John F Kennedy’s saying, ‘Ask not what your country has done for you but ask what you have done for your country’ is practical and we do have reasons to smile and be proud of ourselves and our nation.

We should be proud of ourselves not because we have worked for the development of Nepal, but because we were born here. In the context of the world, Nepalis people are not too tall, but the highest peak of the world lies here signifying our dignity. Nature has gifted us Mt Everest so that we can stand tall.

Our history makes us feel proud. At times we have shown bravery in battlefields but we have also spread the message of peace in the world. Brave warriors like Bhakti Thapa, Amarsingh Thapa defeated enemies to save our nation’s sovereignty. Whereas, ‘The Light of Asia,’ Gautam Buddha of Nepal spread the message of peace all over the world. He is revered as

God because he taught truth, peace and the meaning of life.

We have reasons to hold our heads high. We are poor in economy but in natural resources, our nation is very rich. We are one of the richest in water resources, natural sceneries and geographical diversity. We are brought up listening to the songs of nightingale and cuckoo; we spend our life mesmerised by the sight of rhododendrons, golden mycelia (champ) blooming, and die smelling the scents of jasmine, rose. Rare animals like the one-horned rhinoceros, Asiatic elephant, musk deer, and others run thorough our gardens and birds like Kade Vyakur (found only in Nepal), Danfe, Kalij are seen here.

We have reasons to feel proud at our religious tolerance, unity in diversity, mutual co-operation, friendship. Great personalities like Mahabir Pun through social service, Laxmi Prasad Devkota through literature, Bishweshwor Prasad Koirala through politics, Mehboob Alam through cricket, Tenzing Norkay Sherpa and Pasang Lhamu Sherpa through mountaineering and many many more have glorified our nation and given us reasons to always hold our heads high.

It is our turn to make our present and future generations hold their heads high by doing new and different things that will glorify our nation.

— Aashish Thapa,

Class X, Suryodaya Sai Secondary School