Engineer Umesh Bahadur Malla, IMPECCABLE CREDENTIALS

He wishes to be in the National Planning Commission now.  “I think I could accomplish a lot of important work.”  Even a cursory glance at his resume will confirm that his aspiration is not one that should be taken lightly by the powers that be – not if the country is serious about exploiting available specialized manpower towards renewed developmental efforts. Engineer Umesh Bahadur Malla was born in 1943, lives today in Ganabahal, Kathmandu, and is currently the president of RUPSON (Regional and Urban Planners Society of Nepal). His education includes graduation from Edinburgh University with M. Phil in Urban Design and Regional Planning (1973-1976), and earlier, B.Sc from Tribhuvan University (1957-1961) and B.E. (Civil Engineering) from IIT Roorkee (1961-1964). From 1983 to 1984, he spent a full academic year as a Humphrey/Spurs Fellow at MIT Cambridge (USA), specializing in Housing and Urban Planning.

His professional journey has been an interesting one. Before retiring from government service in August 2000, Malla has held such positions of high responsibility as Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning & Works (1998-2000) and Director General of Department of Housing & Urban Development (1996-1997).  From 1992 to 1995, Malla was the Joint Secretary at the Human Settlements & Environment Division of His Majesty’s Government. It was during this time that Engineer Malla coordinated the preparation of ‘National Plan of Action – Nepal’ and ‘Best Practices – Nepal’ for presentation at the City Summit in Istanbul, Turkey. These were subsequently incorporated in the 9^th Plan.  

Besides these, Malla has been a responsible member of many important committees involved in urban environment management programs, including one as chairman of the steering committee constituted for execution and coordination of “‘Metropolitan Environment Improvement Program’ in Kathmandu Valley” – a HMG/World Bank project (1993-1995). Engineer Malla has also been chairman of the Building Code Advisory Panel, a National Building Code Development Project. In the period 1988 to 1991, he held the responsibility of Deputy Director General of HMG’s Urban Development Division during which time he was associated with preparing the Structure Plan and Infrastructure Assessment Reports for 29 towns all over the country. Earlier, from 1976 to 1987, Malla held the post of Senior Planner / Section Chief of the Physical Planning Section at the Department of Housing, Building & Physical Planning, Ministry of Works & Transport. During this time he prepared and implemented the Development Plan for Silgadhi / Dipayal, the growth centre of the Far Western Region.

The above portfolio should be more than enough to declare Engineer Malla’s credentials as being impeccable in the field of regional planning and development. But his impressive professional saga does not end here. He has accumulated a wealth of hands on experience as well. From 1969 to 1973 he worked as a Senior Engineer in the Building Design Section and from 1964 to 1968, as an Assistant Engineer in the Building Department. During this time, Malla was the Project Director for the Padma Kanya College Complex (girls hostel) project.  Along the way, Engineer Malla has also actively offered his contractual services as a top notch consultant. In 1980, he was the Project Director of the ‘Kailali Resettlement Project Plan Study’– a plan to resettle 3500 families. The same year he was designated the Urban Planner in the CEDA Study Team to undertake the ‘Kathmandu Valley Town Planning and Its Impacts’. In 1985, he was the Planner and Infrastructure Analyst for the ‘Rapti Zone Regional Assessment Study’. In 1998, as National Consultant  for the ‘Healthy Cities Program’ Malla prepared a report called ‘Developing Healthy Cities – Agenda for Banepa: A Situational Analysis’

The above is not by any chance, a summary of the experienced engineer’s professional life, but rather, just a few of his many accomplishments which would, in any case, take too much space to recapitulate here. However, the underlying message is clear – Engineer Umesh Bahadur Malla is one of the most eminently qualified professionals in the country today to undertake responsibilities concerning planning and development works. Undoubtedly, his experience is vast and his range of activities, though specialized, has encompassed wide territory. In addition, in his many capacities, and more so as National Coordinator and Member Secretary (Focal Point) of Nepal National Committee for HABITAT II Conference from 1993 to 1996, Malla has had ample opportunities to acquire significant global exposure.

Presently, he is engaged in consultancy activities as a director of TEAM Nepal (P) Ltd., a consulting firm involved in the fields of urban and regional planning, urban governance, housing, building and tourism development. He is an executive member of Shelter & Local Technology Development Centre – a NGO dedicated to promoting low cost, environment friendly building techniques in the country. This year, he also completed a three year  tenure as board member of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Fund Board. Malla is a founder member of the Society of Civil Engineers – Nepal and the Regional & Urban Planners Society of Nepal (RUPSON) of which he is the current president as well.

Engineer Malla’s thesis presentation while doing his PhD was titled, ‘A Study of Some Design Considerations in Planning for City Regions’. Thick by any standards, and it can be assumed, valuable educative material, one would think that it could be useful and informative for aspiring students, but the chances are slim because, as the noted scholar says, “Keeping it in a library would be inviting trouble – who can guarantee that it won’t be lost or damaged?’ One can only hope that, what with students and professionals constantly carping about documentation shortfalls in the country, more initiative is taken to ensure material like Malla’s thesis  are made available in concerned  libraries at least  in the form of copies.

Malla believes that the 1969 Kathmandu Valley Plan prepared by Dr. Karl Pruscha and Kathmandu Valley Development Program was an excellent one and in fact, could still be quite relevant to present day needs, albeit with some modifications. But all said and done, Malla, habituated no doubt by long years in the bureaucracy, still is not so open and forthright about his views on why in spite of plans being excellent, not much seems to have happened as planned. “Most of the lapses can be blamed on institutional failure,” he opines. Habits die hard, and so one expect that Malla will be reluctant to blame individuals or even particular groups or organizations for failing to implement well thought out and essential programs. Diplomacy is after all a vital cultivated quality for a top bureaucrat who has had to deal with local politicians, government officials and technicians as well as with many donor agencies, throughout his life. So, when asked his opinion on why the Capital is faced with such a host of problems even after the making of excellent plans, he says, “I agree that not much has been done as planned,  but it is essentially a case of bad management by planners that is responsible for the Valley’s disintegration.” He also lays the blame for the state of things on political instability after 1995. “Enlightened leadership in all sectors is the need of the hour,” he declares, and adds, “Local bodies’ involvement is essential for implementation of programs. Municipalities have been invested with lots of power but they lag behind in capacity building. In addition, there is lack of visionary, enlightened leadership.”

