Atul K Thakur’s Post

Nepal has always fascinated me. Whether it is the grandeur of its durbar squares, mysteries of its temples, its natural endowments, its customs and traditions like worshipping of the living goddess, its valiant history or on the flip side, devastating earthquakes and floods, plane hijacking of 1999, massacre of the royal family and its topsy-turvy relationship with India, the erstwhile Hindu kingdom rarely ceases my consciousness. Being a geopolitics aficionado, I also keenly observe Nepal's role in the South Asian geopolitics. Thus, in my last visit to Kathmandu, I picked up an engrossing book on India-Nepal relations called "Kathmandu Chronicle". It's been authored by Shri Krishna V Rajan, India's longest serving Ambassador to Nepal and Shri Atul K Thakur, a public policy professional. The authors have been as neutral as possible in their assessment. They have comprehensively dealt with Nepal's approach and suggested what it needs to do for better diplomatic outcomes. They have also been frank in pointing out flaws in New Delhi's ways and recommended corrective steps. The book also proved to be a great read because of its in-depth analysis of political developments in Nepal in the last few decades. It discusses, the problems King Birendra faced at home and as a monarch, the political situation that changed swiftly after his tragic demise and altered Nepal's very identity, and the challenges the country continues to grapple with as it transitions from a monarchy to a democracy.

#UPCM Yogi Adityanath inaugurated a 48.24-acre beverage bottling and dairy product plant in the Gorakhpur Industrial Development Authority (GIDA) area today. He emphasized that the state's robust infrastructure and zero-tolerance policy towards crime have played a significant role in attracting continuous investments, which are creating new employment opportunities for the youth of Uttar Pradesh. #NayeBharatKaNayaUP