Historic Discourse On Recovery And Resilience

For the first time in its 125-year history, Gorkhapatra Corporation on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of The Rising Nepal,  organised the Gorkhapatra Discourse on Recovery and Resilience, under the theme “Debate on Hope to Overcome Despair: Searching for Possibilities to Overcome Challenges” and the goal of fostering meaningful dialogue for a prosperous Nepal. The event marked a historic milestone for the state-owned media institution.

The programme brought together high-profile government officials and officers, including the Vice-President, five cabinet ministers, governor, the CEO of the Investment Board, Communication and Finance secretaries, entrepreneurs, business leaders from the private sector and subject-matter experts. 

While other media houses have organised similar events, Gorkhapatra’s initiative is considered the first of its kind in Nepal, reflecting its commitment to public responsibility, social accountability, and addressing societal gaps. The scale and quality of participation made the programme unprecedented.

Given the current circumstances in the country, the discourse was particularly significant. With societal uncertainty, challenges in the business sector, and pressures from various stakeholders, the programme successfully brought diverse participants together, instilling hope and reinforcing the institution’s role in shaping national dialogue. This event also demonstrated that The Rising Nepal and Gorkhapatra function not merely as government mouthpieces, but as national dailies addressing public and national issues.

The discourse featured three key panel discussions: Smart Infrastructure: Development and Management, Private Sector Confidence, and Capital Mobilisation and Policy Facilitation. These sessions included contributions from eminent personalities, like economist, entrepreneurs, private sector leaders, and policy makers, presidents of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and Nepal Chamber of Commerce, among others. 

The Gorkhapatra Corporation plans to further develop and categorise the insights from these discussions into structured policy documents, which will be publicly accessible and presented to the Government of Nepal for consideration in policy-making processes. 

Through the Gorkhapatra Academy, these discussions will be compiled into formal publications, serving as a resource for government agencies and the general public.

This historic initiative reflects Gorkhapatra Corporation’s ongoing commitment to constructive journalism, informed debate, and contributing meaningfully to national development.

Commenting on the event, former Acting Editor-in-Chief, Bhimsen Thapaliya said the event organised on the occasion of 60th anniversary of The Rising Nepal was highly successful and important. “Not only was it successful, but it was also a novel, innovative, and historic discourse, the first of its kind held as part of the publication’s annual celebration.”

Thapaliya believed that the programme focused on contemporary and highly significant issues, particularly in the economic sector, fostering meaningful discussion and interaction. 

Yuba Nath Lamsal, former Editor in Chief of The Rising Nepal and former Ambassador to Denmark praised the Gorkhapatra Discourse as an innovative and historic initiative.

He said the programme effectively brought together government officials, private sector representatives, and experts to discuss pressing economic and political issues. 

Highlighting the quality of the panel discussions, he noted that the event marked a significant step for media, governance, and national development and emphasised the need to continue such transformative dialogues in the future.

Former Editor-in-Chief of Gorkhapatra Daily, Shreeom Shrestha also praised the programme as a landmark event, highlighting its role in guiding the nation’s economy, politics, and society. 

“The event was unprecedented in the history of the Gorkhapatra Corporation in terms of grandeur. The gathering included the Vice President and several high-profile ministers, governors and government officer. Today, more than the main programme itself, the ministers’ addresses at The Rise Nepal’s event effectively offered guidance on the nation’s economy, politics, and society.” 

Even during the discussions, it became clear that Gorkhapatra, as a government media outlet, does not merely echo the government’s voice, it also reflects the perspectives of the people and society, Shrestha opined. 

“Today’s programme and participation clearly demonstrated this. The discussions focused on a wide range of issues bring together all the policymakers and economic leaders,” he added. He said the event emerged as a major national-level programme, providing valuable insights into industry, commerce, the private sector, and government policies. “While similar large-scale programmes are typically held separately in different locations, the Gorkhapatra Corporation successfully brought everything together in a single venue.

Political scientist Chandra Dev Bhatta praised the discourse organised by Gorkhapatra Corporation, describing it as a positive step in highlighting economic issues, which are often overlooked in mainstream media dominated by political news. “Political news does not really address or solve many of the problems faced by ordinary citizens. The way Gorkhapatra Corporation has highlighted economic issues is, I think, a positive step,” said Bhatta.  

“There were a few areas that could have been improved, though none were critical. With such a large number of participants, the discussions naturally became somewhat unwieldy. However, given Gorkhapatra’s long-standing history, a high level of participation was to be expected. In my view, the discussions would have been more productive if, following the separate inaugural session, the topic-wise sessions had been divided into smaller, focused clusters.”

Through such initiatives, Gorkhapatra Corporation and The Rising Nepal aim to act as a bridge between the government and citizens, promoting constructive journalism and contributing to a more informed and resilient society.

(Adhikari is a journalist at this daily.)