Talking more about the Valley and its associated problems, Engineer Malla says, “Environmentally, I feel we are heading for a disaster. According to IUCN - who have presented a paper called, ‘Regulating of Growth in Kathmandu’ - at the rate the population is growing in the Valley, very soon, the whole Valley, including the VDCs, will be one giant urban sprawl.” According to Malla, the Kathmandu Nagar Vikas Samiti had recommended that of the 66000 hectares of the Kathmandu Valley, only 40% should be built up area while the rest 60% should be left alone. “Various studies have also concluded that the optimum population of the Valley should be limited to 45 lakhs,” informs the engineer. “However, because of its large migratory population, no one can say for sure as to exactly where we are today regarding the issue.” Umesh Malla propounds the development of satellite towns around the Capital and says, “Places like Nagarkot, Sankhu, Pharping, Chapagaon, etc…are some places that could be developed into satellite towns. And among these, Pharping is one of the best locations because of its rolling hills which makes it easier for settlements to expand. Besides, it is linked with Kulekhani by road.”

As far as the Outer Ring Road Project is concerned Malla believes that it is not needed on the north side where in fact it could have regressive effects on the water recharged zones available there. “However, this road will be effective in linking the Arniko and Tribhuvan Highways on the south side.” While on the topic, the engineer laments, “We still have not done an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Outer Ring Road Project.” On a wider scale, the planner is firm in his view that a conceptual framework needs to be done for the whole valley and this should include the concept of VDCs being integrated into existing municipalities. As he says, “The VDCs around the Capital are actually almost urbanized now and in fact, they are growing at a much faster pace than municipalities but because of the lack of relevant laws, the growth is haphazard. Later, this could contribute to the making of a giant urban sprawl. Another point to note is that one cannot expect local leadership in VDCs to be upto the required calibre as far as awareness and ability are concerned.”

He adds, “Of course, urbanization should be taken as a positive development but if not planned for well, could have unfortunate consequences later.” As for planned development of other towns besides Kathmandu, Malla is not too optimistic about the current scenario. “Imagine, the Biratnagar Municipality does not have a single architect or an urban planner in its employment although it is the second largest town in the country with a population of about 2 lakhs.” Perhaps this, more than anything else, vindicates his opinion about the lack of enlightened leaders. Malla also thinks that the current state of affairs in which two ministries, the Ministry of Physical Planning & Works, along with the Ministry of Local Development, are both involved in urban development planning, is not a good one. “It should be under only one ministry,” he says. Well, considering the fact that it is hard enough getting through the red tape in one ministry, one can well understand Malla’s point. Another point he raises is about the need to give more authority to the Nagar Vikash Samiti in areas such as planning and licenses. His logic is, “Because of the municipalities’ less than capable abilities in present times, the Nagar Vikash Samiti has to play a more active role. This can, in fact, be something that will be very supportive of municipalities’ own efforts.”

Malla’s statements clearly are a result of his rich academic background and wide experience which combine to give him a much deeper understanding of issues pertaining to his particular areas of specialization. Malla knows that he excels in his line of work and so it is not without reason that he desires to play a bigger role in nation building. He certainly must derive some satisfaction from knowing his own abilities and the potential for doing more in his professional capacity. But it is not only his professional achievements that gives him satisfaction. In his personal life too, he is a happy man. His father is the respected writer, Govind Bahadur Malla, known fondly as ‘Gothale’ in literary circles.  Eighty-five now, ‘Gothale’ is an honorary member of the Nepal Academy. Umesh Malla’s wife, Sarala, is one of the most experienced teachers in Kanti Ishwari School while his eldest child, a daughter, Upama, is in the USA on a Fulbright Scholarship doing her Masters at Washington University. One son, Sarbesh, has completed his studies in Electric and Electronics from Istanbul while another son, Pritesh, is studying accountancy in the United Kingdom.

At age 63, Engineer Umesh Malla is still fine as a fiddle and as sharp as in his heydays. Most definitely, he holds impressive credentials and an untainted record of professional service. The country can expect much from him and in fact, the opportunity to utilize his expertise should not be ignored by the state. Umesh Bahadur Malla is ready and willing and even while he talks about bigger things like nation building, he is still mindful of smaller, but equally important matters regarding his profession. Matters such as the well known engineer, Shanker Nath Rimal, being given an honorary membership of the Society of Nepalese Architects (SONA). As he says, “Although an engineer, Shanker Nath has contributed much to architecture and should therefore be recognized for the same.”

Architect Anju Malla Pradhan, Going Beyond Expectations

Ten-year-old Astha studies in class four at Graded English Medium School (GEMS) in Dhapakhel, Laitpur. Nothing remarkable about that it must be said, but just a minute, this little girl has something special to be proud of – her mother, Architect Anju Malla Pradhan, designed this particular school. And it is no ordinary school. ‘Grand and Eye Catching’ – these were the catchwords used by the school’s founder-director Rajesh Khadga when assigning the design work to Anju Malla and her firm, Design Studio.

Undoubtedly, the finished product has come up to its director’s high expectations. Spread over plentiful land (70 ropanies), and located amongst verdant scenery, the school’s grandeur is very much evident in the majestic conical columns holding up the porticoes of the three main buildings. Equally grand is the expansiveness in the corridors, the terraces and the playing fields which impart an atmosphere of opulent spaciousness to the premises. Certainly, a school where thousands of children like Asha will enjoy days, months and years of youthful academic life.

Anju Malla Pradhan, who herself was educated in another elite school, St. Mary’s in Jawalakhel (batch of ’84), chose GEMS to educate her only daughter although she admits that it was not that her Alma Mater was lacking in any way, but because she wanted a coeducational environment for Astha.  “Maybe it was only me, but I did have a hard time relating to boys because of studying in an all-girls school,” she says. The shyness remains even today, but at the same time it endows Anju Malla with an air of demureness that is quite charming.

Married to Matindra Pradhan, an Executive Engineer with Kantipur Television, and with only the one daughter, Astha, happily spending fruitful time at school, Anju Malla thankfully has enough productive time of her own as a professional architect good at her job. And it is not only GEMS among her works that is so conspicuously outstanding. Others like Himalayan International Model School in Jorpati as well as the ongoing Learning Realm International Boarding School in Kalanki are equally well designed and almost as large projects as GEMS. The Little Flower School in Jhapa and Small Heaven School in Chitwan might not be as large, but these projects are also close to the architect’s heart. As are scores of residential buildings she has worked on in the past and is working on today.

For an unassuming professional who prefers to work from a small office in a comparatively secluded part of the city, near Dhobhighat in Patan, and for an office which does not even have a signboard outside, one must say that Anju Malla Pradhan and Design Studio prove the cliché right : ‘their works speak for themselves’. The architect agrees, “I am lucky that I did not have to search high and low for work. And I must admit that after completing GEMS, a couple of big school projects have come my way: presumably their promoters liked what I had achieved in the making of a modern school.”

