Teens today might have a mixed reputation, but there’s no denying their influence. They command millions of fans on Twitter and Vine,start companies with funds they raised on Kickstarter, steal sceneson TV’s most popular shows, lead protests with global ramifications, and even—as of Friday—win Nobel Peace Prizes. But which ones rise above the rest? We analyzed social-media followings, cultural accolades, business acumen and more to determine this year’s list (ordered from youngest to oldest)

• It’s not every day that a black female athlete appears on the cover of Sports Illustrated—let alone one who’s 13. So Mo’ne Davis made quite a splash in August when she landed that spot (cover line: “Remember Her Name”) after pitching a shutout game in the Little League World Series. Her team, Philadelphia’s Taney Dragons, was eventually knocked out of the tournament, but not before Davis got accolades from Michelle Obama, Kevin Durant and Ellen DeGeneres, among others. Many hope she will be a role model for girls in sports, especially those that are typically male-dominated. —Sarah Begle

• Sasha Obama, 13, and Malia Obama, 16

  A lot of dads get squeamish about their daughter’s first prom, but only Malia Obama’s date status could be called “classified information,” as the President joked on Live! with Kelly and Michael last spring. Nonetheless, she has emerged as a figure of national interest: her appearance at Chicago’s Lollapalooza Music Festival caused almost as much of a stiras the musicians themselves, and her name has spiked in popularity after her father’s election. (It’s predicted to peak again in 2018.) Sasha, meanwhile, has become an icon in her own right: after being photographed in a unicorn sweatshirt, the style sold out at ASOS in a matter of days. —S.B.

• Kiernan Shipka, 14

  Mad Men fans first met Sally Draper, eldest daughter of Don and Betty Draper, when she was just five years old. Since then, she’s transformed into a central, scene-stealing character that may well launch Shipka into superstardom. AsMad Men‘s final season looms, the actress has broadened her resume—landing a starring role in the Lifetime movieFlowers in the Attic—and consistently wowed on red carpets and magazine covers.—Samantha Grossma

• Jazz Jennings, 14

  In a landmark year for transgender visibility in the media, Jennings stands out for how much she’s already accomplished. She’s been interviewed by Barbara Walters, met Bill Clinton and become the youngest person ever featured on the Out 100and The Advocate‘s 40 Under 40 lists. She even co-wrote a children’s book, I Am Jazz, loosely based on her life (she started living as a girl at age 5), that aims to help other kids understand what transgendermeans. “I have a girl brain but a boy body,” Jazz says in the book. “This is called transgender. I was born this way!” —Nolan Feeney

  • Flynn McGarry, 15

    At an age when many of his peers are still picking around the green stuff on their plates, McGarry has emerged as a chef du jour in the culinary industry. After helping to build a high-tech kitchen in his bedroom (modeled on Grant Achatz’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant Alinea), he started his own supper club, Eureka. It serves tasting menus—at $160 per person—at his mother’s home in Studio City, Calif. Since then, he has appeared on the cover of the New York Times Magazine,cooked on the Today show, and apprenticed at 11 Madison Park. His ultimate goal? To have, as he puts it, “the best restaurant in the world.” —S.B.
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    Erik Finman, 15

    The rural Idaho native is the founder of Botangle.com, which offers tutoring over video chat services for teens who, like him, wanted more than the limited education opportunities within physical reach. To fund the site, Finman two years ago invested a $1,000 gift in Bitcoin, then an unlikely digital currency; soon it spiked in value, and he had $100,000. It’s no wonder, then, that Finman says he struck a deal with his parents: if he makes $1 million before he turns 18, he won’t have to attend college. —Jack Linshi
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    Nash Grier, 16

    The self-described “King of Vine”—the social media platform that loops 6-second videos—has more than 9.6 million followers and over 1.1 billion loops of his comedic videos, more than any other user. His meteoric rise to fame hasn’t been without scandal: Grier was slammed for using a homophobic slur on one of his since-deleted Vines. But he’s nonetheless parlayed his massive audience into endorsement deals, netting thousands to plug products such as Aquafina FlavorSplash.—J.L.
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    Rico Rodriguez, 16

    As scene-stealing Manny on ABC’s smash-hit Modern Family, Rodriguez isn’t just one of the most visible child actors on TV (the show’s sixth season premiere averaged more than 11 million viewers)—he’s also one of the richest. According to reports, he’ll earn a whopping $115,000 per episode if the show continues through season eight. —S.G.

    • Ciara Judge, 16, Émer Hickey, 17, and Sophie Healy-Thow, 17

      The trio from County Cork, Ireland took home the grand prize at the Google Science Fair after wowing the judges with their discovery: Diazotroph, a bacteria that sucks nitrogen from the atmosphere into soil, speeding up the germination of cereal crops like barley and oats and—more importantly—increasing their yield. This advance could play a crucial role in solving the global food crisis, and Judge, Hickey and Healy-Thow are alreadyplanning to commercialize it.—S.B.

