By Narayan Prasad Mishra
We know a biography is a written account of someone’s life written by another person, and an autobiography is a written account of someone’s life written by themselves. When I think of these two words — biography and autobiography, I often remember V. K. Krishna Menon, the late Indian veteran leader and the minister of defense during the legendary Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, to whom I had an opportunity to say hello when I was studying at the University of Delhi in 1966. According to him, biographies are written by those who do not have any other things to do, and autobiographies are written by those who think the world revolves around them. I think he did not write his autobiography, though he was one of the top Indian leaders in the history of India, and neither did he want anyone to write his biography. He was a shining star during his time, besides being a great man of India and an internationally known figure for his knowledge, wisdom, and oratory. That was his view on whether we like it or not.
I know I am not an influential person in the country with wealth, position, and power, which is why people write my biographies, and I do not think I should write my autobiography, thinking that the world takes an interest in me. However, I sometimes feel I should write something about myself to show my existence on earth and for the people who search for my information for some reason. This idea comes to me when I do not find satisfactory information about my mentors, seniors, and colleagues who played an important role in our university’s establishment and education under Google search, like our ex-registrar Prof. Jagat Bahadur Singh Budhathoki, ex-vice-chancellor Dr. Trailokya Nath Upreti, to whom I have high regard and respect.
In this context, I often remember Prof. Dr. Dhruba Man Singh Amatya, the well-known professor of chemistry who was well-reputed as the number one chemist in the country and a chemistry educator. He was the head of the Department of Chemistry at Tribhuvan University around 1967 for many years. He was relatively senior to me, but we were like good friends. He often expressed how much joy it brought him to see my happy and smiling face. He loved me. We traveled together by bus very often and had tea and snacks at the restaurant in Dharahara Corner before going home. I remember that Dr. Bishwanath Agrawal, the other chemistry professor in the department, occasionally accompanied us. He also loved Dr. Agrawal.
Prof Amatya was a man of good heart and was straightforward. He would not make me pay the bill, saying that he earned more than I did. At the same time, he used to joke, telling me that it would not be good to talk about the money you possess with anyone. When people know about it, they swarm around you like ants and fly around sugar, eager to get their share. His house was in Khichapokhari, which was very close to that corner. I also remember my participation in his wedding at his invitation. I am pleased to learn that the Department of Chemistry at Tribhuvan University has erected a statue of Professor Amatya, honoring him with great respect on the department premises. I commend those who show gratitude and respect to individuals dedicated to serving the nation with knowledge and commitment. I also hope that my beloved wife, Shanti Mishra, the founder and creator of the Tribhuvan University Central Library, is respected and honored in the same manner. I aspire that someday, a grateful Vice-Chancellor or Chief Librarian will lead the institution and give it the due attention she deserves.
I was born in Bhaktapur Durbar Square. My house is located just 17 feet east of the historical Sundhara complex of the Malla palace, belonging to the Pandit family of the Malla Kings. It is the nearest residential house to that palace. I think we did not have a system to record the date of birth when the student was admitted to a school in 1948. I remember I was asked to write my date of birth in 1958 when I filled out the forms for entering the school leaving examination from Shree Padma High School, Bhaktapur, where I studied from 1948 to 1958. Then, I learned that I was born on February 11, 1944 (Fagun 7, 2000 B.S.). Before that, I did not think about it. I received the SLC degree in 1958. We did not have a college in Bhaktapur then. So I was admitted to Trichandra College, Ghantaghar, in 1958, where I walked many times from my house in Bhaktapur Durbar Square until I moved to Kathmandu. It took 5 hours for me to go and come through the then road — Bhaktapur-old Thimi-Ghantaghar-Manohara Bridge-Sinamangal, a part of the Airport now — old Baneshore-Dillibazar-Bagbazar-Trichandra College from Bhaktapur to Kathmandu. The road was quiet and pleasant, flanked by agricultural land and rice fields on both sides. The principal of Trichandra College was still a person from India, Prof. Ashutosh Ganguly, a Bengali. We did not have a university in the country. We did not have more than five colleges in Kathmandu. The colleges in Nepal, including Trichandra, were affiliated with Patna University, India.