Perhaps Anju Malla’s four year stint with Dr. S.B Mathe & Associates (1995-1999) developed her abilities towards excellence in this sector. She believes Dr. Sriram Bhakta Mathema to have undertaken special studies in designing schools. “While working with him I had the chance to be involved in the designs of various schools such as Bhanubhakta Memorial extension, Mary Ward at Lubhu, Little Angels in Hattiban, St. Xavier’s Campus (2^nd academic block) and Brookfield College extension as well as on design proposals for Vrihaspati Vidyasadan and St. Xavier’s School extension.” However, it must be emphasized here that Anju Malla is as good in other sectors including private residences and commercial complexes as she is in designing schools. Just the fact that at present her ongoing works include, besides others, eight residences, extension work at GEMS, a commercial complex at Kalanki, and a rest house at Gangalal Hospital, should establish the point.

Anju Malla received her B.Arch degree (First Class Honours) from Jadavpur University in Kolkata. Nevertheless, after doing her I.Sc from Amrit Science College in 1987, she had won a scholarship to study in Bangladesh. She recollects, “Everything had been finalized, including the visa, but at the last moment there was a big strike in that country and so, fearing loss of time, I applied to Jadavpur.” At Jadvapur, she remembers being specially proud to see Arun Dev Pant, a fellow Nepali, attend an intercollegiate seminar as the designated speaker from Nagpur University. Anju can also smile wryly today when she recalls that she missed a chance to get the gold medal during her I.Sc. “As a student fresh out of school, I didn’t take things too seriously during the first year and got just above average marks. Thus, even after I became the topper in the 2^nd year, the combined results were not enough for me to be awarded the gold medal.”  Even during SLC, Anju Malla missed a chance to be on the board. “Although my percentage was higher than the highest received by anyone the previous year in our school, others from our school got higher marks and two girls from St. Mary’s were on the board for the first time in our school’s history.”

Still, and maybe on a smaller compensatory scale, Anju Malla did win the first prize in the National Design Competition for the central office building of Kathmandu Metropolis in 1995.  She does not forget to add, “Actually it was done jointly by me and Ngwang Karsang Sherpa who was then doing his diploma in Singapore. Since he didn’t yet have his degree, I got the credit.” But, as she says, there was much controversy about the event as well as the project itself. Which could be one reason for her not being too enthusiastic even today about participating in contests although the way she is going, one can assume that she really doesn’t need to.

Indeed, Anju Malla’s bigger problem today seems to be how to give more time to her daughter, now that she is so busy. Still, and all, her journey towards her professional success has been quite a long one – starting from the time she did her internship at M & S Consultants, Pulchowk (July 1991 - Dec 1991), her initial forays into the profession at Vastukala Paramharsha, Putalisadak (Nov 1993 – Aug 1994), as team leader for Ward 10 planning when working for Bagmati Corridor Development Project (Oct 1994 – Apr 1995), as Consulting Architect with Koladi associates, Pulchowk, a long period with Dr. S.B. Mathe & Associates (Apr 1995 – Aug 1999) as well as a short one with Arnico Designers in 1999. Since then, Anju Malla has been mostly working on her own through though her firm, Design Studio, which also includes her cousin, Architect Manish Munankami. “Initially another cousin, Mridyu, an interior designer, was with the firm, but now she is practicing in Los Angeles.”

Oh yes, Anju Malla has a lot of cousins. Credit for this goes to the fact that her father had six brothers and four sisters. And, oh yes, not only her cousins, but most of her uncles and aunts are either doctors or engineers. Her father, the late Dr. Y.K.Malla, was himself a professor of Zoology at Tribhuvan University. Of his six brothers, the eldest, Dr. Shanker K Malla, is a retired electrical engineer and was once the president of Nepal Engineers Association, another brother, Laxman K Malla, is a civil engineer, Dr. Om K Malla is a Consultant Ophthalmologist, Dr. Mahavir K Malla is a surgeon, while Narayan K Malla is also a civil engineer. Of the four sisters, Dr. June Thapa is a gynecologist as are Dr. Moon Shrestha and Dr. Sun Sil.

Anju admits to being influenced mostly by her uncle Engineer Narayan K Malla, who she believes was an engineer of uncommon abilities. “He died young, when he was about forty eight years old,” she says. “He worked with the Japanese on many of the bridges around the Capital. I think the country lost a very good engineer.” She adds, “He encouraged me to pursue engineering studies but I chose to do architecture, a related field in many ways.” About this, Anju Malla says that she is very satisfied with her choice of vocation and discloses that she likes to play with spaces. “Actually, I prefer to plan designs for smaller spaces which are obviously more challenging. In addition, I am quite committed to follow existing bylaws and building codes which make the task harder.” Further, she says that, as is the norm, she doesn’t charge a percentage of costs as fees which has sometimes led to criticisms being thrown her way.

Anju Malla has served as a board member of the Society of Nepalese Architects (SONA), and is happy that now the organization seems to be much more active. She admires the president, Architect Bibhuti Man Singh, for his enthusiasm as well as for his straightforwardness. It is obvious that Anju Malla Pradhan herself seems to be gaining a certain amount of added assertiveness although she admits to still not being as good at expressing herself as she would want to. Nonetheless, the demure architect expresses herself well enough through her many well designed works and perhaps, it is as good a way to express oneself as any. Maybe, at least professionally, even a better way. 

The Man from Harvard

Harvard University

At Cambridge in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The President of Fellows of Harvard College, acting on the recommendation of the Faculty of Design and with the consent of the Honorable and Reverend the Board of Overseers, have conferred on

                                                 Bharat Prasad Sharma

                             The degree of Master in Landscape Architecture

In witness thereof, by authority duly committed to us, we have hereunder placed our names and the University Seal on this fifth day of June in the Year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty and of Harvard College the three hundred and forty fourth.

