Kathmandu is the most disorganized city-Mahesh Gorkhali

Mahesh Gorkhali is the president of APPON—Association of Pharmaceuticals Producers of Nepal. APPON was established in 1990 and now has 44 pharmaceutical companies. Its members govern 40% of Nepalese Pharmaceutical Market Share, 50% of which are certified with WHO-GMP and others in process of it. Mahesh Gorkhali shares his view on his Kathmandu:

What is Kathmandu to you?
It’s my birthplace, which gave me an identity. It gives me a good feeling.

Your fondest memory of Kathmandu?
This is quite difficult to answer. If you talk about childhood then all I can recall is playing ‘guchha’- marbles. The traffic then was very less; you could hardly see any cars on the road.

What advice would you give a tourist visiting the city?
Usually tourists who come here are from developed countries. So there is not much development to show them here. I would advise them to focus mainly on visiting our old heritage sites. There was this time when I had a foreign guest visiting, who requested me to show him all the Buddhas in the city.  That time a friend of mine suggested a 108 Buddha’s temple which was located in middle of Patan. So when I took my guest there, he was extremely happy.

What is the most surprising aspect of the city?
Kathmandu is the most disorganized city. The contrasting factors, which make Kathmandu, are the most surprising aspects of the city.

If you could change one thing about Kathmandu what would it be?
Primarily, I think the government set-up of Kathmandu needs to be transferred. As the government set-up is localized here in Kathmandu, most people from all regions are migrating here.  This is creating an extra pressure on the city. For example, if the government work can be done from Narayanghat, people from there would not migrate here.

What do you think of the health aspect of the city?
The situation here is at risk. And for that, the general mass and infrastructure is to blame. If we look at water condition in the city, there is shortage of water and most of the sources are filthy. Every year there are so many diseases caused by water contamination.

How can we reduce this risk factor in the city?
Awareness! If an individual is aware of  how to live a healthy lifestyle, definitely the risk factor will be lowered.

How can Kathmandu’s traffic be managed?
I have a very simple view on this matter. The time when Kathmandu was built, after the Malla period, Judda Sumsher constructed Juddha Sadak, which we now know as Ring Road. He made that road with the intention to drive his own car only. But now, people have their own vehicles. That way, the road is not extending, but vehicles are—I think car import should be stopped for a couple of years and good mass transportation system should be introduced. Even the road expansion idea is not very applicable as usually they demolish structures but do not construct the road. Also the dust and pollution caused by the demolition is not healthy.

What do you miss most about Kathmandu while traveling?
Kathmandu is my home, so I miss my home. Whenever I travel, I always wish to be back as soon as possible.

Where do you go for your daily shopping in Kathmandu?
I do not usually shop. But when I need to, I go to big malls like Bhatbhateni or City Centre.

If not Kathmandu where would you be?
I would be in Birgunj because I have a lot of work there as well.

How do you escape Kathmandu’s regular grind?
Within the country I prefer to go to Pokhara, Nagarkot or Dhulikhel for 2-3 days.

What’s the best piece of advice you have every received?
My father used to tell me, ‘if you do good karma you will get good results automatically’. Other one is by my senior colleague. He used to tell me, ‘you need to work hard, but don’t expect for instant results. You need to be very patience’.

How would you like to be remembered?
Well, people in my group usually call me a positive man. I want to be remembered as someone who always cooperated and created a positive aura amongst people.