Kathmandu, May 12:

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has dismissed the 10-member academic council of the Royal Nepal Academy (RNA). The council comprises RNA vice-chancellor Basu Dev Tripathee, member-secretary Geeta Kesari, and academicians Saru Bhakta Shrestha, Govinda Bhatta, Bhaw Panthi, Ratnakar Devkota, Yadav Kharel, Thakur Prasad Mainali, Bhuwan Dhungana and Jugman Gurung. The dissolution of 10-member academic council means the automatic dissolution of the 30-member academic assembly.

Surya Bahadur Sapkota, chief of the administration unit, will look after all the activities of the RNA till further notice, the MoCTCA said in a letter sent to the RNA yesterday. The decision was made in line with the cabinet decision of dismissing the political appointments made by the royal regime in government-owned academies, committees, authorities, development committees and councils. While the VC was appointed in 2004, rest of the members were selected thereafter.

The RNA employees had criticised the new team for its underperformance and accused the team of distributing Rs 30 lakh, allocated by the government for providing assistance to ailing writers, only to sycophants.Though artists have been demanding that a Nepal Academy of Fine Arts be formed, the RNA has not taken a decision on the matter yet, said an RNA employee, seeking anonymity.