President                                                                                                 Dean of Faculty

The number of persons in this country who have received a degree from the above mentioned university can be counted on the fingers. Bharat P Sharma is one of them. But that’s not all. He is also one of only two landscape architects in Nepal, the other being Ananda Siddhi Bajracharya. So, certainly, Bharat Sharma is somebody who is in a unique position professionally. And the question does arise as to what this uniquely positioned man has been able to contribute towards a better architectural scene in the country. When faced with this question he becomes a little uncomfortable but at the same time admits readily, “I have tried to make my views known to all who will listen but unfortunately, in this country, there is very little that can be done.” From his demeanor it is not hard to fathom that even a degree from the most prestigious university in the world was not enough to elevate him on such a plateau as would be justified and from where his words would be given due weight. In fact one comes to the conclusion that this country has made pitifully little efforts to utilize Bharat Sharma’s expertise. How true this is can be deduced from the fact that when the dynamic mayor, Keshab Sthapit, went ahead with his ambitious plans to beautify the Capital, it was not one of the only two landscape architects who was asked to advise and implement. Rather, the so called beautification involved but a few traffic islands where a bit of gardening was done by some people who were really not professionals. No doubt, Bharat Sharma must have felt a bit put off then not to have been consulted in his capacity. This example, more than anything else,­ should lay to rest any thoughts that here, expertise and wisdom are not as valued as they should be.

And so, the degree from Harvard hangs but as a fond memory in Bharat Sharma’s room in his house in 178, Char Narayan Marg in Maligaon which he shares with his wife, Kusum, who has been a teacher all her life and teaches at Shivpuri H.S School in Maharajgunj. The son, Vision, a mechanical engineer, and his wife, Nitin, an electrical engineer, live in Toronto while a daughter, Kuntal, along with her husband, Prajwol, have migrated to Sydney with their two daughters. And so, Bharat Sharma has worked for most of his life at the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, where he was once the Deputy Director General. And so, today he is a free lance Environmental Planner as well as a Professor of Architecture in Nepal Engineering College in Changu Narayan, Bhaktapur. And so, when you ask him about what can be done about the laxity in implementing building laws, he has no answer really. And so, when you ask him about what should be done to ensure safety and safe practices in construction, he has no real answer. Perhaps he has seen and heard it all and the long years in a corrupt and floundering bureaucratic set up has made him into a lifelong cynic.

Which is of course not to say that he is not mindful of what is happening and one cannot say that he is not concerned. For instance he points out the need to discourage large constructions in places where the infrastructure is flimsy. For example, “I think the government should stop putting in so much money in further developing the Dasrath Stadium. It is in a commercial location and right next to a very busy street where even in normal times the traffic is quite chaotic.” Also, “The large business complexes that we see coming up in congested areas will pose grave threat to public safety and will only contribute to more traffic traumas.”

Even the Tundhikhel grounds which he says are the lungs of the city hasn’t made him happy as far its further beautification is concerned. “Just imagine, this large public place is surrounded by a fence that is ten feet high! Where is the consideration to public safety? I call it a jailed environment.” Similarly, Bharat Sharma has a very valid point to make about the real problems with the mass housing developments that seem to be the flavour of the day. “You know, this city lacks most of the basic infrastructural facilities. For instance even if Melamchi were to supply water to Kathmandu, it is certain that scarcity will again be felt ten years down the line. The less said about drainage and sewerage, the better. And what to say about our narrow roads? Under such circumstances, it is difficult to imagine how big apartment complexes will be able to fulfill basic demands to a large number of residents.”

Bharat Sharma seems to be a deep admirer of Malla period architecture, at least in the context of the particular geological and topographical aspects of the valley. This is why he admires them so: “Many of the habitats were built on ‘tars’, meaning ‘uplands’. They appreciated the importance of preserving agricultural land. The communities were compact and since many of the infrastructural facilities like water spouts and squares were shared, they were enough. The ‘guthi’ system was another excellent idea to cater to community needs.”

The landscape architect was born in Janakpur on 15^th January 1945. He did his Diploma in Civil Engineering from Lucknow, received his Architectural Diploma from Kaulalumpur, Malaysia, and B.Arch degree from Baroda, India. In 1980 he passed out from Harvard with a Masters in Landscape Architecture. He has spent about 35 years at the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction where he first started his service in 1964 and from where he retired on July 25, 2001. At the Institute of Engineering, Bharat Sharma has taught M.Sc students of Urban Planning, landscape and environmental planning since the beginning of the course.

The architect seems to prefer a low key life but at the same time he claims, “I have very strong convictions.” Still, it is obvious that the Harvard graduate does not want to go out of his way to rock the boat. However, he does admit that earlier, he was known for his outspokenness and as a man who did not flinch from voicing opinions which men with lesser convictions would have found impossible to. He reveals that he was the first one to go to court in an attempt to preserve Louis Kahn’s design of the Ministry of Health in Thapathali. If asked for, Bharat Sharma, even today, doesn’t mind being forthright and to the point. Therefore, when asked to speak his mind on ways to utilize the remaining open spaces of Kathmandu, he says, “I don’t see why there should be police quarters around Ranipokhari and Kamalpokhari areas. It just doesn’t make sense.  As far as the green belt around the ring road is concerned it should, first and foremost, be safeguarded. As for Tinkune, it should be approached with a total landscape solution where both hard and soft landscaping ought to be implemented and in which, a natural setting will predominate.”

The architect has been a past president of the Society of Nepalese Architects (SONA) as well as of Nepal Environmental Group (NECG) and also General Secretary of the Harvard Club in Nepal. He has been a member of various NGOs and other bodies associated with environmental work and is at present, the president of Centre for Integrated Urban Development (CIUD). He is also an elected member of the Nepal Engineering Council. ­Bharat Sharma believes architecture to be a ‘social art’ which is ‘the ­biggest indicator of human civilization’. But, he says, “In this context we seem to be taking architecture very lightly.”

About his particular specialty he explains, “The basis of all architecture is landscaping.” Explaining further, he adds, “External and internal spaces should blend well. If external space is fluid and dynamic then it will flow into the interior space and vice versa.” The architect has been responsible for the environmental planning and landscaping of the Nagarjun Palace as well as for the landscape design work in the back quadrangle of the Royal Palace. He has also done the landscaping for the Prime Minister’s residence and was involved in the conceptual master plan of a park on the Ring Road in Maharajgunj. He was responsible for the environmental planning of the Canadian Health Project in Dhankuta, and in Biratnagar, for the landscape design for Rastra Bank Complex. In Pokhara, he was assigned the work of conceptual environmental master plan of the Western Region Campus and was the coordinator for the draft master plan of Devghat in Chitwan.

