Nanda Devi Kunwar, Ghanshyam Pathak and Puja Mahato felicitated with this year’s Nagarik Nayak award
KATHMANDU, April 27: Nepal Republic Media has conferred this year’s 'Nagarik Nayak’ award to three individuals with outstanding contribution to the society.
President Ramchandra Paudel felicitated forest conservation activist Nanda Devi Kunwar from Kailali, principal of Butwal Kalika Campus Ghanshyam Pathak from Rupandehi, and young female cricketer Puja Mahato, who is also the captain of Nepal’s U-19 Women’s Cricket Team with the Nagarik Nayak award amidst a special ceremony on Saturday. President Paudel was joined by Minister for Forests and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi and Chairman of Nepal Republic Media Limited, Binod Raj Gyawali, while presenting the honors to the three Nagarik Nayaks.
Who are the Nagarik Nayaks?
Nanda Devi Kunwar, honored as a Nagarik Nayak, is a "commoner" who has selflessly loved the forests all her life. She did not hesitate to risk her life for forest conservation. Kunwar, from Dhakuwa village, Godawari–3, Kailali, has had an eventful life. Born in Doti, she loved forests since childhood. Due to her poor family conditions, she was deprived of formal schooling and was married at a young age to Lakshan Kunwar from Achham. She became literate by learning the basics at home.
In 1996, the Kunwar couple migrated to the Terai, dreaming of a better life. There, she found rampant forest exploitation fueled by collusion between forest officials and political powers. No one dared stop the massive encroachment and deforestation near Malakheti forest.
As time passed, Kunwar adapted to the Terai environment. Her childhood love for forests, combined with a rebellious spirit, led her to become the president of the proposed Madhumalati Community Forest.
However, it wasn’t easy for her. On April 21, 2012, she was informed early morning about encroachment in the forest. Hastily eating breakfast, she rushed to mobilize supporters and reached the site at around 11 AM. While her group was trying to protect the area, a mob armed with weapons arrived, and one of them attacked her with a khukuri. Trying to shield herself with her hands, both her hands were severed.
Butwal Kalika Campus Chief Pathak honored with Nagarik Nayak 20...
Her nephew managed to rush her to the hospital in time, saving her life. After surgery, her hands were reattached but remain partially disabled. Undeterred, she continued to champion forest conservation. The community forest she bled to protect was renamed from Madhumalati to Madhumalati Nanda Women’s Community Forest in her honor.
Kunwar’s story spread worldwide. In 2016, a rare species of orchid was named "Odontochilus nandae" by a botanical group, collected from Panchase, Kaski.
The attacker who assaulted Kunwar remains at large even after 13 years. Nevertheless, her determination has never faltered. Despite becoming disabled, she continued doing household work with her arms and advocating for forest conservation. However, continued threats from the mafia led to family tensions, eventually causing her divorce. She now lives with her daughter.
Kunwar has been honored by various organizations for her dedication. The Government of Nepal awarded her the "Environment Conservation Woman Award–2069 BS" with a cash prize of Rs 50,000.
In 2012, she received a Special Conservation Medal from the World Wildlife Fund, the Celebrity Womanhood Nardevi Honor, and honors from the District Forest Office Kailali and the Environmental Conservation and Forest Products Association Kailali. The World Bank also recognized her as one of the top 16 heroes during the 2018 campaign against gender violence, among dozens of other accolades.
Another Nagarik Nayak is Ghanshyam Pathak, principal of Butwal Kalika Campus. Born in 2017 BS in Harichaur, Galkot–9, Baglung, Ghanshyam comes from a modest family. He grew up doing farm chores while pursuing his education. His diligent studies inspired his father to bring him to Butwal for further education.
He dreamed of becoming an engineer and passed the entrance exam for Sub-Overseer at Pulchowk Campus but could not study due to financial constraints. He returned home, later pursuing education studies on scholarship.
Pathak entered the teaching profession in July 1990. Believing that national progress begins with educational reform, he dedicated himself to enlightening children. Teaching for ten years at Prithvi Secondary School, Galkot, he helped it become an award-winning school.
In 2000, he moved to Kalika Secondary School in Butwal, which was then in a poor condition. Over the next ten years, he built a strong reputation as an outstanding teacher.
In 2008, Ghanshyam became the principal. Under his leadership, Kalika School made significant strides, winning the national Best Community School Award four times. In 2015, it was awarded the top prize among community schools nationally.
From 2014 onwards, the school consistently ranked top in technical education. In 2017, it won the third prize, and since 2018, it has been receiving grants as a model school. The school has excelled nationally in Grades XI and XII results as well.
Pathak retired from teaching in 2020. However, under his leadership since 2013, Kalika Campus has been running alongside the school, now educating over 8,000 students. He currently serves as the principal of Kalika Campus, striving to make it Nepal’s best community campus.
The third Nagarik Nayak felicitated this year is a 18-year-old cricketer Puja Mahato, recently acclaimed for leading Nepal to victory in the ICC U–19 Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifiers through her leadership and all-round performance.
Born into a poor family in Duwarbana, Gaushala Municipality–9, Mahottari, Mahato’s success has elevated not just her own status but also Nepal’s pride.
Her father Ranjit Mahato left for New Delhi at age nine to work as a laborer. After years in Delhi, he returned, married, and later took the family back to Delhi for livelihood. Mahato and her siblings studied there.
After completing Grade 12, Mahato aspired to join the Nepal Police or army, but COVID-19 changed her destiny. During the pandemic, her family returned to the village. While accompanying her brother to a cricket academy, Mahato got a chance to learn and play cricket.
By chance, a video of her playing cricket reached Roshan Singh, Vice President of the Cricket Association of Nepal. She was instantly included in the national team.
Mahato’s talent has not only delighted her family but also expanded her fanbase. Her rapid impact on world cricket was recognized when ICC named her in the Dream Team of the recently concluded U-19 Women’s World Cup. She already holds several notable records.
After the awards, President Paudel remarked that individuals like the Nagarik Nayaks would inspire people to settle in villages, saying, "The work done by these individuals across Nepal will surely guide the people. They make the villages a place to live. I congratulate them and look forward to learning about more of their good works."
Addressing the program, Director of Nepal Republic Media Shova Gyawali said, "Those who receive the Nagarik Nayak Award are the real leaders of society."
"Today’s program shows that leaders exist not only in politics but in every field," she said, adding that those who work well in education, health, social service, administration, and arts are true leaders. "Listening to their inspiring stories reveals their leadership. Media must continue to amplify such stories and voices," she emphasized.
Managing Director Samriddhi Gyawali stated that the Nagarik Nayak program honors Nepalese citizens who overcome extraordinary challenges to guide society and communities. "This program is a celebration of hope, strength, and determination," she said. "Meeting the honorees yesterday, I was deeply touched by their purposeful stories."
