Balaje Rajan, Chief Strategy Officer and Vice President of International Business at Tata Motors, is currently in Nepal to promote sales of TATA vehicles in view of the NADA Auto Show. The company also plans to launch Punch EV during the Show.

As she prepares to return home after completing her diplomatic assignment in Nepal, the schedule of Australian Ambassador to Nepal Felicity Volk remains packed with farewell receptions and other diplomatic engagements. Amid this whirlwind, Republica had the exclusive opportunity to sit down with her and explore her remarkable journey as a diplomat in Nepal—a tenure marked by deep engagement, significant milestones and personal fulfillment.

The anti-reservation movement spearheaded by students in neighboring Bangladesh has taken a new turn. When the anti-reservation movement shifted to an anti-government movement and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina failed to address the protestors' demands before it was too late, she was not only deposed but also forced to flee the country. Against this backdrop, Republica sat with former Chairman of National Inclusion Commission Dr Ram Krishna Timilsina to learn about various aspects of the reservation system that Nepal has embraced following the success of democratic uprising in 2006.

A delegation from Sekisui Chemical--a Japan-based chemical manufacturer--, comprising General Manager Masahiro Yamasaki and Sales Manager Yuya Sakamoto, was recently in Nepal to explore further opportunities for collaboration. Republica interviewed the delegation to learn more about the company's products and its plans to expand business in Nepal. Excerpts:

Peace Corps Deputy Director David E White Jr visited Nepal earlier last week. During his five-day stay, White held meetings with government and civil society representatives to thank them for their long-standing support to the Peace Corps program since its founding and discussed plans to expand Peace Corps programming in Nepal. The Editor-in-chief of Nagarik Daily, Guna Raj Luitel, and the Editor of Republica, Kosh Raj Koirala, sat with White to learn about various aspects of Nepal-US relations, focusing mainly on the activities related to Peace Corps volunteers in Nepal. Excerpts:

UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific of UNDP, Kanni Wignaraja, visited Nepal last week. During her visit, she held meetings with key politicians and interacted with policymakers and local communities, where she shared her concerns about the impact of climate change that Nepal is facing. Republica caught up with her during her visit to learn more about her observations and UNDP's possible support to Nepal, focusing on the mitigation of the impacts of climate change.

Finance Minister Barshaman Pun is the coordinator of the Nepal Investment Summit 2024 Steering Committee. In his capacity as the coordinator, Minister Pun has been playing an instrumental role in making this mega event a success. In this context, Republica caught up with Minister Pun to delve into the government's preparations and other pertinent matters related to the Investment Summit. Here are the highlights:

Atul Keshap is a distinguished retired American diplomat and career United States Foreign Service Officer. Since January 2022, he has held the prestigious position of President of the US-India Business Council at the US Chamber of Commerce.

Bettina Iseli serves as the Chief Program Officer at Welthungerhilfe, a German organization dedicated to advancing food security globally, with a particular focus on countries such as Nepal. During her recent visit to Nepal, she personally explored the WHH-funded projects spanning diverse regions of the country. Republica engaged in a conversation with Iseli to delve into insights about her organization, its impactful interventions, and the envisioned future plans. Key excerpts from the discussion:

It has been almost seven decades since planned development began in Nepal. To date, Nepal has implemented 15 periodic plans, and the draft of the 16th Plan is currently in the final stages of preparation. This five-year plan is set to commence from the next fiscal year.