येक नागरिकलाई उच्चस्तरीय शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य र कानुनी सेवा निःशुल्क दिन सक्नेछ। यसरी नेपालले विश्वकै सबभन्दा बलियो ज्ञान-आधारित अर्थतन्त्रको आधार तयार गर्नेछ।

किन २०% वृद्धि सम्भव छ

२०% वृद्धि असम्भव छ भन्ने संशय गर्न सकिन्छ। तर इतिहास फरक कुरा भन्छ। चीनले अद्भुत उचाइ हासिल गर्‍यो, तर यस्तो दर कहिल्यै निरन्तर राख्न सकेन। भारतले पनि त्यो देखेको छैन। धनी मुलुकहरू त २%मा रमाउँछन्।

तर नेपालसँग अद्वितीय अवसर छ: साहसी सुधार, प्रवासी नेपालीको सीप र जनताको सामूहिक इच्छाशक्तिका कारण नेपालले असम्भव मानिएका वृद्धि दर हासिल गर्न सक्छ। चीन वा भारतभन्दा भिन्न, नेपाल पुराना उद्योगले तानेर राखेको छैन। यसले सिधै ज्ञान-आधारित अर्थतन्त्रमा छलाङ मार्न सक्छ।

यस्तो आर्थिक क्रान्तिले निजी क्षेत्रको रोजगारी विस्फोट ल्याउनेछ, जुन घरेलु पूँजीद्वारा संचालित हुनेछ। पुस्तौँदेखि पहिलो पटक, नेपालीहरूले परिवारको भविष्य सुरक्षित गर्न घर छोड्नुपर्ने बाध्यता रहने छैन।

एनआरएन आन्दोलनको भूमिका

यही ठाउँमा एनआरएन आन्दोलन प्रवेश गर्छ। यसको सदस्यहरू अवसर खोज्दै नेपाल छाडेर निस्किए, तर अब उनीहरू फर्कनको चौतारोमा उभिएका छन्—श्रमिकको रूपमा होइन, नयाँ नेपालको वास्तुकारको रूपमा।

एनआरएन आन्दोलनले कल्किेवाद अनुसन्धान केन्द्रको कार्यलाई पुरै साथ दिनुपर्छ। यो केवल अर्थतन्त्रबारे होइन; यो गरिमाबारे हो, सार्वभौमिकताबारे हो, र भविष्यबारे हो, जहाँ कुनै पनि नेपाली आर्थिक कारणले विदेश बस्न बाध्य हुँदैन।

सामूहिक समर्थनका साथ, नेपालले विश्व दक्षिणका लागि एक दीपक बन्न सक्छ—साना मुलुकहरूले पनि साहसी र स्वतन्त्र बाटो लिएर समृद्धि हासिल गर्न सक्ने प्रमाण प्रस्तुत गर्दै।

कार्यको आह्वान

विप्रेषणको समय सकियो। रुपान्तरणको समय सुरु भयो।

एनआरएन आन्दोलनसँग यो दृष्टिलाई वास्तविकतामा बदल्ने स्रोत, प्रभाव र आवेग छ। कल्किेवाद अनुसन्धान केन्द्रको क्रान्तिकारी कार्यतालिकासँग मिलेर, यसले नेपाललाई नयाँ युगमा प्रवेश गराउन सक्छ—समृद्धि, गरिमा र नेतृत्वको युग।

नेपालको अर्को अध्याय लेखिनै बाँकी छ। प्रश्न यही हो: के एनआरएन आन्दोलन उठेर नेपालको आवश्यक नयाँ जन्म दिलाउन तयार छ?



 


A New Birth for the NRN Movement: From Remittance Economy to Global Leadership

The Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) movement stands at a historic crossroads. For too long, Nepal’s story has been one of survival, not transformation. Today, more than one in every three working-age Nepalis lives and works outside the country, not out of choice, but out of necessity. Nepal has become a remittance economy—and that is nothing short of a tragedy.

Remittances have indeed prevented the worst, offering families a lifeline. They have beaten both aid and trade in sheer impact. Yet the reality remains: Nepal has been trading in its own people. Talented, hardworking Nepalis leave their homeland in search of opportunity abroad because local jobs are scarce and economic growth is stunted.

