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| Register_me | Posted
on 24-Mar-03 11:41 PM
"If Edmund Hillary had not climbed Mt. Everest," he told me, "I probably would not have been at Wharton ." Sir Edmund was particularly fond of the Sherpas, and in the years following his successful ascent to the world's highest peak he built hospitals, bridges and schools in the region, including the elementary school that Karsang attended. "If it weren't for this school," he surmised, "I'd probably have grown up to be a mountain guide or a shopkeeper in Khumbu." Instead, Karsang excelled and won an award from the British government to study at Cambridge. Karsang, an architect by training, is one of four students from the remote Himalayan kingdom of Nepal currently pursuing a master's degree in business administration at Wharton , part of America's prestigious Ivy League of colleges. On a per-capita basis, these four are among the highest representation of a foreign country at any leading graduate business program in the U.S. In 120 years there have only been a total of about a dozen students at the school from Nepal, which makes it extraordinary that these countrymen are there at the same time. Four Students Journey From Nepal to the Ivy League By Ranjit Rauniyar, Wall Strret Journal Asia. |
| Logical Sense | Posted
on 25-Mar-03 10:59 AM
Salute to Sir Edmund Hillary. He has amazing strength and resolve for helping the cause he beleives in. You should visit the Himalayan Trust in Dillibazaar, Kathmandu on the start of the month to meet with many many students from different mountain region who line up to collect their monthly stipend/scholarships. And the load of medicines and supplies which is sent to hundreds of small hospitals and schools in Khumbu region. Amazing! |
| surya | Posted
on 25-Mar-03 02:04 PM
Hear Hear!! |
| ashu | Posted
on 25-Mar-03 07:16 PM
I wonder what Biswo -- who started that excellent thread on "representing ourselves" -- have to say to this article, which, though good in and of itself, plays up the usual exotification of Nepali students for the, well, Western readers. I can almost hear liberal Westerners saying, "Look, a Sherpa from Nepal [or somebody from Nepal] attending Wharton. Isn't that awesome?" I happen to think that such forced exotification is insulting to most Nepali students, but, hey, what do I know? [I also find it intriguing that the article makes no mention of the fact that all four attended very elite high schools -- Budhanilkantha, St. Xavier's and the one in Kalimpong -- and also of the simple proven fact that if you do very well at one of those schools, getting into top universities in the West is relatively not that difficult.] That said, as a critical reader and a well-wishers of those four gentlemen (two of whom I know), I look forward to the days when we get to read stories about where they have gone and what they have done and NOT the usual where they are from. *********** BTW, there is this professor at Wharton called Micahel Useem, who, if I understand correctly, brings Wharton students to Nepal to take them on a trekking to the Everest region. The trekking, I hink, is his way of teaching leadership lessons to his students. Does anyone know when he's coming to Nepal again? Would be fun to invite him as a speaker to our Entrepeneurs' Forum. oohi "regretting that I was not born in a village, and therefore do not find myself exotic enough" :-) ashu ktm,nepal |
| surya | Posted
on 25-Mar-03 07:21 PM
Bichara Ashu!! wishing you were one of the people!! So noble:) |
| ashu | Posted
on 25-Mar-03 07:24 PM
PLEASE READ: "I also find it intriguing that the article makes no mention of the fact that . . ." AS: "I also find it intriguing that the article glosses over the fact that . . ." |
| ashu | Posted
on 25-Mar-03 07:30 PM
Surya, I knew that I would be misunderstood -- even in jest -- by someone like you. And that's all right. I am quite used to the conseqences one invites when one tries to go against the grain in and among Nepali communities, and that's OK too :-) Look, I am happy about the article and wish those four fellow-Nepalis my very best. It's just that such articles do throw up lots of OTHER issues that I find quite conceptually interesting -- interesting boh to think out loud and to share with you all. That's all. But please feel free to disagree with me with reasons, and that's fine. oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| MainBatti | Posted