One of his greatest achievements has been as Master Planner to work out the conceptual master plan for the Pashupati Development Trust. Another feat has been this work in the environmental, enhancement and design aspects of Bhrikutimandap garden in context to the SAARC Summit in Kathmandu. Bharat Sharma appears to be passionate about his calling and says, “Landscape is external architecture, which, if done in a creative way, is really exciting.” He adds, “My work focuses around built environments.” He has co-authored a book - Historic City of Asia, Kathmandu - and written a number of articles on architecture, urbanization, environmental planning and ecology. About architectural trends in the country, he believes, “The Malla period architecture is Nepal’s own. After that there was a period in which designs and ideas were imported from abroad. Modern Nepalese architecture started with Gangadhar Bhatta Halbe’s designs.” Bharat Sharma also has the highest regard for professionals like Shanker Nath Rimal (with whose firm he was associated for some time), Bibhuti Man Singh and Deepak Sherchan besides others. Among the younger architects, Bharat Sharma admires works by many of the newer generation, including Arun Dev Pant and Sarosh Pradhan.

According to the landscape architect, “Architects should embrace architecture in its totality and keep in mind factors like the soil where they come from, as well as the prevailing culture, when designing. Besides, good architecture should not only be a prerogative of the rich, but of all classes of society.” About the overhead bridges being constructed all over the city, Sharma says, “Their visual quality is horrible.” He should know. As a man who has aesthetics at the top of his mind when on the job as an environmental planner and landscape architect, Bharat Sharma’s words have to be given due thought. 

The Bold and the Brave

Rajesh Shrestha is Principal Architect of Vastukala Paramharsh, the firm he established in 1991 after having worked with Design A Consultancies in Delhi, Astra and DOM Consultancies in Kathmandu, and four years with Bhavan Bibhag.   With over 56 successfully completed projects (worth Rs. 150 crores) under his belt and with on going construction of 21 projects (Rs. 110 crores) as well as 15 (worth Rs. 47 crores) in the designing stage, Rajesh and Vastukala can be said to have ‘arrived’. This is, of course, an understatement, but as the 43 year old bachelor architect says, “I have risen from a humble background and feel that each day and every project is still a struggle.” Rajesh’s father is a retired bureaucrat who lives with his wife and only son in Pulchowk. The architect has two sisters who are married.

He also admits frankly that his bachelor status allowed him to take a lot of risks in his career. Risks like investing in one of the first large scale housing projects, Comfort Housing (P) Ltd. and rising to the challenge of designing a multifunctional private hospital, Om Hospital in Chabel. The first has been an outstanding success and has garnered a lot of appreciation while the second gained him huge experience. As he recollects, “The hospital has been by far my most challenging project but all that effort resulted in a lot of valuable experience.” However, Rajesh and Vastukala’s turning point towards fame seems to have been two works done in the year 2000, that of the Great Lotus Stupa in Lumbini and the HISEF building in the Capital. Regarding the Stupa, Rajesh informs that the clients initially had plans to make only the stupa but expanded it to include the huge meditation hall on the architect’s advice. He remembers, “It was my idea to construct the massive circular dome above the hall and beneath the stupa, without using supporting pillars.”

The HISEF building situated in Hatisaar has generated a lot of attention with both admirers as well as critics evenly divided. The admirers, which include primarily younger architects, are all praise for his boldness while the detractors’ main bone of contention is that a lot of structures have been unnecessarily created. From a layman’s point of view, the HISEF building flaunts the designer’s identity and serves as a signature of his work. In fact there are many other examples of Rajesh’s works that are easily identifiable because of this fact. Anyway, criticism has never stopped this SLC Board 3^rd (1978, AVM school) from being daringly innovative in his designs. The fact that there were more lucrative fields for the asking didn’t stop him from choosing architecture as his subject under the Colombo Plan scholarship after he had finished I. Sc from ASCOL in 1980. As he says, “Choosing this particular subject was a very conscious choice because I have always been interested in architecture. And that year I was lucky because there were five architectural seats.” He passed out with B. Arch from SPA, Delhi in 1988.

While working in Bhavan Bibhag Rajesh also volunteered his time to the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Nepal (INSAN) where he did a pilot project in Biratnagar that involved design for low cost housing. Because of this, he was invited to be an Ashoka Fellow. As a member of this elite organization Rajesh is conscious of his responsibility and promises, “I will develop low cost housing projects in the future.” Of course by this he means at least five to six years down the line because he knows that there is still a lot left to be done to be more solidly established so that he can do more for society. This is not to say that Vastukala Paramharsh is on shaky ground at the moment. On the contrary, the firm today is on rock solid ground and has 1 senior architect, 5 architects, a model maker, a 3D model maker, 3 draft persons, 5 civil engineers, 2 civil overseers and 3 administrative staff on its payroll with Rajesh heading the management team of four that includes one person each looking after Administration and Finance, Project Management and Q.S. and Co-ordination and Electrical. Clients’ waiting time could take up to six months to avail of the firm’s services. The firm’s list of completed, on going and in-design projects include commercial and office complexes, apartments, hospitals, hotels and resorts, schools, religious buildings, factories and warehouses, three housing colonies as well as well as a substantial number of residences.  He adds, “We also designed the St. Xavier’s Campus auditorium and I think it is the first one to have a roof using concrete blocks”.

While Rajesh’s first two works in Nepal were residential designs, the third was the well known Peanuts showroom in New Road. No doubt Vastukala has wide and diverse experience, but presently, after being so closely involved with three highly successful housing colonies, it can claim to be specially proficient on this particular subject. Just to give an idea of its exposure it is interesting to note that the first Comfort Housing project in Sitapaila consisted of 76 well planned houses on 42 ropanies of land, the second, that in Budanilkantha, 42 bigger houses on 29 ropanies and the third, in Ichangu, 68 houses on 42 ropanies. As a developer-architect Rajesh is in a unique position to advice the government on housing issues and in fact admits that he has given the same when asked for. However, one does feel that concerned authorities should take the initiative to make more use of the architect’s expertise so that building bylaws concerning housing could be further streamlined to better serve the public.

For instance, the architect rues the fact that there are no proper laws for high rise apartments, the correct development of which would be of immense benefit to lower income people. “I feel the authorities are not taking this subject seriously.”  He further elaborates on the example of Comfort Housing’s plans for an apartment complex in Ichangu which has been stalled because bylaws require open space of at least six meters around the building. “The land is not rectangular so six meters of open space cannot be allotted uniformly all around.” In his opinion, “Why six meters? If it is meant for allowing access to rescue vehicles, then four meters should be sufficient.” About housing colonies, he believes that the bylaws requirement of a seven meter access road is not always practicable. In fact for their Budanilkantha project, two smaller one way access roads were made use of to compensate for the lack of a seven meter one.

