A Biography of Bharat Raj Upreti. The name itself is sufficient, who is he? And what remarkable contribution he had given for the development of online ICT. He is not just an idol person. He is the inspiration of every ICT lovers and decided to do and die for the ICT development. He went through many challenges and suffering; and brings ICT journalism to this state. Even now he is working for the Cyber Sanchar Magazine, ICT News Weekly, ICT Journalist Development Forum, Magazine of ICTONLINEKHABAR.COM and the conversion of a decade long ICT journalism into online daily ICT journalism. In summary, the contribution what he has given for the ICT promotion is very hard to describe in words? So let’s know about him.
Among thousands of stars, just a moon is sufficient to enlighten the whole world. Likewise his contribution is big enough for the sequential development of ICT journalism. It does not mean that there are no any other people who worked for the development of ICT. Obviously there are many people and their contribution’s had brought ICT journalism to this state. But his contribution and efforts are more likely to be praised than the others.
Bharat Raj Upreti was born in Nuwakot at Thanapati on Baisakh-5, 2040 BS. From his childhood he is simple, kind and innovative to learn new things. As morning shows the day, he loves to work hard and show interest on new technology that comes in the market. This behavior has become the turning point of his life towards the ICT. He got arranged marriage on jestha-4, 2070 BS with Sabitri Basnet. She is also caring and supportive in nature. Currently he is living with his wife nearby Manamaiju of Kathmandu, Nepal.
Journalism is one of the purest and respected jobs. Although structures of journalism are different according to language, structure, style and society but its core concept or philosophy still remains the same. Journalism is a medium of transferring the information about the religion, language, sex and culture independently. In other words, it is also the act of collecting, accessing, creating and presenting the news and information. History reveals that the more democratic a society, the more news and information it tends to have. So people need to be democratic. Those people who advocate truly about the religion, language, sex and culture is called journalist.
In the history of every age and pages, Nepali journalism had become histories. Similarly professions of journalism need to be moral, respected and democratic. But due to lack of professionalism trend in journalism now the philosophy of this profession is diverted. Even the government has no clear mission and vision for the professionalism of this sector. Although it is the fourth organ of the Nation, many investors, coordinators and journalist could not able to make their career due to moral crisis, clear vision and plan from the Government. Similarly due to the mentality of investing today and expecting tomorrow, the field of ICT and ICT media are unable to produce a unite voice. So it’s time we all need to work out for its enhancement.
Due to lack of maintaining the importance of the field of journalism, unsustainable, irregular and unhygienic competition occur within the political news only in Nepal. This directly impact to the ethics and morality of the journalism behind.
Although journalist has to devote himself for the enhancement of agriculture, tradition, culture, tourism business and locally available resources but under the vulture eye of political pressure they are bound to work for them. Most of the information about the companies, institutes, common individual and even politician are unrevealed to maintain the status of Newspaper in the market. This directly impact to whole journalism business. So every journalist had to be given freedom to write about the true fact and must be praised from the Government side itself. Then only right information will be flown among the news reader.
Describing about the current issues, difficulties and problem faced by the journalist, we have a decade long experienced person in ICT, Bharat Raj Upreti from ICT Journalist Development Forum. And he said this is irony of fate in Nepal that we are unable to establish the journalist profession as a professional. So per day every journalist had to go in the phase of do and die on this profession. He further added that most of the ICT resources need to be mercantile within the market but it is the irony of fate that many journalist, coordinator and instructor having well-knowledge about ICT, not intended to go along with the ICT technology so this situation was created. They even ready to invest thousands of rupees on big media, but step back when time came to donate a single rupee for the development of ICT and its institute. Because of these tendencies, such drastic situation was created in the field of ICT.
For the development of any field, information about that field needs to be passed among individuals through social media and newspaper. For that social media and journalist play vital role for their development. Government need to apply special planning for the development of ICT in Nepal. Besides it seniors’ journalist and Business man must give proper guidance, support and suitable space to young one who really interested to establish their career in the field of ICT. Furthermore shareholder must come up with open-heart and mind to promote ICT Media and Journalism.
Not only by conducting seminars, event, conference, giving speech about ICT and innovation of new technology is sufficient for the development of ICT. Besides social Medias like facebook, twitters etc are to be utilized giving opportunities to young generation. Then only imagination of future of ICT is possible.
Bharat Raj Upreti said that lack of government support and not sustainability of ICT Media are the main challenge of this problem. Similarly due to political influence many investors have fear of whether their investment will go in vein or not. So effective planning is very essential on today’s date for its upliftment.