But now, for the first time, there is a credible alternative. Thanks to the groundbreaking research of the Kalkiism Research Center, Nepal has a path to break free from dependency and leap into a new era of prosperity. The vision is bold: 20% annual economic growth, a thriving knowledge economy, and a Nepal that becomes VishwaGuru—a teacher to the world.

From Survival to Transformation

The Kalkiism Research Center’s mission is rooted in both practicality and vision. The ultimate goal is nothing less than ending this Kali Yuga and ushering in the Satya Yuga—a moneyless society built on abundance, equality, and dignity. But the immediate step is clear: moving to a cashless society.

Their research identifies three radical yet achievable reforms that would transform Nepal’s economy:

  1. A Cashless Economy – Digitizing all transactions to build efficiency, transparency, and universal access.

  2. All Banks Publicly Owned – Bringing every financial institution under the ownership of the Government of Nepal, aligning banking with national priorities rather than private profit.

  3. Zero Interest Banking – Eliminating interest rates to unlock capital for education, healthcare, legal services, and entrepreneurship, all at no cost to citizens.

Implementing these three reforms, the Center argues, would immediately make it possible to deliver high-quality education, healthcare, and legal services free of cost to every Nepali. With such a foundation, Nepal would build the strongest infrastructure for a knowledge economy in the world.

Why 20% Growth Is Possible

Skeptics may dismiss the idea of 20% growth as utopian. Yet history tells a different story. China’s remarkable rise transformed it into a global power, but even China never sustained such rates. India, despite its promise, has not reached them. Developed nations stagnate at 2%.

Nepal, however, has a unique opportunity: with radical reforms, the diaspora’s expertise, and the collective will of the people, the nation can achieve growth rates previously thought impossible. Unlike China or India, Nepal can leapfrog directly into a knowledge-driven economy without being weighed down by legacy industries.

Such an economic revolution would also unleash an explosion of private-sector job creation, fueled by domestic capital. For the first time in generations, Nepalis would not have to leave home to secure their families’ futures.

The Role of the NRN Movement

This is where the NRN movement comes in. Its members left Nepal in search of opportunity, but now they stand on the threshold of returning—not as workers, but as architects of a new Nepal.

The NRN movement must throw its full weight behind the Kalkiism Research Center’s work. This is not simply about economics; it is about dignity, sovereignty, and a future where no Nepali is forced to live abroad for economic survival.

With collective support, Nepal can become a beacon for the Global South, showing how even the smallest nations can chart bold, independent paths to prosperity.

A Call to Action

The time for remittances is over. The time for transformation is here.

The NRN movement has the resources, influence, and passion to make this vision real. By aligning with the Kalkiism Research Center’s groundbreaking agenda, it can help usher in a new age for Nepal—an age of abundance, dignity, and leadership.

Nepal’s next chapter is waiting to be written. The only question is: will the NRN movement rise to the occasion and help give Nepal the new birth it so urgently needs?






एनआरएन आंदोलन का नया जन्म: प्रेषण अर्थव्यवस्था से विश्व नेतृत्व की ओर

गैर-आवासीय नेपाली (एनआरएन) आंदोलन एक ऐतिहासिक मोड़ पर खड़ा है। बहुत लंबे समय से नेपाल की कहानी अस्तित्व की रही है, परिवर्तन की नहीं। आज, हर तीन कामकाजी उम्र के नेपालियों में से एक से अधिक देश से बाहर रहता और काम करता है। यह उनकी पसंद नहीं, बल्कि मजबूरी है। नेपाल एक प्रेषण (रेमिटेंस) अर्थव्यवस्था बन गया है—और यह किसी त्रासदी से कम नहीं।

प्रेषण ने वास्तव में सबसे बुरे हालात को रोक दिया, परिवारों को सहारा दिया। इसने मदद और व्यापार दोनों को असर में पीछे छोड़ दिया। लेकिन हकीकत यही है: नेपाल अपने ही लोगों का व्यापार कर रहा है। मेहनती और प्रतिभाशाली नेपाली अवसर की तलाश में अपना देश छोड़ते हैं क्योंकि स्थानीय स्तर पर रोजगार नहीं है और आर्थिक वृद्धि रुकी हुई है।

