If people with name and fame do not see future in Nepal, how will normal people feel safe here?
Nisha Adhikari, a famous Nepali actress, recently gave birth to her first child in the US. Social media was full of congratulation notes to Nisha Adhikari and her husband Sharad Vesawkar, the Nepali cricketer. My congratulations to them as well.
But why did they choose the US? Many say she went to the US to give birth to make her child the US citizen. Also it is said in the future Nisha and her husband can apply for US citizenship by virtue of being the parents of American citizenship holder. I am confident that this is not their motive, but if it turns out to be true one day it would be a big disrespect to Nepal, Nepali people and Nepali film fraternity who admire them so much.
We need to find why people like Nisha and Sharad are running after securing US citizenship for their child. If people like Nisha and Sharad do not find future of their children in this country what will the people who are struggling for minimal day to day life think? What message will it send to young people who regard them as their role models? Likewise, even if go to the US, will they come back to Nepal and continue their career? If they do not, we lose them.
Youth role models uncover stereotypes
Nisha Adhikari is no exception. Journalist Rishi Dhamala and his wife went to Canada to give birth to their child. Why in Canada? Was that a medical complication? Dhamala might offer hundreds of reasons to defend his case, but my question would be—did they apply or are they planning to apply in the future for Canadian citizenship for their child? Even if the child was born in Canada, I am sure that Nepal will give citizenship to the child based on parenthood.
If this is done only to secure the future of the Child, likes of Nisha Adhikari and Rishi Dhamala are no role models for Nepal.
The image of people like Nisha Adhikari, Sharad Vesawkar and Rishi Dhamala is somehow attached to Nepal and their respective sector. Thus if they don’t feel their future is secure in Nepal, how will the young people struggle to make prosperous Nepal?
I single out the cases of Nisha Adhikari and Rishi Dhamala not because I hate them, but because they are among the noted figures of Nepal and many young people watch curiously and their activities mean a lot for the youths.
How will Nepali youths be inspired when such noted personalities show no faiths in Nepal? The trend of giving birth to children in developed countries like US, Canada or Australia is not only limited to celebrity. It also prevails among academicians and business persons. It does not feel good to see academicians going to the department of immigration to extend Nepali visa for their children or grandchildren.
Rumor has it that well-known figures like Rabi Lamechane and Saroj Khanal also hold green card of the US and they are having a prosperous career in Nepal. The list goes on.
I wonder what message they are trying to send to the youths and underprivileged people of Nepal. If people with name and fame do not see future in Nepal, how will normal people feel safe here?
The author is a freelance researcher and social entrepreneur
nabrajlama@gmail.com
