Interviews with Nepali women involved in the arts
Meet the women who are making a difference in art and other creative endeavors in Nepal. We learn about their backgrounds, who or what inspired them, what they have achieved and the challenges they have come up against. We find out about their work, their future plans and their advice to help other women in Nepal.
Manika Jha
Manika is an up and coming journalist in Nepal who writes on corruption, women’s rights and discrimination. In Nepal this is a dangerous profession if you are a man; as a young woman doubly so. The Dhanusha District, where Manika is based, is one of the most volatile regions of Nepal. It is also very conservative, particularly when it comes to the role of women in society. She was just nineteen when she started working as a journalist, Manika now writes for a national daily newspaper. She is the only female reporter in the District. She has received numerous verbal and written threats and has been attacked on at least three occasions, including an attempt on her life in May 2010.
Download the interview with Manika
Sangeeta Thapa
Sangeeta is the Founder Director of the Siddhartha Art Gallery and Siddhartha Arts Foundation. In 2009 she established the Kathmandu Contemporary Art Center (KCAC) in collaboration with Celia Washington from the UK. Over the last 28 years she has been actively involved in the promotion of contemporary art in Nepal. She works closely with the Australian Himalayan Foundation in providing bursaries to young artists. She has curated over 300 art shows of both Nepali and international artists. The Siddhartha Art Gallery focuses on areas such as socio-cultural and political issues, with the belief that art can play a significant role in shaping national and international perceptions of Nepal.
Download the interview with Sangeeta
Jhamak Ghimire
Jhamak was one of the nine women in Nepal to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. She has overcome the challenges of being a disabled female in Nepal, who was denied access to schooling in her childhood, to become a journalist and poet. At the age of nineteen, she burst onto Nepal's literary scene with several collections of poems, songs, journal entries, stories and essays that showed off her remarkable mastery of language and literature and insight into the social realities of which she writes. Her story and self-determination are an inspiration to many in Nepal. She has been honoured with a number of awards for her work.
Download the interview with Jhamak
Ani Choying Drolma
Ani is an exceptional singer admired by fans in Nepal and throughout the world. People are moved to tears by the plaintive purity of her voice and the haunting melodies of her ancient songs and hymns, passed from master to pupil for many centuries.
She has always believed that nuns have a great desire and potential to make the world a better place, if only given equal opportunities. Arya Tara School, opened in 2000, aims to equip nuns to help and to serve their communities in a professional and humanitarian capacity.
"No one will show you the opportunities so you must search for opportunities yourself. Many careers are open to us but we have to work to get these positions and should not depend on men but work hard and be determined to get these positions. "
