The nepaldalitinfo website completes five years of its successful running!

Nepaldalitinfo Report

May 3, 2008- Today, the nepadalitinfo.20m.com, which is the original website of the nepaldalitinfo, an international network of dalit intellectuals and friends of dalits of Nepal, is five year old. Soon after the nepaldalitinfo yahoogroup became functional since its inception in early 2003, the website was created and run (as a free web site available from www.20m.com on May 3, 2003) with a goal to internationalize the issues of Dalits, the most oppressed people of Nepal, through exchange and dissemination of information resources siding their voices. One year later, encouraged by the overwhelming success of active participation and contribution by the network members, the founder (the sole creator) of the website upgraded it as full-fledged website free from any advertisement banners and pop-ups. Soon, a number of Universities in the Unites States included the website in their libraray web-links as a reference resource available online from their respective websites. As a result, the website received No. 1 rank in google or yahoo web search with the key words, “nepal” and “dalit”.

In June 2006, the website got its companion site www.nepaldalitinfo.net (a blog based website) for expanding the length and breadth of information flow, interactively. The network is grateful especially to Mr. Sage Radachowsky and Dr. Laurie Vasily for its beautiful creation and setting up the server for running it, and to Ms. Krishna Rasali for her financial assistance towards the purchase of its domain. As of today, three organs of the network, original website nepaldalitinfo.20m.com, blog-type website www.nepaldalitinfo.net and nepaldalitinfo yeahoogroup are functioning in a coordinated manner with the participation and contribution of 342 active network members living around the globe. The founding member Dr. DP Rasali thank all network, moderators, network members, all dalit organizations as well as national and international academic institutions and individuals, who have supported directly or indirectly towards making the network a great success.

In the initial phase of running the original website, a partial list of Demands of Dalits in Nepal were posted in the website. In the changing face of Nepal, some of the demands may have gotten some attention today. Much of the demands still remain relevant, appropriate but still unmet for empowerment of Dalit people and communities. Nevertheless, the nepaldalitinfo claims considerable success in its endeavor for creation of awareness towards these demands.

On completion of 5 years of successful web-connections among the stakeholders of dalit empowerment, starting today the nepaldalitinfo network is commemorating with a number of activities for one complete year. As a part of this commemoration, the following activities will be implemented:

1. The original nepaldalitinfo.20m.com will bear two logos on the top of its home page- one for completion of its own 5-year age and another, “छुवाछुत व्यवहार निषेध” (in Nepali, meaning Ban on Untouchability Practice) for creating awarness for complete eradication of any sign of untouchability. (May 3, 2008).

2. A CD containing the original website contents and selected items of information from the blog site nepaldalitinfo.net will be created and released for distribution. The nepaldalitinfo partners such as NASO Community, Washington DC and other organizations are invited to make copies of the CD for wider distribution to rural areas of Nepal, where no internet access is available yet. (August 2008).

3. The individuals and organizations who contributed significantly to the successful running of the nepaldalitinfo network as a whole will be recognized with commemorative honor certificates (January 2009 or before).

4. In addition, other suitable activities that may be proposed and volunteered for implementation by the network members will be included any time between today and May 3, 2009.