    • Shawn Mendes, 16

      After amassing millions of Vine followers by performing six-second micro-covers of hit songs, Mendes caught the attention of Island Records and scored a record deal. His first single, “Life of the Party,” was an instant smash, making Mendes the youngest-ever artist to debuted in the top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. And the follow-up EP, titled—what else?—The Shawn Mendes EP, reached the No. 1 spot on iTunes earlier this year, a mere 37 minutes after its midnight release. —N.F.

    • Jaden Smith, 16

      Smith rose to fame as the son of Will Smith, occasionally popping up in movies. But his real legacy may well be his Twitter musings, which are equal parts absurdist (“Anything You See In Any Magazine Ever Is Fake.”) and insightful (“Once You Witness A Cycle Enough Times You Step Out Of It.”), earning him more than 5 million followers and labels like, “Confucius for the Internet age.” One of Smith’s recent posts sums him up pretty well: “Hate Me Love Me Doesn’t Matter I’m Still Occupying Time Inside Of Your Psyche.” —S.G.

    • Becky G, 17

      Mega-producer Dr. Luke (who’s worked with Britney Spears, Kesha and Katy Perry) signed Becky G to his label in 2011 after watching her YouTube covers. The investment paid off: Rebecca Marie Gomez, who began performing at age 9 to help out her cash-strapped parents, saw her irresistible ode to young love, “Shower,” chart in more than a dozen countries and become a top 20 hit in the U.S. this summer. When she’s not writing her own music, she represents Covergirl as one of its youngest-ever Latina spokeswomen and helps craft tunes for other pop acts, like Cher Lloyd and fellow teen Cody Simpson. It’s fitting that one of her first music videos was a Jennifer Lopez cover (retitled “Becky From the Block“); she’s well-positioned to follow in her footsteps. —N.F.

    • Salma Kakar, 17

      Kakar is the lead rider on the co-ed Afghan National Cycling Team, which has drawn global praise for promoting female empowerment in a country where it has been rare to see women driving, let alone competing in a sport. Her dream is to wave the flag of Afghanistan at the Olympics one day, and to show the world how far Afghan women have come. —J.L.

    • Lorde, 17

      The New Zealander, born Ella Yelich-O’Connor, started 2014 off strong by nabbing two Grammy Awards for her inescapable smash-hit “Royals.” Since then, the singer-songwriter has become a force in music and pop culture: her debut album, Pure Heroine, went platinum; she won an MTV Video Music Award; and she signed on to curate the Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1soundtrack, out Nov. 21. She has also established herself as a role model who promotes healthy body image. In March, she shared two photos of herself, one Photoshopped and one unedited, to remind her more than 1.3 million Twitter followers (at the time) that “flaws are ok.” —S.G.

    • Lydia Ko, 17

      After going pro last year, Ko now ranks third among women golfers worldwide, sparking interest in the sport “not just in her native South Korea and adopted homeland of New Zealand but also among juniors across the globe,” as golf legend Annika Sorenstamwrote in this year’s Time 100. Thanks to her many tournament wins andendorsement deal with Callaway, she’s also theyoungest millionaire in LGPA history. “That’s big money,” she said in April. “But when I’m out there I’m thinking about making birdies and hitting good shots and making putts rather than, ‘OK, this putt is going to give me an extra thousand.’” —S.G.

    • Chloë Grace Moretz, 17

      The Atlanta native has already built an impressive resume with roles in films like (500) Days of Summer, Kick-Ass, Hugo and Carrie, and this year was no exception. She was the lead in this summer’s If I Stay,based on the best-selling novel of the same name, which netted $47.6 million at the box office (despite a considerably low budget) and also starred opposite Denzel Washington in hit thriller The Equalizer. Next up: roles in Dark Places, the film adaptation of Gone Girlauthor Gillian Flynn’s gripping crime novel, and the sci-fi thriller The Fifth Wave. —S.G.

      • Kylie Jenner, 17, and Kendall Jenner, 18

        Together, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians co-stars hosted red-carpet events, released clothing and nail polish lines and evenpublished a dystopian young-adult novel this past summer (though yes, they had some help). But they’ve had solo success too—Kendall with modeling (she’s walked the runway for designers like Marc Jacobs) and Kylie with pseudo-entrepreneurship (she’s launching a line of hair extensions and hopes to get into acting). Next up: a multimillion-dollar mobile game? —N.F.

      • Malala Yousafzai, 17

        Two years and one day after Taliban gunmen shot her in the head while she was riding to school, the Pakistani youth activist became the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. The accolade caps an impressive—albeit early—career for Yousafzai, who has used her organization, theMalala Fund, as a platform to promote girls’ education, help Syrian refugee children anddemand the return of the Nigerian girls kidnapped by Boko Haram, among other things. In April, she received an honorary doctorate in civil law from the University of King’s College in Canada. “Malala is a testament that women everywhere will not be intimidated into silence,” Gabrielle Giffords wrote of Yousafzai in this year’s Time100. “We will speak, no matter how hard it is to do so.” —S.G.

