Being a Nepali Sikh and getting in touch with something related to our religion and history is always fascinating and moving, especially when you are far from home for study or work (‘How two Sikhs built Kathmandu’s water pipelines and laid its roads’, June 12 & 13, TKP Online). I came in touch with the news from the paper’s official site and found myself overwhelmed when I read something so deeply researched about the Sikhs and how they were related to Nepal. It is very rare when someone touches the matter of neglected, minority religions and presents it with true facts and astute research. The Kathmandu Post’s Culture & Arts section and Prawash Gautam have done a commendable job.

Newspapers play an important role in spreading messages to its readers—much more than people realise. With the volume of countless readers this esteemed newspaper has, it is indeed exciting for us to have the contributions of Sikhs recognised in our country since it was highly relevant regarding the identity issues that we face when we walk the streets of Kathmandu. Even today, we are hounded by curious questions about who we are, and about whether we are Indian. Although we are Nepali, we are oftentimes asked about how we came to learn the national language.

This has been much appreciated, and I hope that you give steadiness to issues and stories usually side-lined—so that ignored religions and cultures within Nepal like ours can be acknowledged by all.

Ajesh Singh, via email