Prabhakar Bagchand from New York.
Kathmandu, 6 Nov 2924. It was around 2011. Senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi , Advocate Bhupendra Adhikari, and I visited Parsa District to study separate Dalit primary schools established for Dalit students. After spending the day touring Dalit villages in Parsa , we were strolling through Birgunj market . The intense heat reminded me of Delhi’s summers. While we were walking, Dinesh Tripathi made a call. He mentioned that a journalist would be joining us and suggested that we sit somewhere nearby to have tea and chat. After about half an hour, a tall attractive man wearing jeans and a Khadi kurta arrived. I recognized him as Chandra Kishore. Who wrote the column Terai Dateline,” a favorite of mine. As Dinesh Tripathi spoke to him, he would include us in the conversation, making sure we didn’t feel left out.
We shared our views, stating that whatever the reason might be, establishing separate schools with Dalit teachers exclusively for Dalit students was a form of segregation. He thoughtfully replied, “This is a serious matter.” He said this was against the essence of the constitution and violates the provision of Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, (ICERD 1965). He expressed regret that neither the politics of the country nor that of Madhesh had prioritized the dignity of Dalits.
Well-known Journalist and Gandhivadi personality of Nepal
When it was time to leave, he remarked in Hindi, “As long as an environment that allows Dalits to live with dignity is not created in this country , any discussion of development will remain mere hypocrisy. “This left an indelible impression on my heart. One thing that struck me in that first meeting was that, when introducing himself, he didn’t mention his last name. I am Chandra Kishore.” Right then I understood that this seemingly simple journalist was no ordinary person, nor was he just a journalist.
Over the following years, we had brief encounters on different platforms. Although we didn’t talk much, there was always a warm sense of familiarity. Occasionally, I would receive messages from him asking. “How are you my friend? Are you well?” His sincerity and simplicity would make me feel moved. I was far away in the far west of Nepal, while he was in his professional home Birgunj acting as a bridge between Madhesh and the nation’s capital.
He never boasted about his work. He would speak out in favor of republicanism and federalism. He practiced more than he preached. He would often say Federalism is necessary. It should not be seen from a purely economic point of view. A large section of the population felt they have no opportunity to participate in the governance of the country. Without the federal structure this feeling of discontent could lead to a conflict of unprecedented nature. Federalism has to be seen more from an inclusion and conflict management perspective. Through his lifestyle and actions, he disproved the false narratives that critics were trying to create against federalism due to its poor implementation. He kept raising awareness and offering advice to leaders and administrators at local, provincial, and central levels- without any desire for personal gain.
In my work, I met many people from Madhes. I interacted with both high-ranking officials and influential figures in government and non-governmental sectors. They all praised his simplicity and integrity. As I researched more about him, I realized that to call him merely a journalist would be to limit his personality and underestimate his influence. He was not just a journalist; he was a social activist, environmental justice advocate, development scholar, teacher, writer, and poet. He was also a social scientist-a social scientist who practiced and tested his beliefs on himself. He spoke eloquently on various platforms, domestically and abroad, always carrying the essence of the village with him.
He was someone who spoke about villages, walked along village paths. Drank water from village wells, enjoyed mango groves, and relished bullock card rides. He was a thinker who experimented with his ideas in his own life, observing and refining them as he went along. As I followed his work and life, his true character emerged before me –one that went far beyond his professional identity and was indeed monumental. It became clear to me that Chandra Kishore was a Gandhian thinker. In this age of the internet, where we face complex social challenges, he was conveying through his work and life that the Gandhian ideals of truth, non-violence, and self-reliance remain relevant even today. For the sake of social justice, environmental justice, social development, and societal upliftment, he was dedicated to keeping the Gandhian philosophy alive in Birgunj and Nepal.