      • Rachel Fox, 18

        Known to Desperate Housewives fans as Kayla Scavo, the teen actress somehow found enough time between TV and movie shoots to train herself in the art of day trading: she says her investments earn her a 64 percent annual return. Now she’s trying to pay it forward. In addition to running the blog Fox on Stocks, which offers financial literacy tips for teens, Fox has created the MyGenLoves index, which tracks 20 companies that are currently hot in the youth market (such as Chipotle and Urban Outfitters). —S.B.

      • Bethany Mota, 18

        The fashion and beauty blogger has spent five years building her YouTube channel, Macbarbie07, into a bona-fide business—with 7.4 million subscribers, 565 million-plus views, and between $500,000 and $750,000 in annual ad revenue. Now she’s expanding her brand. This year, Mota appeared on Project Runwayas a guest judge and Dancing with the Stars as a celebrity competitor, all while overseeing the clothing line she launched with Aéropostale. She also released her first single, “Need You Right Now.” —S.G.

        • Joshua Wong, 18

          Wong, who recently coveredTime‘s international edition, has become the face of the Hong Kong protests, a civil disobedience movement demanding that China stages unfettered elections for Hong Kong’s top political position. To some, he’s a symbol of hope—a youth rallying his peers to fight for a cause they believe in. In mainland China, however, many argue Wong is an extremist and an emblem against China’s storied national order. —J.L.

        • Austin Mahone, 18

          Mahone’s social media following is modest compared to that of Justin Bieber—the pop star to whom he’s most often compared—but it’s still powerful: Mahone’s 7 million Twitter followers helped him became the first artist to hit No. 1 on Billboard‘s new Trending 140, a live-updated chart that tracks what songs have people buzzing online. It helps, of course, that he’s got a pretty sizable resume: in addition to touring with Taylor Swift and signing with Chase Records/Cash Money, Mahone released his first U.S. EP, The Secret, in May; it debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. —N.F.

          Correction appended: Oct. 14, 2014, 5:18 p.m. E.T. An earlier version of this article misstated Mahone’s record label.

        • Tavi Gevinson, 18

          Gevinson may bristle at being called the “voice of a generation,” but the label does fit: Rookie, her online magazine for teenage girls, getsroughly 3.5 million hits a month—thanks in part to her mix of personal essays (see:her poignant editor’s letterabout graduating high school and mourning “forever”) and insightful pop culture coverage (see: her chat about feminism with Lorde, the Seth Rogan contribution to Rookie‘s “Ask a Grown Man” video advice column). Next up: the recent high school grad, currently starring in the Broadway playThis Is Our Youth, plans to head to college after a gap year. —N.F.

        • Megan Grassell, 19

          After taking her 13-year-old sister shopping for bras, Grassell was perturbed by how sexualized most of the available choices were for young girls; everything seemed to have padding and underwires. So she started her own company, Yellowberry, to offer an alternative: comfortable, colorful training bras with names like Junebug and Sugar Cookie. She initially raised $42,000 through Kickstarter—well above the $25,000 goal she set for herself—and now runs a full-fledged online retailer. —S.B.

          • Troye Sivan, 19

            The South African-Australian may have initially broken through as an actor—he snagged a role in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine after a Hollywood producer found him on YouTube—but he’s found major success this year as a musician. Thanks in large part to the support from his 2.8 million YouTube subscribers, Sivan’s latest EP,TRXYE, which he recorded in secret, topped iTunes sales charts in more than 50 countries following its August release. —N.F.

            @TIME

जीवनलाई भाग्यको खेल मान्ने या कर्मको प्रतिक, यो आम मानिसहरुको अन्तरमनमा दगुर्ने प्रश्न हो तर जीवनलाई भाग्यको खेल भन्दा पर राखेर असल कर्म मार्फत जिन्दगी बदल्ने अभियानमा सरिक हुनेहरुले नै सफलताको मिठो स्वाद चाख्छन् । एउटी अविवाहिता युवती कर्म मार्गमा यसरी नै अविचलित रुपमा लागिरहेकी छिन् ।

कोटेश्वर – काडाँघारी सडकखण्ड अन्तर्गत पुरानो सिनामंगलको सेतो घर नजिकै एउटा विशेष स्कूल छ । पहेँलो कलर पोतीएको स्कूलमा बौद्धिक अपाङ्गता तथा ‘अटिजम’ भएका बावाबालिकाहरुलाई स्याहार्दै गरेकी एक युवती भेटिन्छिन् । समाजशास्त्र तथा मानवशास्त्रमा स्नातकोत्तर गर्दै गरेकी अविवाहीता ती युवती करिव चालिस जना अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकाहरुको स्याहार, सुसारकर्ता भएकी छिन् । फरक–फरक आमाहरुले उनीहरुलाई जन्म दिए पनि कर्म दिने, जिन्दगीको संघर्षपूर्ण यात्रामा जीवनको रंग सजाउँदै बाँच्न सिकाउने आमा भएकी छिन् ।

