On the 28th of July, 2023, Bikalpa an Alternative organized an informative and interactive discussion at Biratnagar Meeting Hall, featuring Deputy Mayor Mrs. Shilpa Nirala Karki. This interaction program was part of the regular follow-up program for Bikalpa Fellowship Members. Ms. Ranu Sah, during the opening remarks, outlined the discussion program and handed over the floor to Mrs. Shilpa Nirala Karki to share her insights.
Mrs. Shilpa Nirala Karki began by expressing her gratitude for the opportunity to speak and share her personal and professional journey Mrs. Shilpa Nirala Karki, was born and raised in Siraha District Lahan, had ambitious aspirations from an early age. However, after getting married at the young age of 20 into a joint family, she found herself confined to the role of a housewife. Despite this, she didn’t let her dreams wane. During this time, she wrote opinion articles for the local newspaper to express herself and stayed determined to pursue her education.
She always had a dream of studying. So, after her son was born, she convinced her family and enrolled herself in the ICF College of Fashion Designing in Kathmandu and successfully obtained her diploma in fashion design. Unfortunately, her family’s apprehensions about her entrepreneurial ambitions hindered her from opening her fashion-designing boutique due to her husband’s reputation as a renowned entrepreneur in Biratnagar. Then, after eight years of a long gap, she resumed her studies by enrolling in a bachelor’s degree program. She always wanted to work. She also joined her husband’s office. During this time, she also engaged in various social organizations, including Rotary and NYEF, showcasing her unwavering commitment to contributing to society.
She remembered many politicians visiting her house because her husband was benevolent and had a good relationship with them. She said she was not interested in politics. But seeing her social involvement in social activities, a party member approached her to join the politics. She was also not entirely happy with the decisions, rules, and regulations made by politicians. After that, she thought about working for women’s issues. She joined as a member of the “All Nepal Women’s Association “political party wings and soon became Joint Secretary of the Biratnagar chapter. This role allowed her to delve into women-related issues and conduct impactful case studies. She said she firmly believed there is equality once women are financially sustained. So, she should be financially independent.
While her husband was well-established, she always wanted to be on her own. So, after completing her bachelor’s degree, she joined to master’s degree. She fondly recalled the hardship of juggling family expectations as a daughter-in-law and facing a lack of support regarding her educational aspirations. Her family members were also not supportive of her decision to study. However, her passion for fashion persisted. She also stressed that she was always fond of fashion from her childhood and used to watch fashion shows. She further expressed that after a very long time of passing her fashion design course. She convinced her husband and opened her boutique, “Creative Hans,” in Biratnagar’s main market. At that time, also everybody criticized her for her work. But she continued her work, facing all odd challenges. With her entrepreneurial spirit, she partnered with her neighbor and established a factory named “Nutrient Care Food Product,” in her old house. She used to pay her rent to her mother-in-law. She told me she was also conscious about her family and had to make balance in that period.
She feels happy that she can fulfill all her needs by herself today and is financially independent. She also stressed that We must convince ourselves first while doing any work to convince others too. She opined that I have learned so far in life that I must convince myself first in whatever decision I make in life. While discussing her political journey during the conversation, she mentioned that she realized politics was not a dirty game after engaging in many social organizations. We should understand the political system. She thought she was capable and qualified to do politics. After that, she convinced her family and fully got involved in politics. She became a member of the Biratnagar city committee and currently holds the position of vice president. She also did hard work at the party and was able to make assurance through her work. She acknowledged that her social engagements provided her with a vast network of people, ultimately contributing to her political success.
Similarly, she highlighted the Biratnagar Municipality’s working process and shared her personal experience. Sharing her personal experiences with the municipality, she demonstrated her commitment to improving local governance and addressing the needs of the citizens. She also told the youth municipality alone cannot handle all the problems, so we have to work as watchdogs and as responsible citizens. 41 participants attended the program.