The architect-developer’s experience justifies his view that developers should be categorized according to their past work and that they should have a say in urban development issues such as land pooling and even issues of long term importance like the outer ring road projects. As he says, “If not well planned properly in advance, such projects will give rise to speculators scrambling all around and will ultimately lead to creation of urban slums.”  It is not only such subjects which worry Rajesh. He is equally concerned about the devastation of traditionally built buildings and has an ambition to resettle residents amicably from densely populated traditionally structured localities such as the one in Maru Tole, so that he can design and restructure the historically important neighborhoods. As he says, “You cannot expect people to preserve if their localities and homes are un-inhabitable. They have to be made more habitable without destroying heritage values.”

Nonetheless, the fact cannot be hidden that Rajesh Shrestha is admired more for his invigorating boldness and in fact one can expect to see an increased number of his signature trademarks all over the city in the years to come. As if to emphasize this, the architect says, “What I am really interested about now is to design a museum and an international airport.” This, more than anything else, is an indication of what heights Rajesh and Vastukala have reached today. And one can be sure that the museum will be no ordinary one and that the airport will have a generous smattering of high tech structures which the architect says he is excited about using.

Rajesh Shrestha is sufficiently bold and brave enough to do just that. 

The Enigmatic Engineer

‘If you give a shape, give it with wisdom

Otherwise don’t give at all

If you have to think, do it carefully

Otherwise jump into thoughtfulness without care…’

So runs a stanza from a page of verses written by the then Acharya Rajneesh to one of his most beloved disciples, Swami Anand Arun, then simply, Arun K. Singh, an engineering student at the Patna University. The Acharya soon enough became world famous as Osho, and Arun is now an Acharya himself and has earned the title of Bodhisatva Swami Anand Arun.

 “ ‘Swami’ simply implies that one has mastery over the self,” explains the silver bearded master. “ ‘Bodhistava’ means that one is now free from the rigors of rebirth, and as an ‘Acharya’, one is authorized to initiate new disciples besides being able to give discourses and conduct meditation camps.”

He adds that he is but only one of the five close disciples of Osho as well as one of the only 21 Acharyas appointed by the Osho himself. Till date, he himself has already initiated about 30000 neo sanyasins all over the world. Professionally, the Swami is an engineer with vast experience and is a founder director of Building Design Authority (P) Ltd. in Kamaladi., a reputed organization with an imposing portfolio of finished works which include the UN building in Pulchowk, the hotels, Sherpa, Shangrila and Durbar, and the Tribhuvan University Humanities building in Kirtipur. Two of its newer achievements have been the impressive IT building in Banepa and the ICIMOD building. “I used to work as a structural engineer in my younger days but now I have no time and so look after only the over-all planning and cost control,” he reveals.

In fact, he has been living for the past many years in a small cottage named Siddartha in the retreat he helped to create in Nagarjuna Hills, and attends office but for a few hours a day. Most of his time is now taken up by a more pleasant and closer-to-the-heart work in Osho Tapoban, an international commune and forest retreat centre. Here he spends most of his waking hours engrossed in running a property that includes comfortable lodging and boarding accommodations for one hundred people at a time and which is ensconced within almost a hundred ropanies of lush green forest made all the more idyllic by the presence of streams and waterfalls. Regular activities in the retreat include a variety of meditations, samadhi darshan, Osho audio/visual discourses and evening satsangs. Besides this, hundreds of sanyasins gather here on Saturdays to conduct what the Swami refers to as a ‘Celebration’.

“We have on an average from 500 to 700 sanyasins who gather here on Saturdays to celebrate,” says Swami Anand Arun. This is besides the other special celebrations held annually on different auspicious days of the year such as 11 December (Osho’s birthday), 19th January (Mahaparinirvan Diwas), 21^st March (Enlightenment and Tapoban Foundation Day) and on full moon of July (Guru Purnima).

Most meditations are conducted by the Acharya  personally and if one were to listen to him either in person or via his discourses on various TV channels or read his writings in various magazines (“I have a regular column on page nine of ‘Samay’ magazine”, says the Swami) one cannot but be highly impressed with his clarity of thought and his eloquence even in subjects that are not so easily explainable. Most certainly, Swami Anand Arun is as worthy a disciple of the great Osho as any, and perhaps most who are intimate with the Osho movement will agree that in many ways the Swami reflects definite shades of the Osho himself.  

Still, it is not an easy matter to live up to such a comparison and surely the Swami himself will be the first to reject any such assessment. For one, he seems to be still quite some distance away from escaping the daily routine of a more mundane life and even though he says, “I am married to Osho Tapoban,” he is as proud as any father when he talks about children from a more commonplace marriage, one to a doctor who is now living in India and from whom he separated a long time ago. “It was a mutually agreed upon separation,” says Swami Anand Arun. The marriage however yielded rich dividends in the form of a son and two daughters who are leading very successful lives today. “My son, Sonal, is a doctor at the John Hopkins Hospital in the US. One daughter, Mrinalini, is a gynecologist in Biratnagar and another, Aishwarya, is doing her masters in computer engineering in the United States.”

The Swami is honest to a fault and free and frank in admitting both pleasure and pain with equal equanimity. However, pain seems to have been a stranger in his life. Born in a small village near Janakpur to late Kedar and Sumitra Singh on 6^th June 1946, Arun must have enjoyed a privileged childhood. “My mother was a member of parliament from 2008 to 2012. My father was secretary to home minister B. P. Koirala in 2007 and was personal secretary to all the prime ministers from 2007 to 2015 including Tanka P.. Acharya, K.I. Singh and M.P. Koirala.”

Among his friends, he specially mentions politicians Pradip Giri and Narhari Acharya as two personalities he admires for their intellect and integrity. It is interesting to note that Pradip Giri lives in the room below that of the Swami’s. “One will always find him reading some book or the other. He has vast knowledge about everything under the sun and I don’t think anybody else knows more about Marxism than him.”

The Swami is also happy that the sanyasins in Tapoban consist of hundreds of  accomplished professionals. “Cardiologist Mrigendra R. Pandey has built a cottage here and physician Madhu Ghimire and heart surgeon Damodar Pokhrel are regular visitors as are many engineers and architects.” Talking more about Tapoban, he declares, “This is a smoke free, non alcoholic, vegetarian zone. We don’t need artificial intoxicants. I myself get the greatest high during meditation.” He also reveals that his commune has rehabilitated thousands of drug addicts and alcoholics. “Our therapy includes cleansing of the mind and body through healthy living and meditative thinking as well as huge doses of love. Here we instill hope and increase self esteem by appreciating their true worth..”