लेकिन अब, पहली बार, एक वास्तविक विकल्प सामने आया है। कल्किवाद अनुसंधान केंद्र के क्रांतिकारी शोध के कारण, नेपाल के पास निर्भरता से बाहर निकलने और समृद्धि के नए युग में प्रवेश करने का मार्ग है। यह दृष्टि साहसी है: 20% वार्षिक आर्थिक वृद्धि, ज्ञान-आधारित अर्थव्यवस्था, और नेपाल का विश्वगुरु—दुनिया को शिक्षा देने वाला राष्ट्र बनना।

अस्तित्व से रूपांतरण की ओर

कल्किवाद अनुसंधान केंद्र का मिशन व्यावहारिक भी है और दूरदर्शी भी। अंतिम लक्ष्य है—इस कलियुग का अंत और सत्ययुग का आगमन—एक धनविहीन समाज, जो समानता, गरिमा और समृद्धि पर आधारित हो। लेकिन तत्काल कदम स्पष्ट है: नकदी रहित समाज की ओर बढ़ना।

उनके शोध ने नेपाल को बदलने के लिए तीन साहसी लेकिन संभव सुधार पहचाने हैं:

  1. नकदी रहित अर्थव्यवस्था – सभी लेन-देन को डिजिटल बनाना, दक्षता, पारदर्शिता और सार्वभौमिक पहुँच सुनिश्चित करना।

  2. सभी बैंक सरकारी स्वामित्व में – हर वित्तीय संस्था को नेपाल सरकार के स्वामित्व में लाना, ताकि बैंकिंग निजी लाभ की बजाय राष्ट्रीय प्राथमिकताओं से जुड़ी रहे।

  3. शून्य ब्याज दर बैंकिंग – ब्याज दर को समाप्त करना ताकि शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य, कानूनी सेवाओं और उद्यमिता के लिए पूंजी खुल सके, और ये सब नागरिकों को निःशुल्क मिल सके।

इन तीन सुधारों को लागू करने के बाद, केंद्र का दावा है, नेपाल तुरंत हर नागरिक को उच्च-स्तरीय शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य और कानूनी सेवाएँ निःशुल्क उपलब्ध करा सकेगा। इस प्रकार नेपाल दुनिया की सबसे मजबूत ज्ञान-आधारित अर्थव्यवस्था की नींव रखेगा।

क्यों 20% वृद्धि संभव है

20% वृद्धि को असंभव कहा जा सकता है। लेकिन इतिहास कुछ और कहता है। चीन ने अद्भुत ऊँचाइयाँ हासिल कीं, लेकिन इस दर को कभी लगातार बनाए नहीं रखा। भारत ने भी ऐसा कभी नहीं देखा। विकसित देश तो 2% की वृद्धि पर जश्न मनाते हैं।

लेकिन नेपाल के पास एक अद्वितीय अवसर है: साहसी सुधारों, प्रवासी नेपाली विशेषज्ञता और जनता की सामूहिक इच्छाशक्ति के दम पर, नेपाल वे वृद्धि दर हासिल कर सकता है जो पहले असंभव मानी जाती थीं। चीन या भारत से अलग, नेपाल पुराने उद्योगों के बोझ से दबा नहीं है। यह सीधे ज्ञान-आधारित अर्थव्यवस्था की छलांग लगा सकता है।

ऐसा आर्थिक क्रांति निजी क्षेत्र में रोजगार का विस्फोट भी लाएगी, जो घरेलू पूंजी द्वारा संचालित होगी। पीढ़ियों में पहली बार, नेपाली परिवार के भविष्य को सुरक्षित करने के लिए घर छोड़ने के लिए मजबूर नहीं होंगे।

एनआरएन आंदोलन की भूमिका

यहीं पर एनआरएन आंदोलन की भूमिका आती है। इसके सदस्य अवसर की तलाश में नेपाल से बाहर निकले, लेकिन अब वे लौटने की दहलीज़ पर खड़े हैं—श्रमिक के रूप में नहीं, बल्कि नए नेपाल के निर्माता के रूप में।

