Nepali Perspective On The World

Established in a distinctive political and social milieu, The Rising Nepal (TRN) has completed six decades. On December 16, 1965 (Paush 1, 2022 B.S), The Rising Nepal was published  as Nepal's first English broadsheet. The goal was to introduce the nation on the global stage. Started with the slogan "For the people," the newspaper has been a bridge connecting our country with the world.

Conditions at home and abroad at the time of its inception highlight TRN's glorious history. During the decade of its founding, the world's politics were in the throes of the Cold War, while small and impoverished nations in Asia and Africa were being crushed by the weight of polarisation. On the home front, the nation was in political transition, having seen the elected government deposed. It was fragile – socially and economically.

Nations, including Nepal, were under pressure created by the economic, political, and cultural dominance of powerful nations as a result of the Cold War polarisation. On the one hand, there were internal ups and downs; on the other, there was a need to protect the nation's sovereignty, neutrality, and national interest, as well as to maintain a balanced relationship with the international community. Amid these sensitive conditions, embracing the United Nations' ideals, TRN was started to disseminate global information across Nepali society and introduce Nepal globally.

With its publication, Nepal got an opportunity to directly relay its thoughts, policy, issues, and aspirations to the international community. Before this, those keen to obtain news about Nepal or to analyse it had to depend on the Indian media. However, that dependency was broken as Nepal's own voice made it to the global stage through TRN.  

TRN has contributed remarkably to disseminating Nepal's viewpoints on matters concerning foreign policy, development, politics, culture, and social change clearly and factually. During its journey of six decades, it has faced countless political changes, social transformations, and natural calamities. It has closely observed historic changes from the Panchayat system to multi-party democracy to the establishment of the republic. The fact that its publication went on without interruption even in the face of the catastrophic 2015 earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic is a testament to its institutional dedication to public service. This achievement gives it the special identity as the only English daily to have been published consistently.

Along with the TRN, all our publications keep at the centre the improvement of the federal democratic republic in line with the letter and the spirit of the constitution, inclusiveness, free press, and individual freedoms. We strive to address the changed global setting, the dimension of journalism, and social transformation as our foremost duty.  

Amid the aspirations for good governance, swift transformation, rapid development of information technology (IT), expansion of digital media, and changing tastes of readers, our present mantra is to become synonymous with factual, reliable, balanced, and responsible journalism. Lately, we have adopted a policy of "Public Voice First" to become the voice of the citizens as the state media.

We are aware of the assumption that we cannot play the role of state media in the dereliction of our duty of addressing our issues at a time of rapid global development. The responsibility of introducing Nepal through the forces for good, such as culture, arts, and civilisation, is what drives us. Likewise, we are committed to democracy, freedom, human rights, social justice, addressing climate change, sustainable development, and quality human life, among other global issues.

Keeping in mind our glorious history and reaffirming our pledge towards nation-building, we express our heartfelt gratefulness to all our companions who have supported and trusted us throughout the journey: the global community, readers, advertisers, and well-wishers.     

Lal Bahadur Airi

General Manager