• National
  • Politics
  • Valley
  • Opinion
  • Money
  • Sports
  • Culture & Lifestyle

  • National
    • Madhesh Province
    • Lumbini Province
    • Bagmati Province
    • National Security
    • Koshi Province
    • Gandaki Province
    • Karnali Province
    • Sudurpaschim Province
  • Politics
  • Valley
    • Kathmandu
    • Lalitpur
    • Bhaktapur
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • As it is
    • Letters
    • Editorial
    • Cartoon
  • Money
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • International Sports
  • Culture & Lifestyle
    • Arts
    • Brunch with the Post
    • Movies
    • Life & Style
    • Theater
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Fashion
  • Health
  • Food
    • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Investigations
  • Climate & Environment
  • World
  • Science & Technology
  • Interviews
  • Visual Stories
  • Crosswords & Sudoku
  • Horoscope
  • Forex
  • Corrections
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Today's ePaper
Sunday, July 27, 2025

Without Fear or FavourUNWIND IN STYLE

23.88°C Kathmandu
Air Quality in Kathmandu: 53
300+Hazardous
0-50Good
51-100Moderate
101-150Unhealty for Sensitive Groups
151-200Unhealthy
201-300Very Unhealthy
Sun, Jul 27, 2025
23.88°C Kathmandu
Air Quality in Kathmandu: 53
  • What's News :

  • Ruling parties divided
  • Ex-President Bhandari
  • Confidence through sports
  • Book review
  • Actors and their roles
  • FDI 5% increase

Valley

Nepal Bhasa as official language in metropolis

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is planning to set up a separate desk for providing services in Nepal Bhasa, or Newari language, in addition to Nepali language. Nepal Bhasa as official language in metropolis
bookmark
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • Whatsapp
  • mail
Anup Ojha
Published at : June 22, 2017
Updated at : June 22, 2017 15:55
Kathmandu

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is planning to set up a separate desk for providing services in Nepal Bhasa, or Newar language, in addition to Nepali language. 

This will not only make it easier for service seekers, especially those who find communicating in Newar easier than in Nepali, but will also help in preserving the language and culture of the Kathmandu, according to officials at the KMC, who said in due course the metropolis would also use Ranjana script for official purposes in addition to Devangari. 

According to officials, the municipal executive body will execute its powers to preserve the indigenous Newar language, and provide services to Newar people in their mother tongue. The Constitution of Nepal in the Preliminary says a state may, by a state law, determine one or more than one languages of the nation spoken by a majority of people within the state as it official language(s), in addition to the Nepali language.

Kathmandu Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya on the first day in his office had announced to set up a separate desk for starting services Newari, which is spoken as a native language by the Newar people in Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas.

 “We have already assigned one of the officials who has command over the language,” said Shakya, adding that such desks would be gradually set up in all 32 wards of the metropolis.  

Services seekers can write their applications in the language of their preference—Newar or Nepali—and the metropolis will respond accordingly, according to officials. 

Similarly, the Lalitpur Metropolitan City (LMC) is also working in the same line. 

At the LMC, the Jyapu Samaj has kept a supporting desk with a translator who helps those service seekers for whom communicating in Newar is convenient than doing so in Nepali. “We are also in a process of providing our services in Newar language, but it may take some time,” said Hari Prasad Dahal, an executive officer at LMC.   

Cultural experts and language activists described the initiative as a positive move. 

“It should not be limited to the Valley. In other places also where a majority of people speak their languages, they should be made the official working language,” said Malla K Sundar, an activist who has long voiced for preserving mother tongues. According to census 2011, 123 languages are spoken in Nepal as mother tongue. 


Anup Ojha

Anup Ojha was a reporter for The Kathmandu Post primarily covering social issues, crime, and human interest stories since 2011. Before moving to the social beat, Ojha covered arts and culture for the Post for four years.


Related News

Officials and activists push for marriage equality reforms
Women entrepreneurs with disabilities seek to scale up their businesses
Man rescued after falling into drain
Nepali women aspire—and train—to join British Army. Kathmandu still says no
Kathmandu Valley seeing almost a dozen snakebite cases a day
Indian national caught with 3.4kg cocaine at Kathmandu airport

Most Read from Valley

Kathmandu Valley seeing almost a dozen snakebite cases a day
Nepali women aspire—and train—to join British Army. Kathmandu still says no
Women entrepreneurs with disabilities seek to scale up their businesses
Officials and activists push for marriage equality reforms

Editor's Picks

Kailash pilgrims breathe new life into Nepal’s mountain economy
Pressure groups are dictating lawmaking
Indians paying by QR in Nepal for a year but Nepalis still lack access in India
UML weighs binning age, term limits amid Oli-Bhandari rivalry
Law in the works to check officials’ conflict of interest

E-PAPER | July 27, 2025

  • Read ePaper Online
×
ABOUT US
  • About the Post
  • Masthead
  • Editorial Standards & Integrity
  • Workplace Harassment Policy
  • Privacy Policy
READ US
  • Home Delivery
  • ePaper
CONTACT US
  • Write for the Post
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Advertise in the Post
  • Work for the Post
  • Send us a tip
INTERACT WITH US
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS
  • eKantipur
  • saptahik
  • Nepal
  • Nari
  • Radio Kantipur
  • Kantipur TV
© 2025 www.kathmandupost.com
  • Privacy Policy
Top