CONTENTS Editorial 2 Ambassador’s Message Embassy of Nepal 3 Mayor’s Message City of Houston 4 Editorial Board NAH President’s Message 5 Advances in Technology Unconventional ..... 7 Editorial Committee: cdl/sg] nfOkm 8 Nirmal Shrestha Choosing Professional Career: SPORTS... 13 Anup Pande Breath Taking House 14 Tara Baral Rupak Rauniar Off-grid rural electification in Nepal: 15 Community Contributor 19 Marketing: Akleesh Memory 20 Madhukar Amatya Dinker Amatya Community Health Center Highlight 21 Paban Shrestha bvMb' hLjg 22 Contacts: Nepalse Student Association 25 Nepalese Association of Houston A creepy Scary............ 28 (NAH) gkfnL] cfdf 28 6776 Southwest Freeway, Suite 450 Houston, Texas 77074 Accomplishments and Milestones of NAH 31 Tel: (713) 773- 4348 NAH Executive Members 33 Fax: (713) 773- 1948 Who is Who 34 Email: [email protected] NAH Activities Glimpse 35 Web: www.houstonnepalese.org A tour of Indian/Nepalese cuisine in Houston 39 Layout Design: xo;6g" gkfnL] ;dfh 41 Kiran Shrestha efjgf=== 42 Kamala Dangol Waters from Heaven 45 SS Media Vision Tel: 977-1-5521266, 5553842 Welcome to Houston ! 47 email: [email protected] kmfxf] /] clezfk xg,} j/bfg xf ] 54 Trekking in Nepal 57 Cover: Mount Ama Dablam/ Kumari 2011 Community Service Project in Kathmandu: 59 Photo courtesy by: InStyle Nepal 63 Dev Dangol Suresh Maharjan lk8f leqsf ] dg 65 Uof:6fO\ l6;{ x?sf\ nflu efhg] tflnsf 66 wtL { === 66 Disclaimer A Story by Gautam Baje 69 The views and opinions, unless otherwise noted, contained herein are those of the authors and do cfdf ltdLnfO { ;Demg ] km;' b{ 5g} 70 not represent the official statements or views neither of the Nepal Vision or Nepalese Association Dashain with the season’s.... 71 of Houston. ;Gb/' aurf+} agfp“ 72 to the overall NAH’s mission. We appreciate and take pride in featuring InStyle, Nepalese Student EditorialEditorial Association, and Waters from EditorialEditorialEditorialEditorial Heaven in our current edition. Please feel free to contact the Dear Readers, shares with us on the advance authors of these article should you decide to be a part of these Namaste ! technology related to oil exploration and extraction. Similarly, Dr. organizations. In our community On behalf of the entire Nepalese Brijesh Mainali offers us with a contributor section, we feature Shri Association of Houston (NAH) and glimpse of challenges and Mukund Hari Gaywali. Similarly, the Nepal Vision 2012 team opportunities on off-grid under who-is-who section, we (Editorial and Marketing electrification in Nepal. A satirical feature Shri Bachcha Tiwari ji. Both Committees), it is my pleasure to read on American Life and Breath of these individuals share present you with the 2012 edition Taking House is refreshing. I am inspirational stories and have of Nepal Vision, the annual sure you would be able to relate exemplified as a community leader publication of our beloved your own experiences in the USA during various Nepali events and organization. The timely with these two stories. A visitor’s programs. publication of the 2012 edition guide, prepared by Vishnu Nepal, This year, NAH will hold its serves yet another instance of provides with many important election for the office of Executive achievement of our community information regarding Houston. For Committee. The current NAH members and leaders who believe those who are visiting Houston, or Executive Members wish best to the and share the motto of “NAH who have recently moved to new team, and remains committed belongs to Everyone!” Houston will especially find the to serve the community in times of This year’s Nepal Vision magazine article useful. Craving for some need. is truly an example of global Nepali food? Akleesh Katel’s (who As the managing editor, I would collaboration and contribution from passed away in 2012 –bless her like to thank everyone who had our friends and well-wishers who soul) field research of Nepali been part of making Nepal Vision have contributed with various restaurants in greater Houston city 2012 publication a success- contents for this 2012 edition. The is equally informative. For poetry including all the members of contributed articles serve as an lovers, the Nepali Vision offers editorial committee and marketing example of the power of Nepali several short poems on various committee, our sponsors and literature, our rich heritage and topics and subject matters that will advertisers, publisher, authors, values that we continue to embrace lighten up your mood. Nepal members of current NAH Executive even while being away from Nepal. Vision is also blessed to receive Board, and lastly a big thank you Like in the past, this year’s Nepal several submissions from our young to our readers. Vision stays true to the tradition of contributors. As you read their providing and instilling Nepali- articles (for example, choosing Jai Nepal ! pana to our readers. By sharing our professional careers or a creepy, ideas and knowledge, we create a scary night), you would be