Nijinada Malla
Nepal’s loss

by Laura Salinger

      Nijanada Malla (above) is rather reserved when he talks about leaving Nepal to come and live in the United States.
Currently living with relatives near Madison’s west side, it is clear that Nepal is Malla’s home and if he could return, he
would. Political instability, a situation that has long plagued Nepal’s government, is the reason Malla states for
leaving  his country.
     “The situation is not going well over there,” he said.
     As he reveals his credentials, it becomes evident that Malla’s heart is profoundly linked to the mountainous, land-
locked country in Asia. The list of social service agencies he has founded or worked for in Nepal is extensive, to say
the least.  
     “I have done a lot for my country,” Malla said with a grin.
     Malla’s journey began in Ratnanagar (then a village, now a municipality) where his father was a
businessman/landlord and his mother a homemaker. His life as a child, he said, was “very happy.” Growing up, he was
determined to become a doctor. Yet, later, he would follow in the footsteps of his father and obtain a degree in
business. It was while attending college that Malla’s passion for social service was born.
“In my campus life, I visited all over India,” Malla said. “I realized there was so much to do socially; I decided I would
help my country.”
     “Helping” his country is his humble way of expressing the fact that, for a long-time, Malla has been at the forefront
of developing social services in Nepal. He founded the Nepali Chapter of Amnesty International, a worldwide human
rights organization, and has represented his country at Amnesty International conventions across the globe. Malla’s
lofty goal was to bring an end to human rights violations in a country that has long struggled with human rights abuses.
At the heart of human rights abuses in Nepal is often differing religion and political viewpoints. With the goal of
uniting the varying religions in Nepal, Malla served as a chairperson for the World Human Religion Service Council.
“In Nepal, there are so many different religions,” Malla said. “We wanted to bring them together for the betterment of
humanity. Every religion has good attributes.”
     Malla is also responsible for starting a local Red Cross chapter in Ratnanagar, where he later served as vice
president and coordinator of the Natural Disaster Committee. Similarly, he was a Pakistan Earthquake Relief Operation
delegate member and spent nearly two months in Pakistan after an earthquake in 2005 riveted the country. According
to the UN, the earthquake directly affected eight million people in Pakistan, killing nearly 80,000 and leaving 3.3
million people homeless.
     It was Malla’s job to distribute food and water, while also assessing the effects of the quake, including documenting
loss of life and property.
     “It was very tough to coordinate all of those elements,” Malla admitted. “The people were very scared and there
was much lost. There was also quite of bit of political complexities to deal with.”
Malla has also dedicated himself to Nepali youth. He founded the Ratna Youth Club in 1983 and the Angels World
Secondary School in Ratnanagar in 1987. He was also a prominent leader in the Nepali Lions Club, an international
service organization. And the list goes on. In one way or another, Malla has been serving his country and its people for
years. Why he does it, he says, is simple: “My innermost interest is helping people,” he said matter-of-factly. “I always
wanted to and liked to help others.”
     Malla would also get the opportunity to serve his country politically as Chief (or mayor) of Ratnanagar City, home
to 45,000 people. In this capacity, he led this medium-sized city while remaining committed to social issues.
With such passionate commitment to his country and with years of service under his belt, it seems odd that Malla is
now living and working in the United States where he recently finished schooling to become a Certified Nursing
Assistant. Admittedly, Malla’s move to Wisconsin was not planned, but a necessary action to ensure his safety in the
midst of political volatility.
     Malla’s heart, however, remains with Nepal and the country has lost, at least temporarily, a valuable community
leader.  
     While living in Madison, Malla has become active in the Nepali community and with various national Nepali
organizations. Regarding his future and the future of his country, Malla remains optimistic. “I hope it will end for the
better,” he said. “I hope for a good government. I hope that the different political parties will be understanding of each
other.”

                                  
Nijanada Malla (above)
Laura Salinger is a freelance writer
based in Madison, Wis.