KATHMANDU, Dec 4: The Nepali diaspora network, guided by the motto ‘Once a Nepali, always a Nepali,’ maintains close ties to their homeland regardless of where they reside. Members actively engage in preserving Nepal’s religion, language, culture, and traditions through various social and cultural activities. These efforts contribute to Nepal’s development in cultural, linguistic, economic, and social spheres while fostering connections between the country and the global community.
Similarly, Nepalis in America have launched ‘Samsara Social,’ a network designed to support the fields of science and technology through the Nepali language. This virtual platform, available in both Nepali and English, primarily targets students and readers interested in science.
Though the site may appear as a typical one, it offers valuable information, particularly for students studying sciences in Nepal. It addresses the challenge of science and education that fail to provide practical life skills. The site, dedicated to those striving to make a difference, is the brainchild of Bishwa Kiran Giri, who is committed to supporting these determined minds.
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Giri, who moved to the US in 2011 for higher education after studying forestry in Nepal, is the founder of the site. He holds a PhD in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, USA.
He is also a member of the Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE) in the US, in recognition of his studies and contributions to the field of evolution. During his academic journey, Dr Giri had the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies in biological research, including genomics, transcriptomics, and bioinformatics.
One of the key motivations behind launching the site was the lack of science journals targeting Nepali speakers and addressing the Nepali social context. Giri believes that providing science and technology knowledge in the mother tongue can help draw a wider audience to these fields in Nepal. He also pointed out a common misconception in Nepal: the belief that students in boarding schools who learn in English automatically understand science better. Giri says that this is not the case, and his initiative aims to bridge that gap. He added, "If we do not get the opportunity to read, listen, and discuss new and complex topics in the language of daily conversation in any society, many errors will arise in our knowledge of that subject."
Having studied in an English-medium school, Giri realized that the foundational understanding of science taught in Nepal was weak when he began his studies in the US. This realization led him to the idea of writing articles on science and making them accessible to students. Inspired by this vision, he initially started an educational blog focused on his subject. To reach a larger audience, he then developed the concept for the Samsara Social Site. An IT expert, Giri designed the website and its initial app himself, ensuring it could be a reliable platform for sharing knowledge with many readers.
Giri began working on Samsara Social in 2020. While the primary focus is science, the platform also embraces literature and art. He delves deeper into various scientific topics, preparing study materials and translating online resources into Nepali, accompanied by audio content for better accessibility.
Giri has dedicated significant time to the website, driven by the belief that one cannot abandon their Nepali identity, even while living abroad. He believes it is possible to continue loving the land where one and their ancestors were born. Recently, the International Organization for Migration reported that around six million Nepalis are spread across the globe as part of the Nepali diaspora. Through his work, Giri has contributed to the education of those studying science within this community.