Even in his childhood, he was drawn to Gandhi, Growing up in a family engaged in social work; he was influenced by leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya. Committed to truth and social justice, he entered journalism, once telling me that it was this very dedication that led him into the field. This dedication was evident in his work, as his journalism always spoke for the oppressed and marginalized, His idea of journalism and social service was grounded in Gandhian Satyagraha(soul-force), which he considered the foundation of his approach.
He consistently wrote that the Chure mountain range is Nepal’s life line. He would engage villagers at tea shops, on village paths, in fields and listen to them. He raised awareness on overuse of natural resources, pollution control and sustainable lifestyles, encouraging others to adopt eco-friendly lifestyles through both his words and his example. He became part of an ongoing movement.
Following Gandhi’s principle of collective good, he would write and advocate for economic self-reliance and empowerment. He would frequently speak out against the way corporate entities were undermining local skills and culture. Once, he told me, “Our development model is flawed, it needs to change. Today Villages no longer resemble villages, and cities don’t feel like cities.” This statement reminded me of Gandhi’s vision of Swaraj and village industries. Gandhi had said, “Today, the cities dominate, drawing away all the wealth of the villages, leading to their exploitation. Village exploitation is in itself organized violence. We must give villages their rightful place.” Chandra Kishore echoed the same thought Gandhi had left for the world- the villages are primary units of development.
Chandra Kishore, born in the village of Balra in Sarlahi , made his home in Nepal’s commercial capital, often referred to as the gateway to Nepal, and named his residence Balra Dham. People from various religions, communities, and walks of life visit Balra Dham every day. Balra Dham seems to be becoming a place for the development of thoughts, values, and behavior.
Through his writing and travels, he emotionally and psychologically connected the borderlands not only with the capital but also with distant hills of the far west and east of Nepal. His residence Balra dham feels like an ashram. Surrounded by books, he remains engrossed in understanding and sharing knowledge.
His pen has connected countless hearts, including mine, in the search for truth. Now, here in New York, far from Nepal, I am moved by Gandhian principles and lifestyles that Chandra Kishore had shown through his life and work. His residence in Balra dham reminds of Sabarmati ashram that emanates a fragrance of simplicity and humility lighting up my life in New York.
To lead Nepal, afflicted by ten years of conflict, towards peace, many individuals contributed according to their expertise and positions. Chandra Kishore, who embraced Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence, was consistently active and courageous in working towards establishing democracy and peace in Nepal. During the Madhesh movement, which was ongoing at that time, I was in contact with him. One evening, he mentioned Ahimsa(Non-Violence) does not merely imply passive resistance in the face of untruth, but rather its active condemnation-yet without anger, malice, or violence. To prevent the Madhesh movement from turning violent, he constantly engaged in facilitative dialogue with all concerned parties. Throughout the movement, he raised his voice in favor of peaceful protests and resistance, striving to connect communities. Perhaps this is why, in 2019, in recognition of his contribution to promoting peace in Nepal and South Asia, the Center for Experiencing Social Cultural Interaction (CESCI), based in India and Switzerland, jointly conferred him the Maja Koene International Peace Award.
He has kept the legacy of Gandhian non-violence alive on the Nepal-India border. Thirteen years ago, on a Budha year flight from Kathmandu to Dhanagadhi, he told me,”non-violence begins at home.” This statement touched my heart.
Today, I say that our neighbourhood, our homes , our communities, our society, our country, and the entire world needs men women afire with the spirit of universal brotherhood, afire with simplicity, whose heart beats with compassion and who place truth and non-violence before anything. Chandra Kishore is such a person who has been carrying forward Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy of truth, peace and Justice with non-violence at the core.
In this age where self-interest, hatred violence are so prevalent, Chandra Kishore‘s campaign of Satyagraha has become even more relevant. I am confident that Chandra Kishore sir will guide future generations along the path of truth, peace and justice. I can hear the echo of truth, peace, and justice initiated by Chandra Kishore in Birgunj all the way here in New York, and may it continue to resonate everywhere.
Prabhakar Bagchand ji does research on international peace in New York.
