Navin Shakya

Opinions

  • Annoying strikes

    Look, we get it—in the democratic world you can speak up when you’re fed up. People have the right to protest, go on strike, and tell the government they’re not happy. It’s part of the deal, and honestly, it’s nothing new. But lately, it feels like everyone is hitting the pause button on their jobs.  More on this

  • When a recommendation goes wrong

    Ever recommended a product, film, or restaurant you loved, only to have your friend come back disappointed—or worse, annoyed? Maybe they even said, “Why did you tell me to try that? It was terrible!” Suddenly, you feel guilty, even though you were just trying to share something you enjoyed. More on this

  • Feeling like Walter Mitty

    Sometimes, in the middle of an ordinary day—while reading emails or sitting in a meeting—I find my mind drifting far away. One second I’m focused on work, the next I’m trekking through mountain trails, skating down an empty road, or diving into some unknown adventure. More on this

  • 25 April

    A decade. It feels like yesterday the earth ripped open, forever changing Nepal. The 2015 Gorkha Earthquake wasn’t just about collapsing buildings; it tore into our society’s core, exposing deep fractures that still haven’t healed. Ten years later, you still feel the tremors – not under your feet, but in your daily life. More on this

  • Trolley speaker man

    Almost every week, sometimes even twice, someone with a trolley speaker arrives in my neighbourhood, asking for donations to help a kidney or cancer patient—or similarly devastating illness. At first, I felt genuine sympathy for them. I’d donate whatever little I could, moved by their stories. More on this

  • Sports, passion, unity

    A few thousand kilometers away, Manchester United played a match at Old Trafford against Bournemouth. They lost, and honestly, it stung. For those of us living here, whether they win or lose really shouldn’t affect us—but it does. Lately, it’s mostly been disappointment.  More on this

  • Brilliant effort, girls!

    Back in our school days, the Nepali national cricket team was not good. To put it bluntly, we were a disappointing unit. Chasing even the smallest targets felt like an impossible task, and most of us didn’t expect much when Nepal played. But even during those tough times, there was one bright spark. More on this

  • Social validation

    A couple of days ago, my niece, a ninth grader, broke down in tears—big, bitter tears—and locked herself in her room for two days. Why? Because her dad bought her a phone that wasn’t an iPhone. She didn’t care about the camera quality, gaming features, or anything else an iPhone offers. More on this

  • Load shedding days

    There was a time—not too long ago—when the best sound you could hear in a neighbourhood was kids yelling, “Batti ayo!” (The lights are back!). It was a moment of collective celebration because electricity had finally returned after long hours of darkness. For years, power cuts weren’t just an inconvenience—they shaped our entire lives. More on this