एनआरएन आंदोलन को कल्किवाद अनुसंधान केंद्र के कार्य को पूरी तरह समर्थन देना चाहिए। यह केवल अर्थव्यवस्था का प्रश्न नहीं है; यह गरिमा का प्रश्न है, सार्वभौमिकता का प्रश्न है, और उस भविष्य का प्रश्न है, जहाँ किसी नेपाली को आर्थिक कारणों से विदेश में रहना न पड़े।

सामूहिक समर्थन से, नेपाल वैश्विक दक्षिण के लिए एक दीपक बन सकता है—यह दिखाते हुए कि छोटे देश भी साहसी और स्वतंत्र रास्ता चुनकर समृद्ध हो सकते हैं।

कार्यवाही का आह्वान

प्रेषण का समय खत्म हो गया। अब परिवर्तन का समय है।

एनआरएन आंदोलन के पास इस दृष्टि को वास्तविकता में बदलने के लिए संसाधन, प्रभाव और जुनून है। कल्किवाद अनुसंधान केंद्र के क्रांतिकारी एजेंडा से जुड़कर, यह नेपाल को एक नए युग में ले जा सकता है—समृद्धि, गरिमा और नेतृत्व के युग में।

नेपाल का अगला अध्याय लिखा जाना बाकी है। सवाल बस यही है: क्या एनआरएन आंदोलन उठकर नेपाल को उसका बहुप्रतीक्षित नया जन्म दिलाने को तैयार है?


NRN Movement Needs A Bold Vision

अब धोखाधडीको युग समाप्त हुनुपर्छ — नेपालले सत्य, योग्यता र ज्ञानमा आधारित भविष्यको हकदार छ
कल्किवादी अनुसन्धान तथा तालिम केन्द्र: नेपालको साहसी नयाँ भविष्यको खाका
स्मार्ट मुद्रा: नेपालको नगदविहीन, भ्रष्टाचारमुक्त भविष्यतर्फको छलाङ
नेपाली हिमालय ३० वर्षभित्र पग्लन सक्छ — अहिले नउठ्ने हो भने पछि उठ्ने समय नै नआउला
अब धोखाधडीको युग समाप्त हुनुपर्छ — नेपालले सत्य, योग्यता र ज्ञानमा आधारित भविष्यको हकदार छ
अब धोखाधडीको युग समाप्त हुनुपर्छ — मुस्लिम विश्व सत्य, न्याय र ज्ञानमा आधारित भविष्यको हकदार छ
कोरोनाभन्दा खतरनाक महामारी आउँदैछ — र नेपाल सबैभन्दा पहिले प्रभावित हुन सक्छ

Friday, June 12, 2015

NRN America

नेपाली हरु ----- अमेरिका जस्तो देशमा पनि चुनाव मा धाँधली गर्न भ्याएको!

Shesh Ghale Tells It Like It Is

Thursday, March 05, 2015

NRN संगठनका पद हरु र म

नेपालमा एउटा CDO भन्ने पद छ ----- राम्रै पद होला, महत्वपुर्ण पद होला ---- तर मेरो आफ्नो लागि ठ्याक्कै interest नलागेको पद। I have absolutely no interest whatsoever ------  मेरो लागि NRN संगठनको प्रत्येक पद --- तल देखि माथि सम्मको प्रत्येक पद त्यस्तै हो ---- मलाई ठ्याक्कै interest छैन। अहिले पनि छैन, पछि पनि छैन। I have absolutely no interest whatsoever. मलाई NRN को कुनै पद खानै छैन। ठ्याक्कै छैन। अहिले पनि छैन। पछि पनि छैन।

सन २०३० सम्म मा संसारको प्रत्येक देश घुमिसकने ambition भएको मान्छे म। I am a global citizen.


