12th IHI Ceremony – 2022

Dear IHI Participant Families, Jwajalapa, The upcoming 12th IHI Ceremony countdown has wound down to “less than a month to go”. You must be as excited as we are. For us at NPPA, this event defies the theory/law of diminishing return, our excitement keeps on increasing. NPPA is the pioneer in preserving Newah culture beyond Nepal and appreciates your support in this effort. Each and every Newah community member is an integral part of this culture and plays a vital role in passing it on to the future generations. NPPA has finalized the preparation to celebrate the 12th IHI ceremony as per the following details: Date:  Saturday, May 7, 2022 Time:   7:00 AM Venue:   Hare Krishna Temple Address:   10310 Oaklyn Drive, Potomac, MD 20854   Brief outline of the IHI Ceremony rituals is provided below, along with various other pertinent details: 7:00 AM – Arrive and prepare Kanyas for IHI, family photo session Laskus – Traditional welcoming of all the Kanyas by the Thakali Naki to Pooja Mandap Purification Pooja with mustard seeds by Thakali Naki & their mothers Mandap Pooja by Kanyas 108 times head-to-toe looping of yellow sacred thread of Kanyas by Thakali & Naki Mandap Pooja by all participants Kanyas are taken out of mandap for break and snacks Break of 30 minutes – Provide refreshment (juice & fruits) to Kanyas Purification Pooja of Kanyas by Thakali Toe nail clipping and toe/feet coloring of Kanyas by Nini (fufu) Laskus – Traditional welcoming of all the Kanyas by the Thakali Naki to Pooja Mandap Sindurohan by Thakali Naki Pooja by Kanyas’ Parents Kanya Daan (Pray the patron deity and Subarna Kumar or Bhagvan Bishnu to bless their daughter) Mandap Parikrama & seven steps on Gwa ha (Pan ko pat) Kumar and Kumari Pooja Barah chhuyegu (offer rice & gifts to all the Kanyas) Thaya bhu for Kanyas (24 items of food for Kanyas) Avishek, Ashirbad, and Jal Prasad by Priest Gift to Nini (fufu) Conclusion and distribution of IHI Certificate to Kanyas by NPPA President Prasad / Lunch As of today, 26 kanyas have confirmed participation in this year’s IHI ceremony. Following is the list (please feel free to suggest any correction in Kanyas’ name). Aanya Chitrakar – आन्या चित्रकार (Age: 8) Shangrila Maharjan – शाङ्ग्रीला महर्जन (Age: 9) Soyana Shrestha – सोयाना श्रेष्ठ (Age: 8) Maya Shrestha – माया श्रेष्ठ  (Age: 9) Olivia Shrestha – अलिभिया श्रेष्ठ (Age: 7) Saanvi Shrestha – सान्भी श्रेष्ठ  (Age: 9) Joia Malla – जोइया मल्ल (Age: 6) Jazmine Kayastha – जेज्मिन कायस्थ  (Age: 9) Saesha Maharjan – साइशा महर्जन (Age: 7) Tisha Dangol – तिशा डङ्गोल (Age: 7) Navya Shakya – नाभ्या शाक्य (Age: 6) Vedah Karma Shrestha – वेद कर्मा श्रेष्ठ (Age: 9) Luniva Shrestha – लुनिभा श्रेष्ठ (Age: 7) Sylvianna Shrestha – सिल्भियाना श्रेष्ठ (Age: 7) Marisha Shrestha – मरिशा श्रेष्ठ (Age: 9) Bela Rose Reilly – बेला रोज राईली (Age: 9) Zoya Manandhar – जोया मानन्धर (Age: 7) Era Tuladhar – इरा तुलाधर (Age: 7) Aradhya Bajracharya – आराध्य बज्राचार्य (Age: 8) Sarah Bajracharya – सारा बज्राचार्य (Age: 8) Prasana Prajapati – प्रसना प्रजापति (Age: 5) Shreja Shrestha – शृजा श्रेष्ठ (Age: 7) Ava Shrestha – आभा श्रेष्ठ (Age: 5) Prisha Shrestha – प्रिशा श्रेष्ठ (Age: 7) Angela Maharjan – एन्जेला महर्जन (Age: 7) Aarya Musyaju – आर्य मुस्याजु (Age: 7) Samaira Verma – समाइरा बर्मा (Age: 10) Epsah Malla – एप्सा मल्ल (Age: 8) NPPA has arranged the following materials/logistics: Complete Pooja material – पूजा ज्वलं: Rental of jewelry (Shirbindi and Tikha Ma) – शिर बिन्दी व तिखा मा: Moo Dakchhina for Priest – मू दक्षिना IHI video and photo CD Venue rental NPPA will finalize food order for by Saturday, April 23, 2022. As mentioned above, the IHI contribution covers five family members. From management point of view, we need approximate head count in order to provide ample food. Each IHI participant Kanya MUST have the following essential materials on the ceremony day (one set for each IHI Kanya): Pooja Bhu -पुज्भ: (Pooja material will be provided, however, bring some coins and dollar bills) Sukunda -सुकुन्दा Karuwa -करुवा Sinha Mhoo & Jwala Nhayka -सिन्ह म्हू व ज्वाला न्हाय् कं Argha -अर्घ Gã – गँ: Gift for your daughter(s) -बाह्रा छुईकेगु [clothes] Gift for fellow IHI participant Kanyas -बाह्रा छुईकेगु [e.g. toys or books or dolls or money] Gift for Kumar and Kumari [e.g. toys or books or dolls or money] Gift for Nini (Aunt) -निनीयातउपहार Dress Code: IHI is one of our auspicious ritual ceremonies, thus, NPPA advises the following dress code: IHI Kanya: Ceremonial red Sari (please bring a pair of change