Telegraph enters 17th.  Years of its publication

Beginning this issue, the Telegraph weekly that I've been editing since all along sixteen years will have entered its 17 years of uninterrupted publication. Though the past years were very much troublesome for my newspaper and me as well, however, Almighty offered me the needed courage and the strength as a result of which the Telegraph weekly is still in existence. And it would continue to exist till my health and the financial condition allows me to do so.

Over these years, the Telegraph weekly has already assumed the form of an institution. Its readers are growing within and without. Since last year, we are on the Internet and the response from the international sector is highly impressive. Perhaps it is the impartial and the in-depth analysis of the events that we carry in every Wednesday has attracted the attention of the responsible and the sensible readers here and abroad as well. Our credibility and the trustworthiness over these years have incredibly increased. This has enhanced our confidence in this sector that is more often than not described as a sector manned and virtually controlled by politically biased gentlemen.

Year after year, I must admit, we have learnt much from the scholarly articles, interviews and interactions with knowledgeable circles that have appeared in our various columns. From week to week, we have benefited immensely from our interactions with diplomats, Ambassadors and visiting international dignitaries whose impressions regarding the politics, economy, and the likes of this Himalayan Kingdom have been propagated in one way or the other through various columns of this modest newspaper.

I am of the firm opinion that a truly impartial journalism could be very easily practiced in Nepal provided the chief of the institution wishes to do so. In doing so, it is for sure that one has to bear the brunt of financial crisis but yet with the love and moral courage from the readers, the newspaper can continue to exist. This is my personal experience. My weekly though has only four pages yet what has been my impression that if one prints scholarly articles scores of readers, albeit scholars included, go for it. This gets reflected from the bundle of e-mails what I've been receiving from abroad in which the readers encourage me to print articles that touch upon the intellectual perception of the Nepalese scheme of things. To some extent, we have satisfied the scholarly demands of our readers living abroad. What I can assure my readers within and without is that we will continue to quench the thirsts of our readers through the print of quality articles as usual.

While traversing a long and arduous road for sixteen years, we have come across with so many problems. However, what is important is the fact that any quarter or whatsoever never challenged our analyses. This should not mean that we give perfect analyses. No body is perfect, clearly speaking. Yet, since our writings possess no political biases so our comments must have remained very close to the truth and hence no challenge.

We in the newspaper never compromised our integrity. We stood like a firm rock as and when our national interests were threatened. However, we accomplished this without hurting others' sentiments. Our policy of maintaining good friendship with practically all the countries of the globe will continue as usual. Our commitment to the enhancement of the SAARC process remains unchanged. Similarly, we will continue to be close with the SAARC countries come what may. We will give importance to our ties with India but not at the cost of other equally close neighbors.

In the same vein, we would wish to promote our relations with the nations of the European Union. Likewise, we value our friendship with the developed democratic countries of the West. We honor the donors and their contributions made in favor of the development of our nation. However, we hope that they too do not meddle in our genuine national affairs. As donors they can forward practical and constructive suggestions to Nepal. But they must stop dictating who should be our finance minister or for that matter some other minister.

Finally, we must thank the readers of the Telegraph who in essence have inspired us to go in for serious and healthy journalism. We will continue to honor their hopes and aspirations from this newspaper.

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