Biratnagar, November 4

On November 4 the family of the late Radha Prasad Ghimire, the Minister of State for Education and Communication, handed over a traditional printing press to the Central Department of Journalism and Mass Communication (CDJMC). At a ceremony held in Biratnagar, Ghimire's daughter-in-law, Durga Ghimire, formally presented the historic press to Dr. Kundan Aryal, Head of CDJMC.

The event was attended by a distinguished group, including intellectuals, professors, journalists, and social activists. Among the notable attendees were Prof. Dr Krishna Pokharel, Vice-Chancellor of Purvanchal University; Prof. Dr. Bijukumar Thapaliya; Human Rights Commission Founder Sushil Pyakurel; Senior Journalist Kanak Mani Dixit; Dr. Ramavatar Sharan, Campus Head of Mahendra Morang Multiple Campus; and many respected figures from academia, journalism, and civil society.

During the ceremony, Dr Aryal expressed deep gratitude to the Ghimire family for generously providing the traditional press to CDJMC for educational use. He also presented a letter of appreciation to Durga Ghimire.

The hand press, crafted in London in 1883, is similar to the press invented by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440. Radha Prasad Ghimire originally brought this press from Calcutta, India, to Biratnagar in 1959 to print posters for Nepal’s general election. Known as Pioneer Press, it was one of the oldest printing establishments in Biratnagar.