Episodes
Suman Basnet on Reviewing Nepal's Rapid Rural Electrification Achievements
In this episode, Shreeya and Suman explore the transformative journey of rural electrification in Nepal, highlighting its evolution, and impact. They also examine the challenges of equitable access, energy reliability, and integration of diverse models. Reflecting on the broader implications, they consider how lessons from Nepal’s experience can inspire sustainable development and inclusive energy transitions worldw...
Nischal Dhungel on Nepal's Sovereign Credit Rating and its Potential Implications
In this episode, Aslesh and Nischal dive into Nepal's first-ever sovereign credit rating and what it means for the nation’s bold economic future as it gears up to graduate from LDC status. They break down its implications on foreign investments, business opportunities, and more. From hydropower to tourism, they explore the sectors ready to thrive and the reforms needed to keep the momentum going. Nischal Dhungel...
Katharine Rankin on Eating and Being Fed: Competing Ethics of Community-based Road Building in Nepal
Khushi and Katharine discuss Nepal’s community-based road-building initiatives, examining how these projects reveal the complex relationships between citizens, the state, and socio-economic systems. The conversation begins with a field memo from Katharine’s recent research and offers an anthropological perspective on how local cultural values, political dynamics, historical context, and social meanings influence per...
Akhilesh Upadhaya on From the Margins of Power: Exploring Nepali Borderland Communities
Shuvangi and Akhilesh explore Nepal's borderland communities' unique challenges and contributions. They discuss how federalism has reshaped governance and service delivery in these regions and examine the effects of cross-border policies and pandemic-era restrictions on local livelihoods and trade. The conversation highlights how borderland communities are often excluded from national discussions despite their criti...
Rebroadcast: वृषेशचन्द्र लालको विचारमा, “नागरिकता विधेयकमा अनुचित अलमल”
Ep#111 नेपालको संविधान जारी भएको नौ वर्ष पूरा भएको उपलक्ष्यमा पोड्स बाई पि.ई.आई.को आजको भागमा पी. ई. आई.का अविनाश कर्ण र तराई–मधेश लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टीका अध्यक्ष बृषेशचन्द्र लालबीच चैत्र २०, २०७९ मा कान्तिपुरमा प्रकाशित उहाँको लेख “नागरिकता विधेयकमा अनुचित अलमल” को सेरोफेरोमा रहेको संवाद पुन: प्रसारण गर्दै छौ| यस लेखमा अध्यक्ष लालले संविधानका शर्त पूरा गरी पारित भएको नेपाल नागरिकता (पहिलो संशोधन) विधेयक–२०७९ लाई का...
Infrastructure Diplomacy and Development: How Nepal manages infrastructure aid from India, China, and Japan
Ep#110 Shuvangi Poudyal is a public policy researcher based in Kathmandu, with a focus on South Asia geo-economics, regional connectivity, and local governance. As the Program and Outreach Officer at PEI, she contributes to research projects like Infrastructure Diplomacy and RENT, while also coordinating programs and communicating findings through publications and an in-house host at PODS by PEI. Previously, she w...
Rebroadcast: Jaya Luintel on Gender, War, and Justice: Recounting Women in Nepal's Conflict and Transitional Peace
Ep#109 More than 15 years have passed since the end of the armed conflict between the Maoists and the Government of Nepal with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord. While the country has done a remarkable job not recoiling back into the violent conflict with which it grappled for a decade, the years after have been slow and painful for the thousands of survivors who keep waiting for a justice that just wo...
Dr. Sameen A. Mohsin Ali on Bureaucracy Beyond Borders: Comparative Insights and Lessons Learned
Ep#108 Dr. Sameen A. Mohsin Ali is an Assistant Professor of International Development at the University of Birmingham . Her research focuses on the impact of bureaucratic politics on state capacity and service delivery. She is particularly interested in the dynamics of bureaucratic reform, the implementation and impact of donor programs, and the intersection of party politics, citizens’ interests, and bureaucrati...
Purushottam Ojha on Trade Ties: Indo-Nepal Trade Relations
#Ep.107 Purushottam Ojha is the former Commerce Secretary of Nepal and has extensive expertise in trade, transit, investment, private sector, and institutional development. Mr. Ojha has held key roles in public service since 1979 and has also served as a Trade Facilitation Consultant for The World Bank and Global Training Institute Development & Research, providing strategic advice on trade negotiations and ca...