A copy of my historical citizenship certificate issued by Bhaktapur Municipality on July 17, 1958 (B.S.2015 Shrawan 2), 65 years ago, when our country did not have standard national citizenship certificates like we do today. Instead of my date of birth, my age of 15 years at the time was recorded on the paper. This is typed on Nepali paper
I was not born with a silver spoon. After realizing the difficulty of meeting my educational expenses for my parents, I eagerly joined a clerical job in the government office on May 1, 1960 (B.S. 2017 Baishakh 19), foregoing the opportunity to take the intermediate examination for which I was eligible. This decision came at a time when my second brother, who was eight years older than me, was happily staying home without a job. I was just 17. I worked in the General Post Office (GPO), Gorkhapatra Chhapakhana (Government Press), and the Department of Publicity. I appeared in the intermediate exam only in 1962 and got the degree then. By that time, my college affiliation had shifted from Patna University to Tribhuvan University, which was established in 1959. Education was free in government schools and colleges, and we did not have to pay a single rupee for it except for the examination fee. However, even paying the examination fee was not easy for poor and middle-class people. That was the reason I refrained from appearing in the examination in 1960. I continued to work and study simultaneously, enrolling in Nepal National College’s evening program, which Prof. Shankar Dev Pant established at Durbar High School Building. I obtained my B.A. degree only in 1966, four years after my Intermediate Degree.
My father, Durga Prasad Mishra, and mother, Krishna Malika Mishra, were a loving and spiritual couple. They were devoutly committed to the Hindu faith with a high value on moral and ethical principles. Their moral values profoundly influenced me. Devotion to duty is in my blood and conduct. My motto is to help anyone if you can but not trouble anyone in your life. Perhaps because of this or some other reason, I was loved by colleagues and bosses wherever I was. I had admirable friends in Gorkhapatra and the Publicity Department. Among them were the late Diwakar Sharma, the late Sundar Keshar Pandit Chhetri, the late Bhairav Aryal in Gorkhapatra, and the late Ramesh Bikal in Publicity. Late Diwakar and Sundar were appreciable human beings who loved and helped me endlessly. I am still saddened to remember Diwakar’s suicide while I was in the Gorkhapatra service. The most shocking part is that he came to my rented room to see me before he committed suicide, but I was out of the house. So I missed him.
I always think he would not have done it if I met him that day. Sundar was the one whom I considered my close friend and took to my wedding ceremony at Swayambhu Saraswati Mandir (Goddess Of Learning Temple). Late Bhairav Aryal and Ramesh Bikal are well-known writers in Nepali literature. Ramesh Bikal is a Madan Puraskar-winning story writer. Late Bhairav Aryal is an unforgettable satirical writer. Though I used to write poems and articles even before I met them, their acquaintance and friendship certainly inspired me in my writing. I remember how Bhairavji published my first poem, “Garo Rahasya” (The Unsolved Enigma), in Gorkhapatra after selecting it from my poem notebook when I showed it to him with some reservations. My first poem was published in Gorkhapatra on January 19, 1963 (B. S. 2019 Magh 6). A copy of the poem from Gorkhapatra and its English translation are given here. The poem is translated into English based on the following Nepali poem, not verbatim.
My bosses in Gorkhapatra – Prem Raj Sharma, Bhawani Raj Maskey, Ram Gopal Rajbhandari – managers, and my boss in Publicity – Narayan Prasad Banskota, the Director, all loved and trusted me equally, which resulted in me receiving two promotions in less than five years. I entered Gorkhapatra Chhapakhana on July 25, 1960 (B.S. 2017 Shrawan 10) and was promoted to a higher position on May 12, 1961 (2018 Baishakh 30) within ten months of my appointment, a rarity in government offices. That was my first promotion. In the process of my employment, I joined Tribhuvan University on March 1, 1965 (B.S. 2021 Fagun 17), with an administrative job. I happened to be in Tribhuvan University Library, where Shanti Shrestha was the Chief Librarian.
The library had just been established, and she was trying her best to create it worthy of the name of a university library with international standards, being the First Lady who had a Master’s Degree in library science after leaving her teaching position as a History lecturer. There were unlimited problems not only with funds and human resources but also with unwanted harmful personnel for its development. She had no worthy helping hands. Even studying library science at her wish and being the first man with a Master’s Degree in library science from Delhi University, India, in 1968, I worked with her to face all these challenges, and we created a modern university library that became a pride of the nation. That was our joint effort.
In this process, we loved each other immensely, and we got married on May 8, 1970. Our books and articles – 1. Voice of Truth: the Challenges and Struggles of a Nepalese Woman by Shanti Mishra, 2. Glorious History of Tribhuvan University Central Library and Our Service by Narayan Prasad Mishra and Shanti Mishra, and my articles – 1. Tribhuvan University Central Library and Shanti Mishra, 2. Tribhuvan University Central Library and Me, and 3. Love Affairs in Nepalese Society: Problems and Difficulties published in People’s Review on September 8, 2020, Dec. 1 and 9, 2020, and August 11, 18, and 25, give a detailed account of this.
