My Republica

Biswas Baral

Biswas Baral has been associated with Republica national daily as a journalist since 2011. He oversees the op-ed pages of Republica and writes and reports on Nepal's foreign affairs. He is a regular contributor to The Wire (India). Know More
biswas.baral@myrepublica.com

The air scare

Published On: February 24, 2017 12:05 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

I don’t get it. Why have people stopped fearing for their lives?  Do these folks watch more James Bond and Rambo flicks than I do?

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Insanely Sensible

Published On: February 3, 2017 08:59 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

Is there anything else in the world to write about these days besides one Donald John Trump? No, I’m not just talking about near blanket coverage of him in international media like CNN and the New York Times, both of which, we now know, publish only “fake news”.

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China fights back

Published On: January 7, 2017 12:25 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

China too is now starting to cultivate its own competing group of politicians, bureaucrats and security personnel in Nepal

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Window into secular Nepal

Published On: January 5, 2017 11:09 PM NPT By: Biswas Baral

All contributors to this volume seem to believe that the framers of our constitution were rather wise to declare Nepal as a secular country, even if they had to go against the popular view.

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Pandora’s box

Published On: December 30, 2016 05:33 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

If all the old disputes remain alive and nothing changed over the past 12 months, is there anything at all to look forward to in 2017?

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Over to you, Mr Modi

Published On: December 22, 2016 12:25 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

The Republicans are united in their belief that the ‘expansionist’ ambitions of communist China must be checked by empowering China’s rivals like India

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The final countdown

Published On: December 16, 2016 03:58 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

As more and more years latch on to your life, and your friends and family members start, well, dying, you come to realize that death is never far away. Isn’t the fear of the looming earthquake, in reality, a futile emotional quest for immortality?

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The second amendment

Published On: December 8, 2016 01:41 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

There seems to be a realization in New Delhi that its interests in Nepal will be best protected by taking Kathmandu in confidence

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From a higher plane

Published On: December 2, 2016 01:23 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

Here we are endlessly feuding over which (tiny) provinces should get which (tinier) districts and there is this genius geologist telling me none of this matters because, ultimately, all the humanity will be part of the same contiguous landmass.

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Trilateralism, RIP

Published On: November 24, 2016 12:35 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

Nowhere and at no time have India and China cooperated and coordinated strategy on third countries. Why would they in Nepal?

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Royal pain

Published On: November 18, 2016 08:54 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

Among the main characters in JK Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy is Parminder Jawanda, an Indian-origin medical doctor practicing in south-western England. Knowing the human body up close, Parminder is forever amazed at how more people, young or old, don’t just keel over and die.

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India exposed, again

Published On: October 27, 2016 07:30 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

Lokman Singh Karki’s impeachment motion has again laid bare limitations of India’s misguided quest for ‘structural guarantee’

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What intellectuals do

Published On: October 21, 2016 08:56 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

To not know is a big boon—and a great bane. For instance as I sit down to write this article, or what will pass for one by the time I have completed it, I don’t have a clue about what I will be writing.

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Advantage China

Published On: October 1, 2016 12:35 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

With SAARC, a perfect platform for India to establish its preeminence in South Asia, on the brink, all that the Chinese have to do is bide time

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DV times

Published On: September 30, 2016 02:30 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

Perhaps it’s also worth reminding the incoming American administration that we Nepalis are not helpless. We never are, not having perfected the art of protest.

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Jammin with you

Published On: September 16, 2016 02:30 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

I couldn’t imagine why this junction, which almost never witnessed a jam, now suddenly needed three cops to manage. Perhaps they get a little lonely if they are all by themselves out on these busy roads.

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Give me a reason

Published On: September 15, 2016 12:35 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

With no substantial bilateral deal in the offing, and Kathmandu inching closer to New Delhi, there was no reason for Chinese president to come

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The Oli paradox

Published On: September 3, 2016 12:35 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

His backers may not openly characterize him as such, but a benevolent dictator is what they are looking for in KP Oli

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Duty to protect

Published On: September 2, 2016 01:00 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

If the former president insists on presidential treatment, the best the hard-earned money of Nepali taxpayers can buy for him, he gets it. End of the story.

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World of its own

Published On: August 19, 2016 01:30 AM NPT By: Biswas Baral

Even though I and my neighborhood friends mostly watched movies of Amitabh Bachachan and Govinda, we put posters of machine-gun-wielding Arnold in our rooms.

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