Spotlight on Leading Women of Nepal – Ani Choying Drolma

Ani Choying Drolma is a Nepalese Buddhist nun form the Nagi Gompa nunnery in Nepal, renowned for her numerous humanitarian efforts including the education of young girls, care of older people, and providing medical services for the underprivileged and dispossessed.  She has been recently appointed as the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador to Nepal. 

She was born and brought up during the 1970s in Boudha, a Kathmandu neighborhood which she refers to as a ‘mini-Tibet in exile’, in her 2009 autobiography ‘Singing for Freedom’. Originally written in French (an interview in French Elle inspired the book, so it was first published in that language), the work has since been translated into 11 languages, including English. In it Drolma writes extensively about a tormented childhood at the hands of an abusive father. “My experience of abuse made me make a choice not to have it anymore. Becoming a nun and going to the monastery was like going to heaven from hell” Ani Choying Drolma 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.

Ani performs worldwide singing traditional and modernized Buddhist chants as well as Nepali and Tibetan songs to support her many charities. She is a charming, attractive, vibrant and eloquent performer, admired by fans in Nepal and throughout the world. Ani generates revenue to support her activities through her musical endeavors.  All of the money raised through Ani’s performances and CD sales go directly to the Nuns Welfare Foundation of Nepal. Nuns Welfare Foundation of Nepal is a non-profit organisation Drolma founded. In 2000, she set up the Arya Tara Schoo in the capital, to educate other nuns in subjects such as English, maths and Nepali.  Drolma started touring to raise funds to expand her school. In 2005, on a small hilltop in Pharping, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, a new Arya tara facility was inaugurated. Today it is home to 80 nuns. in 2009, Drolma established a kidney hospital in Kathmandu to help those who cannot afford treatment abroad.

Ani believes, if given equal opportunities, nuns have the potential to make the world a better place. One of her great and early accomplishments was the creation of the Arya Tara School, which opened in 2000. The school aims to equip nuns with the abilities and skills necessary to professionally serve their communities in a humanitarian capacity. Her message of peace and love resonates through her songs and the many charity she performs. The world has gained a rare gem in the form of Ani Choying Dolma.

Spotlight on Leading Women of Nepal – Subina Shrestha

Internationally Award Winning Al-Jazeera Journalist, Filmmaker, wife and mother. 

She is one of the fewest journalists (currently, one of twenty-seven only) and film makers working for international media in Nepal. Being trained for Journalism in the U.S., she started her career in newspapers and later exploring into documentary making. She started at Al-Zajeera in 2007 covering social changes and human rights issue in Nepal and few other South Asian countries like India, Thailand and Myanmar. Aside from working as a journalist, she also produces documentaries in various capacities – as a researcher, script writer, producer, director and cameraman since 2006. Her documentaries have featured in Al Jazeera, BBC World and Arte.

Most notably, she produced ‘Nepal’s Slave Girls’ based on Kamlaris, female bonded labourers in Western Nepal, won Broadcast Story of the Year at Women’s Empowerment Award in 2014, where five women from Asia Pacific were honoured. The documentary was also shortlisted for the World’s Best Television and Film category of New York Film Festival. Other awards include the prestigious ’ Rory Peck Awards’  ‘Broadcast story of the Year’ ‘Concentra Award for Outstanding Video Jouralism’ from the Al-Zajeera, Silver at NY Festivals and merit at Human rights Press awards.

Besides being an accomplished journalist, she advocates for women issues and empowerment, reflecting in her documentary and sits on the Nepal’s advisory board of Possible Health (http://possiblehealth.org/).

Nepal’s Slave Girls

Child Trafficking in Nepal

Spotlight on Leading Women of Nepal – Raveena Desraj Shrestha

Internationally recognised and Award winning Banker, Actress and Socialite 

While she might be the envy of gazillion women for gracing business magazine covers as well as rubbing shoulders with the finest of Nepal, Raveena Desraj Shrestha started off her career as a trainee assistant at Standard Chartered Bank, who brings in a wealth of experience from her 23 years in the industry. She is a confident and charming mother of two who has successfully balanced her social life with accomplished career. While her easy going personality might make success appear an easy fete, but we salute her for being able to break the ceiling as well as raise a family in a traditionally male dominated industry of Nepal and making success seem real for younger generation.

She has been awarded 21^st Century Golden Phoenix Award from Malaysia-based Asia Excellence Entrepreneur Federation and Lady of Excellence Award competing against 613 entrepreneur women from Asia.

Perhaps, she is the epitome of you can have it all ? Share away your thoughts !

Finally, here is to wishing her all the more success in her career and inspiring younger generation of our country in the future !