drawn progressive society. Nepal Vision to the imaginative and creative 2012 edition was aimed to serve minds of these young ones who such purpose. seem to have also developed a good writing practice worthy of In the current edition, you will find Rupak Rauniar publication. articles ranging from science and Managing Editor: technology to trekking adventures The current edition also features Nepal Vision in Nepal. In his article related to several local organizations in General Secretary, Petroleum, Dr. Rajendra Shrestha Houston that are aligned in purpose NAH 4 Nepal Vision 2012 Nepal Vision 2012 5 6 Nepal Vision 2012 Nepal Vision 2012 7 8 Nepal Vision 2012 President’s Message Respected Nepalese and friends in Houston and Well-Wishers around the World, Happy Vijaya Dashami and Deepawali ! On this festive occasion I’d like to wish you and your family good health, happiness and prosperity in your lives. “We believe: that service to In October of 2010, I had accepted humanity is the best work of the challenge to serve this life.” This is the last line of Junior association as a president with all Chamber International (JCI) creed the energetic board members. You and almost 15 years (1985-1999), are all witnesses for the projects I have recited this in Nepal and program held in these two Jaycees during my involvement in years. I am pleased to announce Jaycees. I believed in this and will NAH is moving forward and we have focused all our programs believe this all my life. driving its agenda in meeting the more in our children: be it fashion overall goals and aspiration of It is a distinct honor to write on show among the children and Nepalese in Houston. It has also this proud publication of Nepalese parents, or dance and song done an excellent job in Association of Houston “Nepal performance, or art competition in Vision”. Nepalese Association of coordinating with all Nepalese Nepal day, or kite making Houston (NAH), I believe, does non-profit organizations and competition in Dashain. bridging the ties between regional not need to be introduced anymore and national organizations. We are also proud to conduct and in the Nepali community in support different programs jointly Houston. I remember back in 1995 On behalf of the NAH board of with our sister organizations in when I first came to Houston, directors, I want to express the Houston: soccer tournaments with there was no organization among excitement of all the landmark Houston Nepali Soccer Team the Nepali community in Houston. activities (please check our NAH (HNST); Bhanu Bhakta Jayanti, I remember how it started: back in activities pages) of our beloved Siddhicharan Jayanti, Sheetkalin 1995, with a small gathering to community. This is a good time to Kabi Gosti and other Nepali literacy host a dinner party in honor of the update you about promises made programs with International Nepali famous Nepali artist Manisha and promises kept! We have Literary Society (INLS) Houston Koirala and singer Udit Narayan worked not only to provide Chapter; Pooja and religious Jha in Dr. Anjali Jain’s residence platform to uphold our culture programs with Pashupatinath at Memorial Drive. It was so hard heritage, but also integrate Temple and Radha Krishna to communicate each other just to ourselves with different Organization; different cultural and gather 30-35 people in that dinner organizations and communities. other programs with Nepalese party. Then, realizing the necessity We were all proud to celebrate the Student Associations (NSA), of an organization, Nepalese first “Nepal Day” in Houston, America Society of Nepales Association of Houston was which was declared by the Mayor Engineers (ASNEngrs), Instyle formed. In the year 2000, of Houston during our fourth NRN Nepal, The Big Mount Group, Nepalese Association of Houston Global Regional Conference 2010 International Artist Forum and (NAH) was formally registered in in Houston. We have celebrated more. the state of Texas with the our main festivals like Bada leadership of Dr. Rajendra Dashain, Teej, Holi, Krishna In addition, NAH organized and Shrestha. NAH has come a long Janmashthami, Maha Sivaratri, participated in different programs: way since then – with exemplary and New Years in our own style. It watch “Super Bowl”, watch “World accomplishments. I would like to is our obligation as well as an Cup”, musical Night with Deepesh thank and acknowledge Immediate opportunity to create examples in Bhattarai, New Year Programs, and Past President, Dr. Rajendra our words and deed that will bring fund raising program for Darshan Shrestha, for his steady hand in pride to us as well as the next Rauniyar etc. leading NAH to success. generation. Keeping this in mind, Nepal Vision 2012 9 To benefit our community NAH am very much confident that, with in October of this year; I wish all organized panel discussion, talk help from each one of us we can the success to the newly elected program and seminar: “Challenges achieve our dream of establishing committee.