Monday, November 17, 2014

जैक्सन हाइट्स मा ५० समुदाय

खगेन्द्र जस्ता मानिस जैक्सन हाइट्स मा मात्र कमसेकम १०० जना होलान। किनभने जैक्सन हाइट्स मा ५० भन्दा बढ़ी देशका मानिस बस्छन्। ती ५० समुदाय मध्येको सानोमा पर्छ नेपाली समुदाय। नेपालीभन्दा त भुटानी बढ़ी छन।
खगेन्द्र जस्ता मानिस बंगलादेशी समुदायमा मात्र १० जना होलान।

त्यो जैक्सन हाइट्स मा वडा अध्यक्ष छ एक जना, सिटी कॉउंसिल मेम्बर। यो राष्ट्रपतिहरु भेंट हुने शहर। एक चोटि जॉन लिउ सिटी कॉउंसिल मेम्बर हुँदा खेरि भेटेको।

सानो देश, सानो समुदाय ---- तर NRN अमेरिकालाई ४,००० बाट २०,०००, त्यहाँ बाट ५०,००० सदस्य सम्म पुर्याउनु र संगठनलाई democratization र digitization का उच्चतम स्टैण्डर्ड सम्म लानुको नेपालको आर्थिक क्रांति संग सीधा सम्बन्ध छ।


Thursday, June 19, 2014

NRNA USA: The Next Steps

Regions and eligible countries for the Diversi...
Regions and eligible countries for the Diversity Visa lottery (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
With the newly organized elections for the first time the Non Resident Nepali Association has become a mass based organization in America, but barely so. If there are 200,000 Nepalis in America, the 2,000 people who voted for Khagendra GC are but one per cent of the target population. And so the immediate focus has to shift to a massive membership drive, much of which can be done online. For elections to be held within a year, the voter base has to cross the 10,000 mark. Even with 20,000 members the organization will have but organized perhaps only 10% or less of the target population.

I think the membership drive by now has hit an autopilot mode. There is a natural rush among the people to join the organization. That is a far cry from the ground reality only a few years back. The use of digital tools has made a major contribution to that end.

But the membership drive is only part of the story. Modern digital tools make possible for an organization to become truly grassroots, not just during membership drives and elections, but also after. A candidate with a public Facebook page that gets updated regularly allows for an election to go beyond name and face recognition to actually igniting discussions on issues. Photos and videos from events shared on such a public Facebook page draw people in, regardless of if they showed up or not, and most can’t.

A national organization necessarily has to hold its regular meetings over conference calls. International meetings can be held over Skype. There are still conferences people show up for, but digital meetings allow for broad participation.

But the most cutting edge thing the NRNA could do would not be digital at all. Encouraging ordinary members to organize monthly home meetings would go a long way to turning the organization truly grassroots. In person is still supreme, and will continue to be.

Those monthly home meetings could be about discussing agenda items sent from the central committee, but also about suggesting agenda items that the central committee should discuss. The communication has to be two way. But the primary thrust of such meetings has to be the upward mobility of members. Most Nepalis in NYC make less than 10 dollars an hour. How can more and more members be guided to possibly making more than 10 dollars per hour? There has to be brainstorming, there has to be note sharing.

The local NRNA has to build formal vehicles to encourage more and more people in Nepal to apply for the diversity visa lottery, and make it smoother for lottery winners to transition their way into America, whether they personally know someone or not. But once here most Nepalis stay stuck in where they started for a decade or more. I think the monthly home meeting could help steer people to look beyond where they stand right now.

A lot of socioeconomic mobility is about exercising the muscles between your ears. There is so much to learn online for free or cheap that can help people move up the income brackets. And being organized helps. There is a clear social component to learning.

Shared wifi can cost as little as $10 per person. You can get a Chromebook for $250. And that is all you need to go to university. We live in an era of lifelong education. No Nepali I know is too educated to learn some more.

So far NRNA membership drives feel like an exercise to help a few dozen people get their fix of politicking and for abstract far flung concepts like dual citizenship. NRNA membership has to be made of month to month immediate relevance to its ordinary members. Beyond taking the membership of the organization past 20,000, that push should be the real thrust of the association.

Keeping all book keeping transparent online, keeping all meeting minutes transparent online would go a long way to making the organization truly grassroots. Heck, in this day and age it should be possible to produce and share video minutes of meetings on Facebook. You get a minute here, a minute there, and edit and share.