। सत्ताईस बर्षे भरभराउँदो जवानीमा तथा ‘लाऊँ लाऊँ खाऊँ खाऊँ’कै उमेरमा अति सघन मानसिक अपांगता (अटिजम) भएका बच्चा स्याहारिरहेका उनी आफ्नो पेशाप्रति लगनशिल मात्र होइनन् उत्तिकै सन्तुष्ट पनि छिन् ।  शारिरिक हिसावले अशक्त, मानसिक हिसावले अस्वभाविक, सघन बौद्धिक अपाङ्गता भएका विशेष प्रकृतिका बालबालिकाहरु परिवारको बोझ बन्ने गर्दछन् । तर, समाजमा हेपिएका तथा परिवारको बोझ ठानेका बालबालिकाहरुलाई नयाँ जीवन दिन पाएकोमा उनी सन्तुष्ट छिन् ।  उनीहरुलाई उचित किसिमको हेरचाह गर्ने, स्वास्थ्य, शिक्षामा विशेष ध्यान पुर्याउने हो भने उनीहरुको जीवन बदल्न सकिन्छ भन्नेमा पनि उनी दृढ संकल्पित छिन् ।   

अप्ठ्यारा प्रकृतिका बालबालिका स्याहार्न परेकोमा उनको अनुहारमा किञ्चित झन्झट र दुःख तथा निराशाका रेखा भेटिँदैनन् बरु फुरुङ छिन् । हँसिली देखिन्छिन् । समाजमा हेयभावले हेरिएका, परिवारको उपेक्षाको पात्र बनेका, खोटो भाग्य बोकेर जन्मेका अभागी कर्म भएका भनिएका र पारिवारिक माया ममता समेतबाट अलग्गिएर कष्टकर तथा दुःखदायी जीवन व्यतित गरिरहेका निर्दोष र निष्कपट बालबालिका सम्हाल्न र तिनको असली अभिभावकत्व निभाउन पाएकोमा उनले आफैँलाई भाग्यमानी ठानेकी छिन् ।

पाँच बर्ष अगाडी राष्ट्रिय अपाङ्ग कोषको जागिर खाँदै पढाईलाई निरन्तरता दिँदै गर्दा जीवनका लक्ष्य अनेकन थिए । अचानक एकदिन फोहोरको डङ्गुरमा अर्काले मिल्काएको पुस्तक नियाल्दै अक्षर चिन्ने कोशिस गरिरहेको एक अवोध बालकलाई देखेर उनी अचम्मित मात्र भईनन् जीवनलाई तीनै बौद्धिक अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकालाई ‘केही गर्ने’ र योगदान दिने सोच बनाएर जीवनको बाटो नै बदलिन् ।  उनले यस्तो कष्टकर पेशामा किन हात हालिन् र बौद्धिक अपाङ्गताको क्षेत्रमा नै केही गर्ने सोच राखिन् त भन्ने प्रश्नमा ‘समाजमा हामीले हाम्रो भूमिका खोज्ने होईन देखाउने हो, शारिरिक अपाङ्गता भएकाहरुले त जीवनमा धेरै गर्न सक्छन् भने हामी सवलाङ्गहरुले किन सक्दैनौँ ?’ भन्छिन् । उनी अझै थप्छिन् ‘हरेक चुनौतीसँग मुकाविला गर्दै अगाडि बढ्न सिक्नुपर्दो रहेछ । मानिस जन्मँदा सबै उस्तै प्रकृतिले जन्मने हो, भगवानले सबैलाई सबै चिज बरावर दिएकै छन्  तर आफुसँग भएको क्षमतालाई फरक–फरक तरिकाले उपयोग गर्नु पर्दछ, मलाई यो क्षेत्रमा लाग्न पाएकोमा गर्व अनुभुती हुन्छ ।’

आफुलाई राम्रो र उत्कृष्ट देखाउन र समाजमा अव्वल सावित हुन प्रशस्त रुपैयाँ पैसा र धन सम्पत्ति कमाउने होडबाजी चलेको र  पैसा कमाउनका लागि जे जस्तो गर्न पनि पछि नपर्ने आजको समाजमा पाएको जागीर गुमाएर समाजसेवामा होमिने विरलै मानिस भेटिएलान् तर उनी पारिवारबाट समेत उपयुक्त माया नपाएका आफ्नै घरमा साङ्लोमा बाँधिएर कैदी जस्तो अमानवीय र कष्टकर जीवन व्यतित गरिरहेका बालबालिकाहरुलाई जीवनको रङ्ग देखाँउदै बाँच्ने ढङ्ग सिकाउँने र सङ्घर्षको पाईला चाल्न ‘ताते’ गराउँछिन् । तिनको जीवनको सहारा बनेकी छिन् ।

मनकारी हातहरुले दिएको ‘मुठ्ठि चामल’ सरहको सहयोग जम्मा गरेर ‘शित उभाउँदै घैला भर्दै’ तथा कहिल्ये सहकारीबाट समेत ऋण काढेर विशेष बालबालिकाको स्याहारमा रातोदिन मरिमेट्दैछिन् उनी । दुई बर्ष अघि डि.भि भिसा मार्फत अमेरिका जान पाएको अवसर लत्याएर र सुन्दर भविष्य निर्माण गर्ने अमेरिकी भिसा चिट्ठालाई दराजमा थन्क्याएर तिनै बालबालिकाको अनुहारमा आफ्नो समृद्ध भविष्य नियाल्दै आफ्नो उद्देश्यमा दृढ निश्चयी सविता सबैका लागि उदाहरणीय पात्र बन्दैछिन्  ।