Around 2063 he worked in Cyber Sanchar Weekly Magazine as a market representative and just within 2 months of hard labor, he became a reporter. Finally after 6 months, he got a chance to become Assistant Editor. Bharat Raj Upreti believed that if you had heartily strong determination and devotion towards any work then every unthought-of work can be achieved. Around 2063 he had completed his academic qualification up to bachelor level in management. Similarly he had 5 years of working-experience on social service, works as Health Education teacher and had basic computer knowledge. But in journalism, he had just experience of 3 months training. He is neither expert on academic nor on journal but he had strong vision on how to boost up the online journalism and launch it into as a professional job.
After completing his school level certification (SLC) in first division, he came to Kathmandu in 2056 for higher education. But after 2 months of his arrival, he had to search for a job due to family economic problem. Just around a 3 month of his college, he got an opportunity of job in Lalitpur nearby Pulchowk. At that time he had to leave the college by 8 and go for a job in Patan Dhoka from Naxal in a bus. Sometimes he even had a critical situation to walk on foot due to the shortage of money. In 2058 he had to work with an amount of just one thousands per month. That amount was very less to spend even for bus rent and fooding, that’s why he left the job after 3 months of working. Then after he showed his interest towards social works and started doing but here he had to spend money by himself for them so he became fully unsatisfied with the city life. During that time he got an opportunity to make public relation but that was not enough for spending life. So he started searching for a job but didn’t get anywhere. Then after he returned to his homeland and started working on his friend’s Medical institute as a manager. Earning from that job was just enough to fulfill his basic needs so he left it. Then after he started working with friend of his aunties son’s as a volunteer but the situation still remained the same.
After spending 2 years in social institute, the coordinator from the medical institute had got a golden DV lottery around 2060/2061. Then he started working as a coordinator and manager with the collaboration of his aunties’ son. And he registered the same institute as educational counseling centre with the thinking of establishing Nursing College and he added 5 coordinators. His aim remains no more when his coordinators friend started asking twice amount within a year of their investment. Then he left that institute. He told that he again started working in Social institute with the same strategy of converting institute into Educational counseling Centre and with the same vision of establishing Nursing College. During this time he spent half of his time to social institute and rest of his time for counseling and training.
After some months he started working with one of his same institute’s friend named aahev in pharmacy at koteshwor and continues up to a year. Finally due to misunderstanding on converting pharmacy shop into Medical institute, he had to leave that as well.
Nearly around 2063, he got a golden opportunity to meet with the chief of united social development Nepal, Deepak Karki. He had an experience of two years in social institute. He requested him to work on ICT newspaper publication as a writer and a researcher. Then finally he showed his interest. Then again Karki said that the news must be about Information Technology. Then he started working on the front desk of same newspaper publication. When editor, Laxman bajgain blamed him that he had just worked for the market promotion, then he showed his interest towards working in front of the coordinator. Finally he got an opportunity to meet with him after two to four days follow up. During this meeting, publisher-Bhola Dahal told him that ICT is the first online newspapers in Nepal so he had to work as a editor concern. To gain trust of him, he had completed a week long job of market promotion within just two days. Finally the coordinator became very much pleased and told publisher to shift him as a manager for handling the market.
Then after he showed his confident and interest to almost every work of that newspapers. Then he worked for collecting news, sharing ideas, editing news and managing the news with a demanded amount of 5 thousands. Then the Publisher told him that now the rating of this newspaper is not so good so they could only give him just 2 thousands for travelling and after 6 months they could think of his demanded salary. Furthermore he added that they had planned to make this newspaper as one of the best and number 1 newspaper in Nepal so collaboration of all was needed. Finally he showed his interest. Then after he started working as managing the news along promoting the newspaper brand in the market, collecting the latest updates news of IT sectors and records voice of ICT fame. He had belief that he could make money from the market himself so he worked for that.
For many months, more than 6 hours a day he walked on foot and searched for the future of cyber newspaper in the market. Finally he led ICT to the topmost level solving lots of challenges on the market and he could even get his amount from the market.
During that time he got an opportunity to meet with many ICT fames, organization and government body. When he said he was from cyber newspaper most of the people get pleased and showed interest on knowing about it. That time he really feels pleased to be the part of it. They hoped him that they would help him for the publication but when time comes they forgot all the things what they had spoken. Once he told them to be a member of ICT within just RS.500 for a year, they told him that they worked from their office and next time they would try. So he becomes fed up with such attitude and felt bad when returned to office’s front desk from market.
