-Laxmi Prasad Devkota
It is not that Nepal has never seen talents and geniuses. We do have a history rich of creativity and science since time immemorial though this didn’t develop into something bigger as of now. Today, we lack these talents but have started seeing fresh new ones. When rest of the nation was ‘sleeping’ during 1960s-70s, a man was busy building his own telescope that did the perfect job as did Galileo’s in 1600s. Later this man was to become the first man in the world (and you heard it right) to build the microcomputer. In 1979 a Patan resident and 37 year old Muni Shakya, now 65, of Newar community surprised the world with its first microcomputer that we call PC today. He came with more surprises in later days like introducing first devanagari script on computers, making his own radiation monitor and many other computing breakthroughs during the 80s and 90s.
We have to believe in ultimate satisfaction rather than current day comfort, as Muni Shakya says, to reach a developed Nepal. Today, we have the best Engineering Colleges in the region, emerging successful manpower and better knowledge of resources, but we just lack the initiative and vision. People here do not think ‘it is possible to their better lifestyle with better life style of all’. First you give to the nation and the nation will give to you. That’s the only way of seeing progress to a highly backward society like ours.
Path to Success:
Current active members of Kosmandu Astronomical Society, now also as SEDS Nepal Chapter and some well wishers are now discussing initiatives starting this June. As a member of National IHY 2007 celebration committee, I am proposing some ideas on behalf of Kosmandu (SEDS-Nepal) to the committee. Besides, we will continue other public outreach programs that we initiated long ago.
The following initiatives will be taken during the International Heliophysical Year 2007:
- Group Ideas and People ready to do something: Gather information on what can be done and what we want to do. Identify potential groups as well as seek funding and organize a national level conference to initiate new works on the field of astronomy and astrophysics.
- Start possible programs with participation of student groups and professionals as well.
- Use extensive programs of public awareness and student participation in projects designed by the working group.
- Continue with the Permission To Dream project and help more schools and students get directly involved in this project.
[Do check my another entry at http://blogs.seds.org/frozensun]