of clothes to wear after the ceremony) Father: Coat and Daura Suruwal, if you have or can arrange one. If not, formal attire. Please make sure to bring Nepali Topi Mother: Ceremonial red Sari and Khasto (you may want to bring a pair of change of clothes to wear after the ceremony) Please feel free to contact us if you have any last minute questions/concerns. We look forward to seeing all of you in person at Hare Krishna Temple on Saturday, May 7th and have a wonderful time celebrating our unique culture. We wish you a safe trip to those who are traveling to DC metro area from other states. Subhay, NPPA Executive Committee नेपा: पासा पुच: अमेरिकाय् Nepa Pasa Pucha Amerikaye (NPPA), established in 1991, is a Newah organization based in the metropolitan Washington, DC.  The Nepa Pasa Pucha Corporation is a registered legal name of NPPA which is a nonprofit tax-exempt organization under the IRC Section 501(c)(3). Its primary mission is to preserve and promote of Newah cultural heritage, traditions, and customs in the United States.

4th NPPA Youth Mobilization & Networking Event Panels Helen Ghimire, Real Estate | Ghimire Homes Helen Ghimire has over 20 years of combined experience in the healthcare, finance and the real estate industry. She has previously worked  in healthcare finance managing the multi-year and multi-million dollar budgets for different departments of the hospital. She also performed different financial evaluations of new programs for the development of new financial projects for the organization’s strategic plan.She has also worked as an IT analyst in a healthcare organization helping their multi hospital transition to the new electronic healthcare records. She currently serves as the Operations Manager of Ghimire Homes. One of the top real estate companies in Baltimore County. Helen holds an undergraduate degree in Nursing and Information System and a graduate degree in Management. Sarita Malakar, Director, Corporate Counsel at American Water   She also has an inactive Certified Public Accountant license and was a tax accountant with Big Four Accounting firms prior to her legal education. Sarita lives with her husband and daughter in Moorestown, NJ. Sarita Malakar is a Director, Corporate Counsel at American Waterwhere she focuses on Securities, Corporate Governance and M&Amatters. Prior to this role, Sarita was an Associate at Mintz Levin in Boston,where she primarily advised public companies in connection with theirsecondary offerings, their SEC reporting requirements and theirgeneral corporate governance matters. Sarita also gained international experience working at white shoe lawfirms, White & Case and Clifford Chance on complex capital marketstransactions in Singapore. Sarita started as an associate in Arnold and Porter’s mergers and acquisition group, primarily assisting private equity firms in an array of investments and sales transactions. She received her Juris Doctorate (JD) from The George Washington University Law School and Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Maryland, College Park. Sita Shrestha, Medical Laboratory Scientist, National Institutes of Health Sita is leading the clinical laboratory section of the NRNA Academy’s Blood Transfusion Service project that works on betterment of Blood banks in Nepal. Sita Shrestha completed Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratoryfrom Manipal University in India. She then joined Ciwec Clinic andTravel medicine center in Kathmandu as a Medical Technologist until2008, when she moved to the UK. She completed Masters inBiomedical Science from London Metropolitan University, London andworked in Hammersmith Hospital, London and then in CambridgeUniversity NHS Trust, Cambridge as Medical Technologist in BloodBank until 2015. She then moved to the US in 2015 and has beenworking as a Medical Laboratory Scientist at Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda. Sita is a licensed medical laboratory scientist with professional registration in American Society of Clinical Pathologist and American Medical Technologist in the USA, with specialization in Blood Bank. She is also registered in Health and Care Professional Council in the UK.  