Angaalo

Rajiv Kafle started has been emerged in activism for the last two decades. It started after he himself became HIV/AIDS positive. His personal experience became a powerful voice in overcoming hurdles associated with stigma and misinformation regarding HIV/AIDS.
These days Rajiv has directed his activism to legalize marijuana, and is actively advocating for its medical benefits. In this episode he shares his personal experience as a HIV positive addict to why legalizing marijuana benefits the country.

Purnima Shrestha has climbed all 8000+ meters peaks in Nepal, and is now setting eyes on the rest of the peaks in the world, starting with K2 in June. Purnima has defied her ethnicity, gender, societal expectations, and her modest family background to scale these mountains that are often beyond ordinary Nepali's financial means. Her resolve has brought her this far and she is committed in going through with her plan to scale all 14 peaks. 

In this episode we talk about social, cultural, and financial hurdles she has to climb over on her way to the peak. A very insightful conversation that tells audience what it takes to be a mountaineer. 

Chronic pain affects almost a quarter of the population globally; yet, there is not a clear understanding of causes, particularly from a social and psychological perspective. Pain is not only a physical manifestation of emotional state but is also a cause of emotional distress. It is often under diagnosed or misdiagnosed by physicians themselves.

In this episode we talk with Dr. Grisuna Singh, an anesthesiologist who focuses on pain management. A very informative conversation to anyone suffering from any sort of pain. 

Reshu Aryal is an educationist  who is also a respected voice in women empowerment,  leadership building, and other social and inclusion issues. She has also dabbled in politics as a founding member of the Sajha Party.  At present she is serving as the education advisor to Mayor Balen Shah of Kathmandu Metropolitan city. 

Note: We apologize for the quality of our recording of this episode due to technical issues. 

Suresh Raj Chalise  served as the Chairman of Budhanilkantha School at a crucial juncture when the school was initiating  multiple transitions; from British to Nepali leadership and control, and from exclusively boys school to a co-ed institution, and all this was happening as the country itself was transitioning from an absolute monarchy to a multi-party democracy. 
His affiliation with the school started as a parent, and turned to a board member and eventually the chairperson. We spoke on various issues regarding the school and what it was trying to accomplish in Nepali society. 

Kumari is  probably just as famous identity of Nepal as Everest has been in the world. Often regarded as the living goddess, life of a Kumari is neither glamorous nor of comfort as perceived by outsiders. In this episode former Kumari Chanira Bajracharya shares her experience as a Kumari of Patan. A very informative conversation on various aspects of a Kumari before, during and after her reign. 

DIG Meera Chaudhari is Nepal Police's person in charge of the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Division. Fast and unplanned growth of Kathmandu valley has put a great deal of pressure on the flow of traffic in the valley. The traffic problem is compounded by increasing number of road accidents, poor quality of roads, unsafe conditions of vehicles, and lack of proper driver's education. These factors are really testing traffic police's ability enforce and manage traffic on a day to day basis.  We discuss these issues as well as other factors that are making Kathmandu an unsafe place to drive or commute using public vehicles. 

Dr Ashley Deans is a physicist by academic training, has been a transcendental meditation practitioner and a teacher for more than three decades. He is also the Executive Director of the  Global Union of Scientists for Peace. 
Dr Deans has travelled across eighty countries to lecture on and implement   consciousness -based education. He has published many articles on the subject in reputed academic journals. 

Anup Subedee is an infectious diseases specialist who is committed and vocal in raising voice to alert citizens against public helth concerns, as well as holding responsible government entities on their toes to do right by the citizens. More importantly, Anup is also vocal as a citizen against the current state of affairs, and refusal of leaders who refuse to concede their failure to deliver and make ways for new faces. 

Sumana Shrestha is representing Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) as one of their twenty members in the newly elected parliament. She brings her social activism and management expertise a member of the brand new political party that gained success largely by riding the wave of people's disgruntlement with older leaders and political parties who have been ruling the country for the last thirty years without fulfilling people's needs. 

RSP with its new and young faces have sowed excitement and hope amongst Nepali people yet again. We talk to Sumana about her experience as an activist, an entrepreneur, and now as a political figure.