There are also lots of people who really helped him to promote online newspaper. Among them director veshraj paudel is one of them who had provided him a room and internet facilities for one and a half year. At that time, Chief Dinesh Sharma from Nepal Telecom Authority, Dr. Subarna shakya from National Information Technology Centre, Controller Rajanraj Pant from pramadikaran, Sunni joshi from micro land computer, chief Pawan shakya from ISPAN, Managing director Binaya Bohara from Vianet communication, Director Bikyandra Timilsana from Broad link had provided appreciable support to this ICT magazine. Likewise from publication team editor- Laxman bajgain and Pramod Bhattarai of same Newspaper Publication Team, sub editor- Deepak Karki and Sikshya Thapa, Desktop Typing and Setting Designing- Shova Devkota, Reporter- kripa Devkota and Press- Rohit Dahal had provided valuable support and helped for the publication of Cyber Communication. They even worked up to late night (around 2am) and slept in office table during that time. Sarin Shrestha had also given support for the Cyber Communication logo design and color page setting of the RajDhani Katar Publication.
Although lots of challenges and turn over occur in life, finally he became able to establish himself as one of the idol in the history of ICT publication. Most of his friends along with senior editor left the office due to limited salary. So, all the responsibilities come in front of his head. He took all the challenges as an opportunity to learn and handle the situation. Finally he became able to tackle the situation. Due to government policies and efforts from the private sectors he became able to withstand the ICT publication two times from about to the end state. This is the most remarkable role played by him. Finally, under the concern of coordinator and editor – Er. Mahesh Pandey from Space Tech, the ICT publication had turned from weekly post to monthly post. Due to same limited salary, hard efforts and not respecting experience nature, most of his friends along with himself got separated from Cyber Communication and started working in a team of weekly published ICT news under his own investment. Spending about one and a half year, no improvement and positive response comes from the market and government side. However they got an opportunity to expand its branding from Kathmandu CAN INFOTECH to Dharan CAN INFOTECH. But still that time they got rarely a support of just Rs1500 from CAN. At that time, most of the IT stakeholder praised to them but need not support when real time of investment came. They just move away.
He told that although lots of challenges and difficulties come in front of life not afraid of it, always try to avoid it and learn from mistakes. He realized himself that because of his ego he could not able to turn ICT Publication into professional Business. So he requested all of us not left work for tomorrow, just do it? Present is your time, if lost only regret comes. He still remember how trouble he feel during ICT Publication. He remembered that humor nature of designer-Laxman Chaudhari and chief of Macro Tech Solution- Tilak Bikram Bhandari had given admirable contribution for ICT publication. Their supports are the turning point of ICT publication, he told.
Not only this, Bharat Raj Upreti had given his unforgettable contribution for the establishment of ICT Journalist Development forum in 2067 as well. From that time all the government ICT policies, counseling and supporting, flowing of ICT information to individual level, promotion and upliftment of ICT and print online become possible. It is one of the most remarkable contributions done by him for ICT.
While working in cyber communication he had vision of converting it into regional ICT. Due to lack of support from government and private side, he had converted weekly ICT post into online ICT news in 2009. Because of hacking to this site, all the investment of him around Rs.25 thousands goes in vein in 2010. But not getting renews domain registration code in 2011; he again converted online ICT news into ICT Portal. Because of his talent and experienced on computer, he started working as part time during internet access around 2011.
Now he is interested on converting Cyber Communication Newspaper, weekly published ICT News, and ICT journalist Development forum, ICT online news web newspaper along with the help of social media into online ICT for the establishment of professional and organized business. He had also dream of empowering young generation into ICT Digital and leading all the concepts of social news media and culture tourism into online ICT.
Currently he is devoting himself on transferring Nagarik post, Motherland, Profile Life, NRN profile, ICT news, living Nepal into social media concept for online daily.
Information Technology is one of the Main ICT scenarios while Social Media is a medium of ICT area development. The core part of social media is web technology. Due to rapid development on online and social media, lots of opportunities rise up in the field of ICT for the development of education, social, tourism business and individual life. Now it is impossible to imagine the development of any business without the help of IT, Web and Social Media. Now all the journalist need to learn the latest online technologies for the promotion of his/her business.
So, he requested all the ICT lovers to work up together for the rapid development of ICT then only imagination of modern Nepal will be possible.