on 25-Mar-03 09:44 PM
I am with Ashu most of the time. I myself went to Budhanilkantha and getting into a US college from there was not difficult at all. Work hard, follow the schedule--they have a well set timetable of when to take SAT, TOEFL, and so on--and that is it! While one of these students is still a legend at the school and I am a well-wisher of all these gentlemen, I believe--just like Ashu, if I understood him right--that the writer has *over-exaggerated* the bedanaa. --------------------- By the way, Ashu, do not worry too much for not having born in a village. There is always a second chance. I mean, one can always go back right? :) No offense! Bhawadiye, "Proud to be a gaaule with a Dangeli cum Syanjali accent" MainBatti, March 26 2003. |
| Biswo | Posted
on 25-Mar-03 10:00 PM
Ashu, I think it is great that we have four Nepalese (Nepali?) students studying in Wharton rightnow, and I share the pride of the writer when he said the representation of Nepalese is the 'highest per capita'. I share your view that it was probably not because Mr Sherpa was Sherpa, or the others were Nepalese [from the boonducks] that they went to Wharton. I think the reason they went to Wharton was because they all were competent, went to elite schools in Nepal and abroad, and they could compete well with other applicants. So, in this context, I think there was some kind of confusion in the article itself: to me it seemed like the author wanted to present the four as persons who overcame obstacles to reach to the top, and simultaneously, he tried to remind the whole world that Nepal is still a lousy place, exotic place of Himalayas and Himalaya-riders, full of school-less places. In that sense, there is some degree of disingenuity like you pointed out: the very article could have presented Nepal as a place with top quality elite schools, and Sherpas as hardworking people who are gradually overcoming obstacles, and leaving behind their poor past, and are now everywhere, even in Ivy league schools. The writer, it seems, thus again tried to reinforce the stereotype to some extent. That said, I congratulate Rauniyarji for his first piece in the WSJ. When was the last time a Nepali had published in the WSJ? |
| FaithHealer | Posted
on 26-Mar-03 06:25 AM
Surya says: "Bichara Ashu!! wishing you were one of the people!! So noble:) " Leave it to Surya for the most tasteless posting in Sajha ! |
| hehe | Posted
on 26-Mar-03 06:44 AM
I don't see anything great for those having done their schooling in places with royal and elitist images like that of st.xavier and budhanilkantha have finally becoming successful in getting scholarships in top-universities in US or elsewhere. If they were grown up and finished their schooling from a remote place in Nepal (say for eg. in Solukhumbu itself), then there would be a case for point. The story has been fabricated unnecessarily to propagate and popularise by misrepresentation of a Nepalese or Sherpa. |
| surya | Posted
on 26-Mar-03 07:15 AM
:) I love it that people get so up in arms I speak the truth and make simple fun!! Ashu... what does "someone like you" mean? Do you claim to KNOW who I am? If you do, you might want to take that back, becaue it is TERRIBLE RUDE to be so RUDE to a silly little joke by a person you KNOW! Now if you have no idea who I am and are yet your knickers are in a twist because you can't take a silly joke (that actually builds on what you wrote in the first place), that's okay! And do pray tell, what you think you have done that is so "against the grain" that you carry that martyr-attitude implied in your phrase "I am used to the consequences" with such an air of righteous martyrdom? :) Now, don't get all up in arms about this posting. I have no desire to belabor this pointless point with you. Unless of course you insist:) People's inability to laugh at themselves and people's inability for critical self- reflection is, IMHO, the main reason why the faithless of this forum think they I make"tasteless" postings! BTW, faithless, I think if I remember correctly last time we met it was in that Dr. Tara Nath thread? No? You were saying Nepal has nothing to be proud of? Faith less! I still think thats faithless! :) |
| SITARA | Posted
on 26-Mar-03 07:57 AM
Rudeness???? Wow! Madam Surya giving a lesson on rudeness and politeness? Impressive!!! |
| surya | Posted
on 26-Mar-03 08:06 AM