If there are two million Nepalis outside South Asia, and if 200,000 of them are in America, the country’s share comes to about 10%. Funny that the top country on the planet has been the last to get organized to some extent as far as the Non Resident Nepali movement is concerned. Perhaps some day NRNA USA might even aspire for global leadership. Going decidedly grassroots and being number one in the use of digital technology is how you get there.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Democratic Fermentation: NRN Style

Nepali architect - Arniko in Miaoying Temple
Nepali architect - Arniko in Miaoying Temple (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
For the first time in its history, the Non Resident Nepali Association has become a mass based organization in America. This is a major milestone. Once the elections are over in a month, and people have the option to become members again, it is estimated the number might hit something like 10,000 to the current 4,000.

This makes the NRNA the largest Nepali organization in America, and now there is no more need for another umbrella organization. There must be a few hundred Nepali organizations across America, big and small. And that is all good. But there was a need to have one organization that brought everyone together from all parts of the country. That void has been filled.

Other than a large membership base, and perhaps more important, the basic democratic process seems to have taken root in the organization, starting from the election process itself. When an organization has 4,000 members spread across America, you have no choice as a candidate but to wage a decent campaign. You have to go out there and ask for votes, or go online.

I like to joke, which is the most socio-economically backward ethnic group in NYC? Is it the Nepalis, the Tibetans, or the Bhutanis? Considering Nepal is the poorest country outside of Africa, if Nepalis are not number one from the bottom in NYC, the crowd has got to be close to the bottom, there must be a pool of such ethnic groups.

How do you organize such people? Is it possible to buck the trend? As in, could Nepal continue to be the poorest country outside of Africa, but Nepalis in NYC organize themselves in such ways that the community makes major advances as a group over a period of something like 10 years?

I think that is possible. And turning the NRNA into a mass based organization is key to any such attempt. It is not just about dual citizenship. It is also about making socio-economic advances here itself, right here in New York City. Being better organized as a community helps, and that is to do with applying the basic democratic process.

For the longest time it felt like the minuscule ANTA had more members than the giant sounding NRNA. All that has changed. 2014 is proving to be a watershed year for the organization.

When you move from 200 members to 4,000 members, that is a move in the right direction. When members can register online, that is good. When members can vote directly for those running for office, that is swell. Online voting is a tremendous idea. A candidate creating a public Facebook page elevates the conversation.

The issue of dual citizenship remains the top item on the agenda, as yet the perennial unfulfilled goal. Politicians in Nepal are scared shitless that if they were to allow the NRNs dual citizenship, some of them might show up in Nepal to run for office, and then where are we? I remember one Holi in the 1980s when all planets in the solar system came to form one straight line, and that was supposed to be the end of the world. Nothing happened. At the end of the last century, all computers of the world were supposed to go haywire. Nothing happened. There is nothing to fear and everything to gain from the dual citizenship idea. In today’s globalized world Nepal has to think of all members of its diaspora as its ambassadors. Like I like to say, you can bring in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) or you can keep sending your workers out to Malaysia, Qatar, and where have you.

But then basic democracy is not enough. Recently I jotted down some ideas as to what a new Madhesi organization in the city might look like. Even with its recent love for basic democracy the NRNA will remain an organization where ordinary members have nothing much to do after they have paid their membership fee of 10 dollars and voted for somebody. Then all activity shifts to the few dozen active ones. I am not a big fan of that arrangement.

The basic building block of organizing Nepalis in the city has to be the Home Meeting, perhaps once a month, about 10 member strong. The emphasis has to be on helping more of the Nepalis who wish to come over to the US to come over, to help with the first phase of seeking lodging and a job. Most of that gets taken care of informally right now. Maybe there is room for something more organized. And then there has to be major emphasis on people making $10 per hour or less to help them get past that barrier. A lot of that might be to do with education and training, much of which can be done online for cheap these days. And there the social element can be a huge factor between someone moving upward, or staying stuck in third gear.

I think the same basic model of organizing can also work for Nepalis in the higher income brackets. In case you have not noticed, most of the top earners among Nepalis meet regularly, and compare notes, and help each other out.