आँखामा अथाह सपना सजाउँदै पढेर समाजका सामुन्ने ‘ठूलो मान्छे’ बन्ने अठोट बोकेर चौध बर्ष अघि दोलखाको नाम्दुबाट राजधानी भित्रँदै गर्दा उनीसँग सपनाका चाङ् थिए । संघर्षका दौरानमा उनले धेरै क्षेत्रमा सफलता हात पारिन् पनि । जीवनमा कहिल्यै पछाडी फर्केर हेर्नु परेन  । सदैव अगाडि बढि नै रहिन् । केही बर्ष नीजि स्कूलमा अध्यापन गरिन् । राष्ट्रिय अपाङ्ग कोषमा अधिकृत सरहको जागीर पनि खाईन् । जीवनमा सम्भावनाकाबाटाहरु छरपष्ट भेटिए तर उनले लक्ष्य जसलाई बनाईन र पूर्तिका लागि जोखिम उठाइन् त्यसले नै जीवनमा सवैभन्दा बढि आत्म सन्तुष्टी  मिल्यो । “मरेर केही पनि लैजान नमिल्ने भन्दै” उदार तर्क राख्दै  “आफुका लागि त जो पनि बाँचेकै छ नी समाजका लागि केही गर्नुपर्छ” भन्दै युवाहरुलाई अनुकरणीय व्यक्तित्व बन्न सुझाउँछिन् ।

उप्रेती परिवारकी माईली छोरी, हुर्केबढेकी तथा पढेकी पनि ।  विहावारी गरेर आफ्नो घरसम्हाल्नुपर्ने समयमा बौद्धिक अपांगता भएका सघन प्रकृतिका बच्चा सम्हाल्ने तथा उनीहरुको जीवनलाई सहज बनाएर आफ्नो व्यक्तिगत जीवनप्रती उदासिन देखिएकीमा उनका आमावावु पनि दुःखी छैनन् । उल्टै आमा विहान देखि वेलुका सम्म सँगै बसेर सघाउँछिन् । आमाछोरी साथीसंगी जस्तै देखिन्छन् । दुवै जुटेका छन् बालबालिका स्याहार्न । दाजुभाइले पनि साथ दिएका छन् । बावाले पनि वेलावखत सरसहयोग जुटाईदिरहन्छन् । दह्रीलो पारिवारीक साथ पाएकी छिन् उनले ।

केही समय अगाडि मात्रै उनको केन्द्रमा एक जना अटिजम भएको बालक भर्ना भएको छ । ती बच्चालाई उनकी आमाले मरोस् भनेर पटक पटक भीरबाट गुल्टाउने प्रयत्न गरिछिन् । उनका काका पर्नेेले उद्धार गरेर केन्द्रमा ल्याईपुर्याए छन् । आफ्नै आमाले मार्न खोज्ने त्यस्ता बालाबालिकाको वास्तविक संरक्षणकर्ता को हो त ? त्यस्ता विशेष प्रकृतिका बालबालिका हरुलाई कसले स्याहार्ने ? तिनका पालनकर्ता को हो ? कसले हेरिदिन्छ तिनीहरुलाई ? अपाङ्गता हुनु अपराध वा पुर्वजन्मको फल नै हो त ? उनी प्रश्न गर्छिन् र उनीहरुलाई नयाँ जीवन दिन सकेको र संसार चिनाउन पाएकोमा सन्तोषको लामो श्वास फेर्छिन् । उनको गुनासो छ, अपाङ्गता भएका विशेष प्रकृतिका बालबालिकाहरुलाई परिवारले समेत उपेक्षा गरेको मा र  राज्यले पनि त्यस्ता प्रकृतिका बालबालिकाहरुलाई केही नगरेकोमा, अपाङ्गता भएर असहज जीवन बाँच्न विवश विशेष बालबालिकाहरुलाई पढाउने पाठ्यक्रम समेत नभएकोमा उनी निराश छिन् । अझै दर्दनाक र पीडादायी जीवन बाँचिरहेका छन् बौद्धिक अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकाहरुले ।

