Nietzsche, the German philosopher, said, “Hope is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man.” He saw hope as a deceptive prolonging of suffering, whereas Sujeev Shakya views it as an expression of resilience and optimism in the face of uncertainty and adversity. This dichotomy—the coexistence of chaos and hope forms the backbone of Shakya’s new book ‘Nepal 2043’.

While many may view the book as a playbook for Nepal’s economic trajectory, it triggered a sense of philosophical restlessness in me, caught between Shakya’s optimism, Nietzsche’s scepticism, and Albert Camus’s absurdism.

The global order is transforming, and Nepal cannot remain immune. While there is no textbook for navigating this transformation, Shakya’s book offers guidance on how to deal with this paradigm shift. He reminds readers of what has worked and failed in the past. He provides startling insights, such as the growing power of the private sector in shaping policy and influencing the government, the narrative that development aid is set to be replaced by trade and investment, and the view that Asia, led by China, will anchor future growth.

He also cautions that excessive nationalism must be reined in to enable economic cooperation, a timely reminder amid rising jingoism.

‘Nepal 2043’ provides an overarching view of Nepal’s development landscape. It delves deeply into Nepal’s geopolitical location, highlighting the opportunities that come from being a neighbour to two of the world’s largest economies. It also examines Nepal’s political history and federalism, youth population, the impact of climate change, stale tourism narrative, hydropower potential and remittance-fueled growth.

Loaded with facts, figures, and contextual narratives, the book risks feeling academic and reader-unfriendly. Shakya, however, brings these concepts to life through real-life stories and personal interactions. For example, in ‘The Himalayan Powerhouse’, he recounts his conversation with a tea shop owner near the Arun 3 project. The chapter ‘Advantage Location’ begins with Dipankar Buddhas in Patan, connecting our history and culture to that of our neighbours. In ‘Agricultural Revolution’, he recalls visiting a mushroom farm in Tulsipur, Dang.

These anecdotes contextualise economic concepts, break the monotony and make the narrative engaging. The second part of the book explores the key enablers that could transform the country, offering strategic ideas to capitalise on the opportunities. Shakya titles the book ‘Year 2043’, because he views it as a critical milestone in Nepal’s development journey, aligning with the government’s vision, economic indicators and regional political milestones.

While the book sketches the broad contours of Nepal’s development story, it falls short of the depth and specificity needed for a truly insightful understanding. For example, a hydropower connoisseur may not find the chapter ‘The Himalayan Powerhouse’ accretive, or an agriculture expert might gain little from ‘Agricultural Revolution’.

Similarly, ‘Digital Transformation’ offered little insight to digital enthusiasts like me. For instance, the chapter on digitisation barely addresses major modern technologies such as AI and blockchain. While Shakya praises the National ID system, he does not critique its outdated architecture, missing an opportunity to explore how a decentralised, blockchain-based model could have offered real innovation—a truly groundbreaking idea.

He also references the outdated Digital Nepal Framework 2019, while DNF 2.0 has already been proposed. That said, the book does provide meaningful learning in areas outside one’s expertise, ensuring that every reader finds something of value.

The book also suffers from excessive use of acronyms. By the time the reader looks back to decipher, one would have lost the plot. Similarly, the abundance of data, facts, and statistics lends credibility to the author’s arguments, but excessive reliance on numbers risks making the book feel like a textbook.

Shakya celebrates Nepali resilience as a hopeful ability to ‘thrive in chaos’, citing our calm endurance of crisis, disaster and instability as a unique national strength. Basic improvisations, such as plastic façade ‘innovations’ during Covid-19, or expected government actions, like providing Covid-19 vaccines, are interpreted as signs of hope. But this optimism feels overstated. Chaos isn’t something Nepalis thrive in; it is a condition that we have learned to navigate daily. Shakya’s proposed lessons for the future feel unrealistic in a country that cannot even safeguard land title records, forcing citizens to re-register their land documents after the fire during the Gen-Z uprising.

Unfortunately, the book does not account for the Gen Z–led political movement, which could have added a fresh layer to Shakya’s analysis. While referring to the rise of Harka Sampang, Balen Shah, and parties such as the RSP, Shakya notes the speed of political change in Nepal. Yet, soon after the book’s publication, the Gen Z movement in September brought down an elected government—a development not part of the book. The book also refers to the 2027 elections, now scheduled for March 2026, further underscoring how quickly Nepal’s political landscape is shifting. In this sense, the book misses one of the most significant drivers of change in contemporary Nepal.

Once, I observed a high-ranking government official waiting for his driver to step out and open the car door for him while he stood still—underscoring Shakya’s arguments that economic transformation cannot occur without corresponding social change. The Gen-Z uprising reflected this frustration, targeting not only political hierarchies but also wealthy business establishments perceived as corrupt or unethical.

Whether these perceptions are accurate is secondary; what matters, as Shakya points out, is that reshaping the private sector’s image is non-negotiable for Nepal’s progress toward 2043.

The book is clear and compelling, offering a high-level tour of Nepal’s economic landscape, though it feels too generic to be genuinely informative. This is probably what the author meant it to be: an accessible overview rather than an authoritative manual. Written in a conversational style, ‘Nepal 2043’ can serve as a playbook for a homegrown development model.

Ultimately, the book is not a blueprint but a lens through which to view Nepal’s possibilities—and an opportunity for the readers to examine Nietzsche’s caution and Shakya’s optimism.

Siddhi is a banker and can be contacted at [email protected].

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‘Nepal 2043: The Road to Prosperity’

Author: Sujeev Shakya

Publisher: Penguin Books

Year: 2025