He also states, “Tapoban is a magnet for the spiritually inclined and so can claim to promote tourism. Statistics show that out of all tourists worldwide, 30% are spiritual tourists. And unlike in other places where their itinerary is but for a few days, they often stay here for as long as their visa allows them to. Besides, such tourists are well educated and successful professionals. So, quality tourism is what is attracted.” Without doubt, the Swami must find it fulfilling to contribute so much to society, but one also feels that perhaps he must also feel a bit strained at the hectic schedule he has to follow in his beloved vocation. For instance, Tapoban now has 56 centres all over the country. And besides these, the Swami is also called upon to give discourses all over the world.

Arun became an Osho devotee on 29^th March 1969 while still a student in Patna, and on returning to Nepal, founded the Asheesh Rajneesh Meditation Centre at his residence in Tahachal, Kathmandu, which continues to function as the city centre today. Osho Tapoban in Nagarjuna was established in 1990 with the initiative of a group of dedicated disciples and Bodhisatwa Swami Anand Arun is its spiritual head. He received the titles of ‘Bodhisatva’ and ‘Acharya’ on 27^th June 1984 when in Rajneeshpuram, USA from where he was also awarded the Masters in Meditation (MMD) and D. Phil in Meditation.

Professionally speaking, Arun earned his BE (Civil) in 1973 and joined government service where he became a 2^nd class executive engineer. Unhappy with government service, he joined BD Associates which had been founded by Architects Tom Crees, Raja Ram Bhandari and Engineer Ashish Giri in 1973. In 1980, Arun Singh and Rajaram Bhandari established Building Design Authority. He says, “Tom Crees was a B.Sc graduate but had exceptional architectural talent and I personally consider him to be the best in the business. While talking to clients he would ask me to continue discussions and during this time he would be sketching out drawings as per his evaluation of the client’s needs. By the time discussions were over, he would have the drawing ready, and invariably, the clients would find it as per their own visualization.” He adds, “Tom and I had an extraordinary rapport and we made a very good team.”

However, Arun Singh also recollects, “At the same time, while Raja Ram and myself were relatively well off and so were quite modest in our demands, Tom was very ambitious financially. I often warned him that he would get into trouble if his ambitions were not kept within bounds.” Soon after, Tom Crees left for greener pastures in Australia where he seems to have settled down. About other architects, Arun Singh has a lot of respect for residential works by the late Gangadhar Bhatt Halbe. “His residential designs were simple but also, works of art.” About the burgeoning engineering colleges in Nepal, Arun Singh feels that quality has suffered because of lack of adequate facilities and sufficient faculty. He does concede that Kathmandu University is doing good work, and says, “The Chancellor, Surendra Raj Sharma, is a committed educationist and he is doing a good job.”

But back to where his heart resides today, Osho Tapoban, and one envies this man who has been able to live his dream life. Here he lives, in an Eden where all are welcome to share his happiness, in a paradise where he has found peace. And nowhere is he more at peace than when meditating at the lovely Samadhi of his adored Osho. For here is where his professional expertise and spiritual aspirations combine in a glorious expression of adoration and surrender. “This is a spiritually wonderful architectural monument,” he asserts. And indeed he is right. It is a Samadhi like no other.

Created on the hillock where Nagarjuna achieved enlightenment, the white marble Samadhi is enclosed within a perfectly circular moat. Erected atop a maroon coloured granite platform with nine sides, the Samadhi consists of three white marble triangles that are moon shaped at the top. The moon shape is symbolic of the meaning of ‘Rajneesh’.  In fact,  each part of the Samadhi has some symbolic meaning. “It is of a dynamic shape and echoes the vibrant philosophy of Osho’s teachings. It is also an open Samadhi, because Osho himself was a liberated being.” On a more practical level, one hundred and eight sanyasins can sit around at a time around the moat for meditative purposes. The moon shaped apex holds a tree that is no ordinary tree. “It is a ‘Hiuwan tree’,” explains the Swami. “Folklore has it that the queen of the forest lives in it.” Furthermore, the Swami confides, “I traveled to all the Samadhis of the great gurus in India to get an idea and spent considerable time and money in design selection. Also, the construction around a tree entailed engineering difficulties such as the problem of achieving a perfectly circular moat.”

Whatever the time and money spent, Swami Anand Arun can be justifiably proud of the result. As he can be of the result of his 30 years of hard labour in the engineering profession out of which has arisen a firm that can be proud of its standing in the industry today. But, obviously, Engineer Arun Singh is not like any other engineer and so, in 1982, decided to retire from the profession. “After my youngest daughter went to America, my responsibilities were over. And since my needs are simple and because I have been fortunate in life, I lost motivation to earn money. Therefore, now I could dedicate myself to my true calling.”

As an afterthought he adds, “Besides, I believe in encouraging youngsters and I do think that they are technically more qualified than we were at their age. I do not see any reason why they shouldn’t be allowed to make decisions. I am happy to say that I have found them to make better decisions than what I would have done.” So, Swami Anand Arun has been fortunate yet once again in having colleagues who he can depend upon to keep the firm’s flag flying while he himself can afford to spend a spiritually satisfying life in his Eden. Unworried, uninhibited and unshackled.

The Man for the Times

It could be a case of the adage, ‘lucky seven’, coming true.  The 7^th  of June, 2007, is a date Architect Kishore Thapa will not soon forget, for this was the day when he joined the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works as its newest Joint Secretary.  And, mind you, the ‘lucky’ part is not reserved exclusively for the dashing 47-year-old architect, but rather, it can be said, can be considered ‘lucky’ for the country at large. Because one thing that has always been a chronic shortcoming in the state apparatus, has been the lack of placement of the right people in policy making positions.

So why all this superlative? What makes Architect Kishore Thapa so special? What is it about him that makes one say that his luck has a direct co-relation with the country’s as a whole? Rest assured, there are enough reasons saying so. Reasons also which explain his rapid rise in the rankings. And yes, before we forget, we must mention that he had been the Director General of the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC) for a meager eight months (October 2006 – June 2007) before being made a Joint Secretary. This, as everyone knows, is not a routine turn of events in the nation’s bureaucracy. 

Certainly, the call to the ministry, where he will probably play the role of wise advisor to a ministry that has a lot on its plate, could have been a dire need of the times. For it is without doubt, the ministry of the moment and will in all likelihood, remain so in the immediate future too. Almost certainly, the new Joint Secretary’s excellent contacts with international organizations like the Asian Development Bank will come in most useful. Here, before venturing further, it would be good to know that the respect with he is regarded by this august body has not been just due to his good looks nor only due to his sophistication. Kishore Thapa is much more than that. It is because of what he knows he is made of that makes him say very matter of factly, “I think I can claim that the ADB has a high regard for me as a professional.” It has been a respect earned through and through.

