SNAPSHOTS

Queen Aishwarya to open painting exhibition

Queen Aishwarya is scheduled to open an exhibition of paintings by Gita Rajan, wife of Indian Ambassador to Nepal, K.V. Rajan, at the Siddhartha Art Gallery, Babar Mahal Revisited on June 7. The exhibition will remain open till June 9.

Painting for pleasure, Gita Rajan has experimented with different mediums and surfaces including oil, water colour, acrylic, canvas, glass and fabric. Her preferred style is impressionism, basically focussing on the beauty and changing moods of nature.

The exhibition offers a glimpse of paintings done by her in the late 1960s, when her husband was posted in the Indian Embassy in Paris, as well as her most recent work while in Nepal entitled Images of Nepal and Forays into the Abstract.

She has exhibited her paintings in various places including Paris, Washington D.C and New Delhi.

Israel's independence day observed

Nepal-Israel Friendship Association and Children’s Forum Nepal jointly organized a programme to mark the Independence of the state of Israel and the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between Nepal and Israel.

Addressing the function Minister for Foreign Affairs, Chakra Prasad Bastola has said that Nepal-Israel relations should be consolidated further through exchange of art, culture and other development activities between the two countries.

Minister Bastola also pointed out that Nepal should learn from the radical changes achieved by Israel in the agriculture sector with maximum utilization of irrigation using modern technology.

Speaking on the same occasion, Israeli Ambassador to Singapore, David Daniel expressed that the existing relations can be made more cordial through exchange of friendly visits and experiences between the two countries.

Embassy of Israel in Kathmandu also organized a reception on the occasion of independence of the state of Israel. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Ministers, MPs and other dignitaries attended the programme hosted by Sholmo Granov, charge d’affaires at the Embassy of Israel, Kathmandu.

Gurkha Welfare scheme 2000/01

At a meeting attended by representatives of all government departments and chaired by the Defence Secretary, Keshab Raj Rajbhandari, the Gurkha Welfare Scheme’s Community Aid Programme for the Fiscal year 2057/2058 was confirmed on 1 June 2000.

According to the British Embassy press release; 62 community water supply schemes, 23 foot bridges, 9 major schools, about 100 minor school projects have been authorised to be built. 1 cliff track and 1 Tar Pul river crossing will be built and 6 electrification projects will be installed. The total cost will be NCRs 127,171,862. In addition to the community aid projects, the Gurkha Welfare Scheme’s Individual Aid and welfare pension payment to over 11,550 welfare pensioners continues.