After the introduction of the National Education Plan in 1971, when Tribhuvan University took a new shape by taking all colleges and higher education learning centers under its umbrella and administration, it advertised four positions of deputy registrar according to the needs of workload and work level in 1974. I applied for it and got the position, being the first among dozens of candidates in an open competition. That was the position equivalent to the joint secretary of the government offices. Then, I became the university’s administrator, leaving the library job in 1975. However, I was involved in library work and activities in disguise until my wife left the library in 1991. I handled the university’s Office of the Record Division, Academic Council, and the academic policy formulating body of the university.
The new education system was the need of the time. It emphasized professional and technical education – agriculture, forestry, medicine, engineering, applied science, animal husbandry, etc., besides adopting a new method of teaching and examination with a semester system exam instead of a yearly exam. The system was good, but the implementation went the wrong way in many things, like the appointment of the dean of the institute, even from among the lectures. A lecturer who became the dean and the head of the institute became the boss of the professor who is above two levels in the academic hierarchy. The semester exam and marking in class assignments did not suit the culture of the country and appeared to have unimaginable discrepancies in student evaluation. The teacher started giving marks with fear and favor.
To improve all kinds of discrepancies in the system and implementation, I wrote many articles in my own name and pseudonyms. My book “Tribhuvan University and Education” witnesses it. That was the collection of my few articles on the education system published till 1982 (B.S 2039). I wrote many more after that. However, I was misunderstood and punished by not being given my due promotion for more than 15 years by the then university administration. I became the chief of the Office of the Tribhuvan University Service Commission with a level of Special Class Officer only in 1990, 15 years after my promotion to deputy registrar on April 4, 1975 (2031 Chaitra 22). I lost my post under the guise of self-retirement, but it was more of a forced retirement at the age of 49 on August 17, 1992 (B.S. 2049 Bhadra 1), during Kedar Bhakta Mathema’s vice-chancellorship, along with 22 other officials. That was the ‘gift’ bestowed upon my wife and me by our democracy and its proponents for our sincerity, honesty, dedication, and unparalleled notable service to the nation. I was also shocked not to see any independent professors, human rights activists, or true democrats who raised their voices against this undemocratic step in our country. All became quiet like slaves, and no one appeared to speak for justice.
At that time, I remembered the wife of Bhimsen Thapa, the unforgettable prime minister in Nepalese history, who cursed the nation. In her agony and despair, prime minister Bhim’s wife cursed that no honest, loyal servant of the country would ever find happiness in this wretched land after witnessing the unbearable injustice inflicted upon her husband through false charges. This curse is well-known as Sati’s Curse in Nepal.
Not to speak or write against an influential person or circle is our culture, even if you are pinned and get hurt. But I cannot control myself from speaking and writing against irregularities, wrongdoings, corruption, mismanagement, etc., when I see or feel them. I cannot control myself when speaking or writing about things that I believe would be useful for the country and its people; however, things are cutting and problematic. I don’t know if that is my weakness or strength. I have had a habit of writing since my school life, and it increased more after I started my working career in the Gorkhapatra and Publicity Department. It increased even more after I came to the university. I believe this was due to the supportive environment and the influence of good company. I know if you are with a drunkard, you learn to drink. If you are with a librarian, you learn to love books. Based on the above thoughts, I wrote many articles, poems, stories, and books. I have so far published seven books:
- An Outline of Library Science” (Pustakalaya Bigyanko Ruprekha)
- Tribhuvan University and Education” (Tribhuvan Bishwabidyalaya Ra Shikshya)
- Democracy and People’s Voice” (Prajatantra Ra Janaawaj)
- Glorious History of Tribhuvan University and Our Service” (Tribhuvan Biswabidyalako Gauravshali Kahani Ra Hamro Sewa)
- Boiling Agonies” (Umliyeka Pidaharu) – Poem book
- Grief” (Viraha) – Poem book
- Nepal and Nepalese Society in English” (Digital book).
I am considering publishing my storybook soon.
