On 1st October 2024, Bikalpa: An Alternative, in collaboration with CIPE, hosted an entrepreneurship talk show titled “Udhyami ka Kura” at the premises of Hotel Shree-Krishna. The event was moderated by Basanta Adhikari, founder of Bikalpa-An Alternative, which aimed to inspire young people with the real-life story-sharing of successful business personalities. It also provides a platform for networking and idea exchange.
The program commenced at 3:00 pm with Basanta Adhikari welcoming all the participants and introducing distinguished guest, Dasarath Sunar, a media entrepreneur known for his innovative digital program, VFY Talk, which is broadcast in Nepali, Hindi, and English language. Dasarath Sunar began his talk by acknowledging that, while people love success stories, he was there to share his story of failures too. Born and raised in Kanchanpur in the Far West of Nepal, he completed his SLC (School Leaving Certificate) in 2008. Though passionate about sports especially Wushu and dreamed of competing in South Asian games, his path took a different turn. With the financial support of ten thousand rupees along with 10 kg of rice and lentils from his father, Dasarath moved to Kathmandu to chase his dream. Despite challenges, he considered his move one of the best decisions he had made so far.
In Kathmandu, he searched for a place to stay, paying Rs. 150 for a small hotel room, seeking comfort in familiar Far-West accents. The journey into the media world was an accidental one as he suffered injuries due to an accident while preparing for the South Asian games. It shattered his dream of becoming a sportsperson. Adding to his struggle, he failed five subjects in his 12th-grade exam.
Dasarath’s failures in both sports and academics led him to question his future. With the South Asian Fraternity, he traveled across Nepal, sparking fresh ideas and perspectives. Despite this, his three businesses failed one after another. His energy was fueled by each rejection and also committed not to return to his village until he had achieved something significant in his life.
In 2016, Dasarath launched “Voice for Youth (VFY Talk), which was a media platform aimed at creating unique and impactful content. A pivotal moment in his career and media journey came when he fulfilled a promise made to a taxi driver, who often drove him home, by arranging a meeting with Rajesh Hamal. This interview boosted his YouTube subscribers by 10,000. After all the hurdles, Dasarath emphasized content creation with consistency as the key to success in today’s world.
Dasarath spoke about the importance of evolving with the change of time, especially in the information and AI age. To increase bilateral relations and promote tourism in Nepal, he envisions creating VFY Global. His dedication has helped him craft impactful content and host interviews with influential personalities like Sadguru, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, etc., marking the start of his international media presence.
Dasarath shed light on how content can shape our perception, warning that people of South Asia are manipulated by misinformation. He stated that most people are in the delusion that consuming information equals being intellectual. Similarly, he emphasized that today’s work is tomorrow’s result, encouraging the audience to be very mindful of how they spend their time.
During the question-and-answer session, participants eagerly raised questions about entrepreneurial mindset, overcoming failures, how to connect with influential personalities, and Nepal’s tourism potential. Dasarath spoke passionately to answer all the queries of the participants. He provides insight into the potential of tourism in Nepal emphasizing that attracting just 5% of India’s and China’s populations annually by just marketing Pashupatinath and Lumbini could significantly boost tourism as they are iconic religious and cultural sites for Hinduism and Buddhism. However, beyond marketing, a holistic approach driven by government policy is essential for sustainable growth. Dasarath concluded that the hunger for success, an action-oriented attitude, and resilience are the necessary tools for any entrepreneur. His message resonated with the participants, as they agreed with the assertion that “strong mindsets face challenges, while weak ones complain.”
The talk ended on an inspiring note, with Basanta Adhikari thanking the guest speaker, Dasarath Sunar, and all the participants for their time and engagement. Dasarath’s journey from the far west of Nepal to becoming a media entrepreneur was a powerful reminder for all 105 participants, that success often comes after a series of failures, making the entrepreneur talk program a successful event.