Honorable Harry Bhandari, Member of House of Delegates, Maryland   In 2016 presidential election, he founded an organization Nepali for Hillary and actively mobilized the volunteers in more than dozen states in the U.S. Currently, he is pursuing his Ph.D. at Language, Literary, and Culture at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He believes that the full potential of our country lies in diversity. He and his wife have two children and reside in Baltimore County. Harry Bhandari has lived the American Dream. Born in ruralNepal, his first job was as an English teacher, school textbookauthor, principal and lecturer in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu.Twelve years ago, he was invited to present a scholarly paper atGeorge Mason University, Fairfax Virginia; his American journeystarted upon receiving his U.S. Citizenship. He attended JohnsHopkins University to continue his higher education and nowteaches in the Baltimore City schools as well as served as adjunctfaculty at Baltimore City Community College. Harry also served asnational secretary of Young Democrats of America (YDA) Minority Caucus and board of directorin district six democratic and civic association club. He also volunteered as president of LinoverCommunity Association. He was appointed by Councilwoman Cathy Bevins to serve as amember of the Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee (PBAC), and is aadvocate for more bike lanes across the Baltimore. Harry is the recipient of 2017 BaltimoreCounty Asian American Award.  Dr. Deepak Shrestha, Engineer/Entrepreneur Deepak Shrestha is the CEO/Owner of NMS Holding Inc. whichowns and manages 10 national brand restaurants like IHOP, DairyQueen, Sarku Japan Teriyaki & Sushi Express and PJ’s Coffee inWashington DC and Baltimore market creating direct employment formore than 400 local people. He is also the CEO of UniversolutionsLLC, an IT and Engineering Consulting company. Deepak has also held various positions in the past in the field ofEngineering and Information Technology. He has many publicationsin Computer Hardware & Software, Data, Transportation, and other Management. He has a Ph.D in Engineering from University in Maryland, College Park and Masters in Engineering from University of Tokyo, Japan. Subarna Malakar, Director and Global Diversity & Inclusion Officer   Subarna holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Temple University, Fox School of Business and a Bachelors Degree from the University of Maryland from USA. Subarna is a member of Board of Directors for National Association of Asian American Professionals – Philadelphia. Subarna was born in Nepal, grew up in the U.S., and currently lives with his wife and daughter in Moorestown, New Jersey. Subarna Malakar is the Director and Global Diversity and InclusionOfficer for FMC. In this role, he is responsible for implementing Global D&I strategies and programs that are effective, sustainable and achievable. In 2017, he was named 2017 DiversityMBA Top 100 under 50 Executive. Prior to this role, Subarna held various roles in different global companies. He was a Vice President and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Ahold Delhaize where he established global Diversity & Inclusion Strategy, Ambition and Actions to support D&I. He was with Unilever, based in Singapore and London where he led the global external diversity relations, global diversity and inclusion communications, global diversity learning and flexibility programs. He was also a Workforce Diversity Director for Sodexo in North America, where he helped leaders develop and implement

Mrs. Sarana Shrestha

Executive Member I believe life is simple and very beautiful. Life is happiness and happiness is what you ARE not what you have. Let’s bring the positive vibes to the community and be there for each other. Mrs. Sarana Shrestha is a daughter of well-known Nepali veteran actor Mr. Madan Krishna Shrestha. She has recently taken an initiative with NPPA inaugurating her father’s autobiography “Mahako Ma” in the US. Mrs. Shrestha herself is a singer and has sang many songs in Nepali movies.  She has been involved with the Nepali community in several ways. She has volunteered in the community by performing in Nepali cultural shows, and participated working as a Master of Ceremony, and raising funds for family in needs. Mrs. Shrestha has completed her MBA in dual concentration in Corporate Finance and International Business from University of Texas Dallas. She worked as a Financial Consultant in WorldBank, Washington DC for 8 years. She is currently working as a Financial Planning and Analysis Analyst in a senior professional level in Health and Infrastructure Group at Leidos in Reston for a 1 and half years. She lives in South Riding, Virginia with her husband Dhiraj Shrestha and son Nirvik Shrestha.