उनले अटिजम भएका विशेष  बालबालिकाहरुलाई आवश्यक पर्ने साईकोथेरापी लगायत अन्य उपचार र स्याहार तथा आवश्यक शिक्षाका लागि भारतबाट विशेष तालिम पनि लिएकी छिन् । उनको केन्द्रमा अटिजम तथा बौद्धिक अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकाहरुलाई विशेष स्याहारको व्यवस्था छ ।  त्यहाँ आउने बालबालिकाहरुलाई विशेष उपचार मार्फत उनीहरुको जीवन सहज मात्र भएको छैन, पुर्नजन्म नै पाएका छन् ।  केन्द्रमा ठूला घरानीयाका देखि आधारभुत तहका एवम् अनाथहरु समेत छन् ती सवैको जीवनलाई सहज बनाउन उनी अहोरात्र प्रयत्नशील छिन् । उनले  इज्रायलको जेरुसेलममा सम्पन्न भएको विशेष शिक्षा सम्बन्धि पच्चिस दिने सेमीनार गोष्ठीमा नेपालको तर्फबाट सहभागी हुने मौका पाईन् । एसिया र अफ्रिकाका विभिन्न मुलुकका विशेष बालबालिकाहरुसँग काम गरेका प्रतिनिधिहरुसँग घुलमिल हुने र ती देशका विशेष बालबालिकाहरुको वस्तुगत अवस्था, गतिविधि र अनुभवहरुसँग साक्षात्कार हुने अवसर पनि मिल्यो तर अन्यत्र देशको तुलनामा नेपालको बौद्धिक अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकाहरुलाई राज्यले गर्नुपर्ने उत्तरदायित्व बहन नगरेको प्रति उनको मन कुँडियो  । उक्त सम्मेलनमा सहभागी हुन राज्यले अनुमती प्रदान गर्ने बाहेक अन्य केही सहयोग नगरेकोमा उनले दुखेसो पोखिन् । तर, पनि आफूले केही पाउन भन्दा गुमाउन नै यो क्षेत्रमा लागेको र देश÷विदेशका सहयोगी हातहरुले सहयोगको हात फैलाईदिएकोमा उनी सन्तुष्ट छिन् ।

उनको संस्था नेपालको एक मात्र अटिजम उपचार केन्द्र पनि हो । यस केन्द्रले बौद्धिक अपांगता भएर अमानवीय जीवनयापन गरिरहेका एवम् परिवारको हेय पात्रको रुपमा रहेका बालबालिकाहरुलाई नवजीवन प्रदान गर्दछ । विभिन्न उपचार पद्धती (थेरापीहरु) मार्फत उनीहरुको जीवन थप सहज बन्न सक्दछ । बौद्धिक अपाङ्गता भएका बालबालिकाहरुले अन्य नागरिक सरह बाँच्न पाउने अवस्थाको प्रत्याभुत गराईदिएकोमा र उनीहरुको जीवनलाई सहज बनाईदिएको सविता उप्रेतीको योगदान प्रशंसनीय मात्र छैन उहादरणीय पनि छ । स्यावास् सविता !

प्रस्तुती:  रामनाथ खनाल

@Nepalpati

• लक्ष्मीप्रसाद देवकोटाको जीवनको अर्को हिस्सा

समय :    २००० साल

स्थान :    त्रिचन्द्र कलेजको घन्टाघरस्थित पूर्व-पश्चिम फर्किएको नेपाल भाषानुवाद परिषद्को कार्यालय।

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जहाँ महाकवि लक्ष्मीप्रसाद देवकोटाको लेखन सहयोगीका रूपमा मासिक १५ रुपियाँ तलब थाप्थे, श्यामदास वैष्णव। एक दिन कार्यालयमै हल्लीखल्ली भएछ, परिषद्का अध्यक्ष पुष्करशमशेर राणा र देवकोटाबीच केही कुरालाई लिएर  मतभेद भयो र देवकोटा जागिर छाडेर गए ! यसले श्यामदासलाई ठूलो तनाव भयो। नहोस् पनि किन ! वास्तवमा उनी देवकोटाकै सिफारसिमा जागिर खान त्यहाँ पुगेका थिए। त्यसैले उनलाई यो हल्ला स्वादिलो लाग्ने कुरै भएन !  उनी कुरा बुझ्न तुरुन्तै देवकोटाको डिल्लीबजारस्थित घरमा हान्निए। आखिर भएको रहेछ के ?

७१ वर्षअगाडिको त्यो घटना श्यामदासको दिमागमा अहिले पनि आलै छ। खासमा उनीहरूबीच शाकुन्तल महाकाव्यको छन्दलाई लिएर मतभेद भएको रहेछ।

त्यति बेला शाकुन्तलको उठान थियो:

तिमी त नास्तिक बनिसकेछौ

खुलस्त आत्मा नबन्न सक्छौ।

पुष्करको भनाइ थियो, पण्डितहरूसँग कुरा भएर लेख्न बसेको हुनाले वाणिर्क छन्दमै त्यो लेखिनुपथ्र्यो। तर, देवकोटाले वाणिर्क र मात्रिक छन्दलाई मिलाएर तीन महिनाभित्रै शाकुन्तलजस्तो उत्कृष्ट महाकाव्यको रचना गरसिकेका रहेछन्।  पुष्करको अडानप्रति देवकोटाले तत्काल कुनै प्रतिक्रिया जनाएनन्। तर, उनले त्यो महाकाव्य पुष्करका भाइ बालकृष्ण समलाई पनि देखाए। देवकोटाको पहिल्यैदेखिको बानी थियो, आफूले लेखेको साहित्य सबैलाई देखाउने। तर, यति बेला  समलाई त्यो महाकाव्य देखाउनु उनका लागि तीतो अनुभव बन्यो। समले दाजुकै अगाडि देवकोटाको तारपिm गर्दै भनेछन्, ‘बडो राम्रो छ।’