A picture of my book – Nepal and Nepalese Society in English and six other books in Nepali
I write not only articles but even poems and stories primarily based on social, political, economic, health, educational, religious, moral, ethical, and administrative issues with the aim of raising awareness, provoking thought, and inspiring change. They often tackle themes like governance, bureaucracy, corruption, wrongdoings, mismanagement, nepotism, favoritism, pathetic state of politics, education, health services, backwardness, poverty, injustice, inequality, oppression, and the struggle for social justice etc. In communist terminology, they call it progressive literature. But I prefer to call it – Social Awareness Literature, Administrative Stories, and Bureaucratic Ballads. I find my literature apart from most of the existing styles of stories and poems. They are published in different national newspapers – Samakalin, Samaj, Rajdhani, Naya Current, Nepal Post, Janasatta, Arati, Janadharana, etc. The poems published before 2003 (B.S. 1960) have been included in my poem book. The other book, “Biraha,” is also my poem book. But it is a collection of grief poems. I composed it in memory of my beloved wife, Shanti Mishra’s ailing and demise. The poems are based on life, birth, death, God and goddesses, ailing, diseases, frustration, mystery, etc. The titles of other books make clear the subjects of contents – Education, Library Science, Democracy, Government, Governance, Nepal and its people, etc.
Because of my long-time work in government administration and university administration and my position as Administrator, I am an Administrator; because of my extensive experience as an administrator in a university setting, I prefer to be referred to as an Academic Administrator; because of my study, library science degree, and work in the library, I am a Librarian; because of my many writings on education and library service, I am an Educationalist. In the same way, because of my two poem collection books and many other published poems, I am a Poet; because of my published stories, I am a Story writer, and because of my other books and articles, I am a Writer; because of my hundreds of articles published in different newspapers in English and Nepali, I am a Freelance Writer; because of my writing based on facts and truth without favoritism or prejudice towards anyone, I am a Nonpartisan writer. Similarly, due to my consistent contribution of articles to People’s Review every week for the past five years, I have earned the title of columnist. To the unrighteous, irrational, unreasonable, partisan, and selfish, I am nothing but their enemy. I do not know what tag people would like to give me.
Narayan Prasad Mishra’s images and articles appeared in a Google search on May 23, 2024.
In my online book – Nepal and Nepalese Society, on the page about the author, I was described with an adjective – “A librarian, administrator, educationalist, story writer, and poet.” In the same chapter, I am also described” as a man of principle devoted to the nation and its people, and has always held firmly to his belief in truth and the facts – he has never learned to compromise when faced with untruth and dishonesty, no matter how complicated and agonizing the situation. His critical articles on the National Education Plan of 1971, the government, politics, corruption, and related topics, his poems and short stories (published both under his own name and pseudonyms), and other published books (including the present one) bear witness to this” I am glad to hear it and pray I will be able to stay in life with all these pleasing attributes till my death as described.
Since September 2019, I have been contributing my articles to People’s Review every week. So far, I have written 160 articles for this series. I could do it because of the encouragement, generous offers, genuine love, trust, and support of the editor-in-chief, Pushpa Raj Pradhan. For it, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to him. My online book, Nepal and Nepalese Society is a collection of 86 articles that were published in that paper. My articles and books depict me – my views and opinions, my work ethic, my principles, my service, my struggles, my behavior, and more than that, my weaknesses and strengths. The articles and books are like my autobiographies. These articles and books reflect my thoughts, experiences, and perspectives authentically. They stand as a testament to my journey, and while I don’t claim perfection, they offer a genuine portrayal of who I am and what I stand for.
However, I am neither boasting nor showing pride in myself. My only concern is the future of the nation and its people. I am aware that my time on this earth is limited, given my age in the 80s, just like millions and billions of others who have come and gone. I also know many of us are not concerned about knowing or remembering even our grandparents’ names. In this context, I know very few will show any concern when I disappear one day, like the water bubble or the flying smoke from this land.
Furthermore, I am aware that people may soon forget about my existence, birth, life, and eventual passing, perhaps within months and years rather than decades. I can undoubtedly say this because this is our tendency in life. In any case, if anyone happens to search for me as I search for information about my mentor, senior, or colleagues, they can find me in my writing. I will be there in some way – good or bad. Moreover, I believe my words will connect with readers, providing valuable perspectives and ideas that could lead to beneficial changes. I urge you all to do something good for your country and its people, whatever you can. If you cannot, that’s understandable. However, I implore you not to stray from the path of righteousness under any circumstances, staying true to your conscience. I firmly believe that that is the only undebatable way to create a benevolent society and country.
I wish peace, prosperity, and happiness for all sentient beings of the universe.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect People’s Review’s editorial stance.
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