The NRNA in NYC and in America should not just focus on the distant, seemingly abstract goal of dual citizenship, important as it is, but should primarily focus on helping its ordinary members advance socio-economically locally. Part of that also is about being efficient. Don’t get in the way of these Nepalis and the city itself and all that it has to offer. When you put together disorganized events that don’t have much focus or direction, you are basically inviting people to show up and waste their time. They work crazy hours for little pay. On their day off, they’d rather do laundry, or go visit Times Square, than show up for your event.

Can you blame them?
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Saturday, March 01, 2014

5,000 Members



The United States possibly was one of the last countries for the Non Resident Nepali movement to enter. It flourished on all continents except this one for years. And finally when it arrived it had managed to accumulate 400 members in four years.

But looks like those days are over. A recent membership drive has put the membership past 3,000. And that is in large measure because you can get your membership online. Estimates of Nepalis in America put the number at 200,000. I think to expect the NRNA will get at least 5,000 members is modest. The NRNA deserves to become the largest Nepali organization in America.

The organization suffered because the democratic process was disallowed. But some recent changes are welcome. You should be able to get your membership online. Any member should be able to contest for Officer positions, and all members should be able to directly vote for those Officer positions. The committees that run the association should organize online meetings. You put those basics into place and the next thing you know you have a truly pan American organization. Geography is no longer holding you back. All book keeping should be kept transparent and online.

The empowerment of the community comes from the organization’s commitment to the basic democratic process itself. Such a commitment to democracy and transparency will jack up the membership base to consistently large numbers. People running for Officer positions would engage in membership drives to boost their chances, and that would be swell.

The annual ANA Convention has a long tradition, and it deserves to continue with it. That convention is as good a platform as any for the NRNA as well.

The dual citizenship issue remains the unfinished business of the NRNA. And that mystifies me. Because making dual citizenship possible for global Nepalis is the easiest and the single biggest step the government in Nepal can take for Nepal’s rapid economic growth. Nepali politicians who oppose Foreign Direct Investment, either through active opposition or, more likely, plain inaction, and those who stand against dual citizenship for global Nepalis are directly responsible for Nepali women ending up in the brothels in Mumbai, and Nepalis landing in body bags from the Gulf states. Those politicians are standing in the way of job creation inside the country.

Only a mass based NRNA in America can help with the cause of dual citizenship. A NRNA with 200 members simply does not have legitimacy. At 5,000 members you are finally talking. At 10,000 members you matter. The membership drive has to be ongoing.

There are more than 30 Nepali organizations just in New York City. There are tens of Nepali organizations in most major urban areas across the country. The NRNA could be that umbrella organization that brings Nepalis together across this country. And it is a good thing the association asks for individual and not organizational membership.

There is power in numbers. For the first time I have some respect for the NRNA in America. 5,000 has been that magic number for me. The membership number has to go past that for me to take the NRNA seriously. Leaders contesting elections and winning after massive membership drives have legitimacy. Enough of backroom deals and undemocratic appointments and shady court actions.

Once the NRNA in America gets the basics of democracy and transparency right and goes past 5,000 members, it will become a serious national chapter of the global NRN movement for the first time. And it might even claim leadership of the global movement at some point. It will be able to add muscle to the dual citizenship debate.

In a culturally diverse country like America, and especially in cities like New York, a well run NRNA will bring up opportunities for alliance building with organizations that represent other countries. Transparent and online book keeping will create opportunities for massive fundraising and creating new programs.

If the Officers of NRNA America will hold online meetings, that means the gulf between the NRNA chapters in the 60 plus countries is going to be zero. Everyone can come on Skype. It is amazing how Viber has taken off. The NRN movement was always meant to be global. But lack of robust coordination has kept the movement in the doldrums. I am for more skyping and less air travel. Use social media to the max. Keep all interested members in the know. Publish meeting minutes and money details on Facebook groups.

5,000 members spread across the country might mean those running for Office might also have to conduct primarily online campaigns. That would be interesting. That would also be cheap. Which means anyone could participate, and that would be a good thing.

I have wondered out loud many times in many places as to why the top global Nepali entrepreneurs are not out of America but rather Second World countries like Russia. If America is the ultimate country, what gives? One of the things holding the community back has been a lack of large, mass based, democratic, transparent, robust organizations. Minus that the community has been nimbling along with some sort of an inferiority complex.


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