The following could clarify matters more clearly. “From 1994 to 1997, I was the Assistant Project Manager of the ADB funded Kathmandu Urban Development Project (KUDP)”, he discloses. “This project was, after some years, listed as a ‘sick project’ by the international bank. Later, in 1997, I was made the Project Manager, and in 1999, by the time it was finished, I was adjudged one of the four best project managers amongst those involved in ADB projects internationally.” A surprising turn-around one must admit. However, there’s more to the story. “Originally, this project which involved mainly urban development works, was initiated by the then Mayor P.L. Shrestha. Co-incidentally, the turn-around began to happen after I was made Project Manager and Keshab Sthapit became the new Mayor.”

Kishore Thapa admits to sharing great rapport with the ‘bulldozer mayor’, as Sthapit has often been referred to. He admits, “Without the enthusiastic participation of local stake holders, implementing plans becomes an impossible task. And obviously, as regards urban development, it is absolutely imperative to have a supportive municipality. I had, and still have, a lot of admiration for Keshav Sthapit. With his help I could achieve much.” And, so, Kishore Thapa succeeded in completing some major works like the pooling of almost 850 ropanies of land in Naya Bazar, which is now a vibrant part of the Capital. With the ‘bulldozer mayor’ by his side, Thapa also developed the first digital based map of the Valley. Of the former he says, “Land pooling within the city limits was by no means an easy task.”  Of the latter, he says, “I believe the digital based map has become a very useful tool for urban planning and is still being used for many different purposes.”

The architect is a man who has both his feet firmly entrenched on the ground, and likes to dig deep into issues before making an opinion. He has his own favourite quote, “ ‘Errors like straws, Upon the surface flows; One in search of truth, Must dive below’.” Well, yes, Kishore Thapa undoubtedly has had substantial involvement in the technical and administrative aspects of his profession. After passing out from Calcutta University with a B Arch degree in 1982, he spent the next ten years embroiled on the job as a busy architect. For the first three months he was involved with DOM Consultancy. However, it was when he joined the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Extension Project that one could say, his professional life really took off. This is apparent from what he says, “I was with this project from 1983 to 1990 and I believe that it was such a project as to endow any architect with really significant knowledge about architecture.” He explains further, “Work involved designing and constructing the International Terminal Complex as well as several ancillary buildings. In my opinion, it was what can be called, a ‘complete building project’.”

Certainly, it can be assumed that Thapa was fortunate in garnering such invaluable experience. Still, in his case, fortune cannot be credited with all. Even during the early years, Kishore Thapa’s resume in itself was such as to put him in the limelight. Not least because he was from that rare breed who have become Board 1^st in School Leaving Certificate Examinations. Yes, Kishore Thapa was the topper in 1975, and the first student from Laboratory School to attain the exalted position.

So, there, this is just one of the reasons for being so superlative about the man and pinning such high hopes on him to do the country proud as a top level technocrat. This hope, it can be assumed, is as fervently shared by his father, retired army officer Nar Bahadur Thapa and mother, Ami Thapa, as well by wife Ivy who works as a Social Development Officer with Maiti Nepal. Son Himadri, studying in class twelve and  daughter Kripa, in class seven, must be as expectant of greater things from so capable a father.

What he can achieve, given the proper environment, has already been made abundantly clear by what he has been able to do so far as first an architect, then as project manager, then, senior planner and more recently, as, Deputy Director General and finally, Director General of the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC). As an architect, he is obviously most satisfied with his work involving the TIA Extension Project  Another work that has been fulfilling has been the Siddhartha Children and Women’s Hospital in Butwal. One reason for this is, in his own words, “In 1996, I spent two weeks in Japan while designing the hospital, and there I had the great opportunity to work under Architect Tadao Ando. He is one of the world’s top five architects.” Kishore Thapa also was responsible for the master plan of Purwanchal University, and beside others, “Almost three hundred residences.”

After the TIA project, Thapa joined the DUDBC and was posted to Dipayal as a Senior Planner for the fast western region. After eight months, he was transferred to Tikapur as Chief Executive and Senior Planner, a position he maintained for the next eighteen months. Just as he is nostalgic about his time during the TIA project, he is also quite fond of his Tikapur sojourn. In fact, he has plans based around his stay in Tikapur, the main gist of which he reveals candidly, “I can say that I am quite popular in the town and have friendly relationship with many of the townsfolk there. Who knows, one fine day I might decide to contest elections from there.” This will be, of course, another welcome move in Thapa’s life. Welcome for everybody since one cannot stress enough the fact that there is dire need of such people in politics.

Anyway, after Tikapur, Thapa went on to do his Master in Planning (Housing) from the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) in New Delhi, a course he completed with distinction in 1994. Back in Nepal, he went on to be the Project Manager of the earlier mentioned Kathmandu Urban Development Project (KUDP) and, as mentioned earlier, was adjudged one of the best four project managers by ADB. In 2000 – 2001, as Urban Planner, Thapa was instrumental in implementing the Kathmandu Valley Mapping Program, a key component of which was the novel and modern Metric Addressing System in the Capital. In 2001, he became the Deputy Director General (DDG) of DUDBC, and in 2002, was the chief negotiator for another ADB funded program, the Urban and Environment Improvement Project, the activities of which were spread across the country encompassing many districts like Kavre, Sindhuli, Bharatpur, Nuwakot, etc… It was also during his tenure as Deputy Director General that he initiated the Outer Ring Road Project. “A lot of progress has been made and things are moving. Construction will start by next year and, in my opinion, it should be completed within the next ten years,” he informs about the latter.

In 2003, Kishore Thapa received a Humphrey Fellowship and spent one year at Rutgens University, New Jersey, USA, doing further studies on affordable housing and urban development. Now that he is in a position to do so, one looks forward to him initiating a public/private enterprise to develop really affordable housing in the Capital at least. Neighbour Pakistan’s recent efforts towards this sector, wherein 5000 apartments for low income government employees have already been built and 36000 more such apartments are planned to be built in major cities (as per the government’s recent budget plans and in which government land is given for free) could be examples that could perhaps be emulated here too. One must say that there is no cause to shy away from emulating. After all, according to Prime Minister Shaukat Azmi, he too admits to being inspired by the Malaysian example.

In 2006, Kishore Thapa became the Director General of DUDBC. And a short while later, on 7^th June 2007, was appointed Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works. One can assume that this too could be but a short stop for a man of his calibre. A man whose immediate aim now is to make his subject - urban development – a particularly attractive one for politicians so that they not only concentrate on rural development as is the norm now, but realize that it is vital to focus on urban advancement as well. Specially in today’s times, what with the pace of rapid urbanization in the country.