SITARA: back off and stop stalking me! :) |
| surya | Posted
on 26-Mar-03 08:09 AM
I could very well write a long post dedicated to you shitara... but as I have learned you have "selective hearing" like you so like to tout about others. :) |
| surya | Posted
on 26-Mar-03 08:09 AM
oops sorry meant SITARA of course:) |
| SITARA | Posted
on 26-Mar-03 09:10 AM
Lady Surya: Interesting sermon! Just an observation! :) And yes the smile is contagious isn't it? *STALKING* ??????? Does anyone know the rules on *stalking* versus posting on Sajha???? |
| surya | Posted
on 26-Mar-03 10:25 AM
Lady and surmon? Wow!! I was kinda getting used to "war-monger" and "rant"!! Oh well, you always change the rules don't you! :) And yessss, the smile... this variety I keep reserved just for those moments where I have to concentrate and focus on... well, you know, on those Zen moments! :) hehe As for stalking.... stalking is a set of behaviours - defined as "the willful, malicious and repeated following and harassing of another person." Just to edify myself, I did a search on google... following is a great resource. http://www.stalkingbehavior.com/definiti.htm |
| ashu | Posted
on 26-Mar-03 05:46 PM
Biswo, you've explained the confusion very well. I agree with you. I think only Nepalis can spot such kind of confusion in such articles. I mean, to the majority of WSJ readers, the piece remains an interesting human-interest story, and that's fine too. [I enjoyed the article, and wish Ranjit all the best; but Ranjit, by now, you must know me as NOT a rah-rah/wah-wah type :-)] On a larger note, I have noticed that when we talk about achievements of our fellow-Nepalis, we somehow feel the need to engage exotifying them to similar degrees, that we, in other instances, accuse the West of doing to us. How do we strike a balance on such matters? I don't know -- but communicationg openly, clearly and thinking rigorously about this kind of confusion like this is one way to start clearing it up, I guess. ***** Mainbatti: Though I was not born in village, I can safely say that I've been to and stayed at a number of villages across Nepal. :-) And it so happens that I've been to "kuna-kuna" of your birthplace (?) Dang, and carry fond memories of my travels and stay there. Dangali women are among the most fabulous singers in Nepal. (Nahakul-ji, presently in the South East Asian region, my friend from the Dang days who also visits Sajha, I hope you are reading this.) Surya, I've been called worse, and have survived all right, often with a smile. And so will you :-) oohi ashu ktm,nepal |
| Yankees | Posted
on 27-Mar-03 10:06 AM
It is is clear as water and clean as mountain, those ppl who were able to get in those colleges are either from our eliet school or no where, so what a big fuss, and THIS IS UNIVERSAL TRUTH THAT WE NEPALI CANNOT NEVER EVER BE UNITED, FOR INSTANT EXAMPLE LOOK AT OUR 11 YEARS DEMOCRACY.Why not lets BE GOOD AND DO GOOD and live our life and just appreciate what we have than other regular nepal back home in the mountains. |
| bhainsi | Posted
on 02-Apr-03 11:27 PM
Just read this article. Way to go rauniyarjee. It is very nicely written and inspiring. Badhaai chha. Agree with you Yankees. We Nepali cannot be ever united. We always find reasones to complain. FOr a change, let us appreciate what others have accomplished. Jai Nepal. teen singhe bhainsi. |
| MainBatti | Posted
on 03-Apr-03 12:03 AM
Hatteri yaar, Bhaisi and Yankees-- Nobody has said s/he disliked the article. Some people said the article does not depict the true picture and they have given for why think so. I understand people's efforts should be appreciate, but as long as the criticisms are made sincerely, they should be taken positively. It makes the writer feel good when people praise his/her article, but it is also through reviews and criticisms--not just through praises--that a will to write better develops in a writer. Don't you think so? 3 am and still procastinating, MainBatti. |
| bhainsi | Posted
on 03-Apr-03 07:34 AM
Mainbattiji, Granted good criticism is good. What is true picture and Why don't the article capture it? What about it? You all must be rich people from Kathmandu. Aren't we a very poor country. Don't most of our people not go to school? As article mentions don't most people not have clean drinking water? Even in rich houses in Kathmandu, there is no clean drinking water. Or are you mistaking Nepal for Singapore or Arizona? Jai Nepal. |