पुष्करले सोचेछन्, आफू केही नबोल्ने। भाइलाई भनेर आफ्नो तेजोबध गराउने। उनले देवकोटालाई त्यहीँ हपारेछन्, ‘बाजे ! मैले हुन्न भन्दाभन्दै भाइका अगाडि मेरो मानमर्दन गर्न खोज्ने ?’ देवकोटा यस्ता कुरामा हतपती प्रतिक्रिया  जनाउँदैनथे। तर, उनलाई पुष्करले उच्चारण गरेको ‘बाजे’ शब्द पि्रय लागेनछ । जुरुक्क उठेर प्रतिक्रिया दिएछन्, ‘म टपरे बाहुन होइन।’ यति भनेर ठमठम हिँड्न लागेका देवकोटालाई बीचमा रोक्दै पुष्करले सोधेछन्, ‘त्यसो भए तिम्रो  मान्छे के गर्छन् ?’

हालै ९० वर्ष टेकेका श्यामदास त्यो घटना सम्झन्छन्, “पुष्करशमशेरको इसारा मतर्फ थियो। देवकोटालाई त्यो बुझ्न गाह्रो भएन।” भनिदिएछन्, ‘यहीँ बस्छन्।’

विदेशी पाठ्यक्रम नेपाली भाषामा अनुवाद गर्न खुलेको भाषानुवाद परष्िाद्को जागिर छाडेर देवकोटा हिँडेपछि विवादले चर्को रूप लियो। कुरा पुग्यो, शिक्षा विभागका डाइरेक्टर शारदाशमशेरको अफिससम्म। त्यति बेला भाषानुवाद परष्िाद्  शिक्षा विभागकै मातहत थियो। त्यसैले शारदाले विवाद सुल्झाउन दुवै पक्षलाई तुरुन्त डाके। र, यही टुंगो लाग्यो, लेखकले लेखेपछि लेख्यो, लेख्यो। विवाद निकालेर हुँदैन। त्यो लेखकको अधिकारभित्र पर्छ।

१० दिनमै महाकाव्य

शिक्षा विभागको डाइरेक्टरले बोलिसकेपछि अरूले के भन्ने ? त्यसपछि अंग्रेजी भाषाका प्रकाण्ड विद्वान् पुष्करले मिलापत्र गर्ने हिसाबले भने, ‘मैले होच्याउने हिसाबले बाजे भनेको होइन। ब्लड प्रेसरको बिरामी छु। त्यसैको कारण निस् िकयो होला।’ मिलापत्रपछि देवकोटा पुनः जागिरमा फर्किए। तर, देवकोटाको मनमा बाजे शब्द यति गहिरोसँग गाढिएछ कि लगत्तै उनले पुष्करशमशेरसँग अर्को महाकाव्य लेख्न अनुमति मागे। “त्यति बेला पुष्करले एक महिनामा लेख्न  सक्छौ भनेर देवकोटाको महत्त्वाकांक्षा जगाइ दिनुभयो,” श्यामदास भन्छन्। तर, देवकोटाले १० दिनभित्रै सुलोचना महाकाव्य लेखिदिए। र, त्यसका दुई पात्रमध्ये एउटा पुष्करलाई नै बनाए। “पुष्करलाई नै सुलोचनाको एउटा पात्र बनाएर  उहाँले बाजे भनेर होच्याइएको त्यो घटनाको उत्तर दिनुभयो,” श्यामदास भन्छन्।

महाकवि लक्ष्मीप्रसाद देवकोटामा लेखनको विलक्षण प्रतिभा त छँदै थियो तर उनको व्यक्तित्व पनि सामान्य थिएन। वरिष्ठ साहित्यकार मदनमणि दीक्षित यस्तै एउटा घटनाका भुक्तभोगी हुन्। मदनमणिकी दिदी विमलको विवाह देवको टाका भाइ मित्रनाथसँग भएको थियो। उनी ००२ सालमा भारतको बनारसबाट एमए गरेर नेपालमा रहेका आफ्ना ठूलाबडासँग आशीर्वाद थाप्न आउँदा डिल्लीबजारस्थित देवकोटाकै घरमा बसेका थिए। त्यति बेला भिनाजु मित्रनाथले  दाजु लक्ष्मीप्रसादलाई परचिय गराउँदै भनेछन्, ‘दाजु यिनी मेरा साला मदनमणि हुन्। भर्खरै एमए पास गरेर आएका।’ त्यति बेला देवकोटा पासा खेल्न मग्न थिए। मुखमा तम्बाखुको पाइप चपाइरहेका। आफ्नै सुरमा मस्त। झस्किएझैँ एक्कासि सोधेछन्, ‘ए मदन ! एमए पास गरेको ?’ त्यसपछि धूवाँको मुस्लो धुरीमाथि फुक्दै एउटा प्रश्न सोधेछन्, ‘तिमी भेडा बन्न सक्छौ ?’ मदनलाई देवकोटाको त्यो प्रश्न उटपट्याङ लागेछ। “मलाई सुरुमा होच्याएजस्तो  भान भयो। भिनाजुजस्तो मान्छे के बोल्नू ?” मदनमणि सम्झन्छन्, “त्यही पनि उत्तर दिएँ, भेडाको मासु त खाएको छैन।”

