Kathmandu, May 8

Entering an already crowded market with plenty written and read about transformations seen in Nepal’s economy, Sujeev Shakya’s Arthat Arthatantra promises to stand out with the discourse presented in a colloquial style.

“The book will be an easy ready, even for a layman,” said Shakya ahead of launch of the book, which has been published by Nepalaya Books, on Saturday.

Well-known for his keen economic sense and an extensive corporate experience, Arthat Arthatantra is Shakya’s first book in Nepali language.

“Arthat Arthatantra basically depicts the political and social transformations that Nepal has undergone since the regime of late king Prithivi Narayan Shah till date and the impact of these transformations in country’s economy,” Shakya told The Himalayan Times, adding that through the book, he has also tried to explore future prospects.

Arthat Arthatantra begins with reference of Prithivi Narayan Shah and economist Adam Smith’s co-existence in the same period, their individual impacts and legacy in their sphere of influence and the way they shaped the economy of their respective countries. The book then proceeds to reflect and analyse other spheres of Nepali economy since the royal regime to the current federal system of governance.

Citing that negativity has gripped people’s mindset, especially regarding economic and business transformations, Shakya informed that the book has tried to  highlight the positive aspects of Nepal’s economy.

Moving further, Shakya’s discourse brings into light how Nepal’s private sector is lagging behind not only in the global market, but also in terms of competitive growth when compared with the public sector.

“Thus, people here still prefer government products and services over that of private sector,” he said.

Shakya has also tried to highlight how lack of brand consciousness among Nepalis has been affecting the country’s economy.

Shakya has expressed deep concerns about a small number of Nepalis involved in country’s financial market and has tried to elaborate why he thinks foreign aid dependency has negative connotations for the economy.

Connecting popular acronyms like MaPaSe (Madak Padartha Sewan), Shakya’s book has underscored the need for another movement like KriJaPaSe (Krishi, Jalbidhyut, Paryatan, Sewa) to boost Nepal’s economy further.

Though other details, including readership impact, of Arthat Arthatantra shall be known once the book is launched, Shakya claimed it will be a useful and interesting read for anyone concerned about the economy.

Shakya informed that he planned to launch an English edition of Arthat Arthatantra soon. It is the first publication in business and economy genre by Nepalaya Books.