काठमाडौँको १० दिने बसाइ सकेपछि मदनमणि बनारस फर्किए। बनारसको ठूला गल्लीमा त्यति बेला स्थानीय कुस्तीबाजहरू आफ्नो बल प्रदर्शन गर्न हातमा पिर्का बोक्थे र भेडाको सिङलाई घचेटेर पछाडिसम्म पुर्‍याउँथे। त्यो भेडा  दौडिएर फेर िकुस्तीबाजको पिर्कामा ठोकिन नआउँदासम्म यो क्रिया अनवरत चलिरहन्थ्यो। बनारसमा मदनमणि यस्तै एक साँझ टहलिरहेका बेला एउटा भेडा दौडिँदै आएर कुस्तीबाजले बोकेको पिर्कामा बजारयिो। पिर्कामा ठोकिँदा  भेडाको सिङबाट आगोको झिल्को निस्किएको देखेपछि झल्यास्स भएछन्, महाकविले भन्न खोजेको कुरा। “यो पो रहेछ, पढेर के गर्छौ? क्रान्तिकारी बन्न सक्छौ ? कति गहिरो कुरा गर्नुभएको रहेछ। हाम्रो बुद्धिले सोच्न के भ्याउनू?”  आउँदो फागुनमा ९४ वर्ष प्रवेश गर्न लागेका मदनमणि भन्छन्।

विलक्षण प्रतिभा

डिल्लीबजारका नृपेन्द्रसिंह केसी अहिले पनि एउटा घटना सम्झेर चमत्कृत हुन्छन्। केसीका पिताजी सुब्बा वीरेन्द्रसिंह र देवकोटाका ठूला दाजु लेखनाथ मिल्ने साथी थिए। फेर िघर नजिकै। त्यसैले उनको पनि देवकोटाको घरमा  आवतजावत भइरहन्थ्यो। तर, विद्वताका कारण देवकोटासँग बोल्ने आँटचाहिँ आउँदैन्थ्यो। तर, एकदिन डिल्लीबजारस्थित पीपलबोटमा साइकलको पन्चर टाल्न जाने क्रममा जम्काभेट भयो, देवकोटासँग। उनी पनि त्यहाँ पन्चर टाल्न दे वकोटाभन्दा अगाडि पुगेका रहेछन्। तर, देवकोटा आएपछि उनले आफ्नो पालो छोडिदिए। देवकोटाले आफ्नो साइकलको पन्चर टालेको एकटकले हेर्दाहेर्दै दुईवटा चुरोट तानिसिध्याए। उनले नृपेन्द्रलाई प्रश्न गरेछन्, ‘काजीले साइन्स पढेको  होइन ?’ त्यति बेला नृपेन्द्र आईएस्सी पढ्थे। केही हच्किँदै मुन्टो हल्लाएछन्।

त्यत्तिकैमा देवकोटाले अर्को प्रश्न छोपिहाले, ‘तिमीलाई थाहा छ, पृथ्वी एन्टी क्लक घुम्यो भने के हुन्छ ?’ “मैले अहिलेसम्म त्यसको उत्तर भेटेको छुइनँ,” ८० वषर्ीय नृपेन्द्र भन्छन्, “उहाँ टायर बनाएको हेर्दाहेर्दै कति गहिराइमा डुबिसक्नुभएको रहेछ।”

नेपाली कांग्रेसका पुराना नेता रामहरि जोशी पनि महाकविको विलक्षण प्रतिभाको विषयमा राम्रै जानकार छन्। राणा शासनलाई चुनौती दिने उद्देश्यस्वरूप ००३ सालमा नेपाली कांग्रेस देवकोटालाई भारतको बनारस पुर्‍याउन सफल  भयो। यसपछि काठमाडौँमा खैलाबैला मच्चियो। किनभने, काठमाडौँमा राणाजीका प्रायः सबै छोराछोरी अध्ययनका लागि देवकोटाको घर धाउँथे। त्यति बेला काठमाडौँमा एउटा भनाइ निकै प्रचलित थियो, जसले देवकोटासँग पढ्छ, त्यो  फेल हुन सक्दैन। बनारसमा देवकोटाले नेपाली कांग्रेसको मुखपत्र युगवाणीको सम्पादन गरे। त्यो पत्रिका कृष्णप्रसाद भट्टराईका भाइ गोपालप्रसादले निकाल्थे। त्यति बेला जीविकोपार्जनका लागि देवकोटा बनारसबाट प्रकाशित हुने अर्को  साहित्यिक पत्रिका उदयको प्रुफ पनि हेरििदन्थे। “यसबापत पिताजी -काशीप्रसाद श्रेष्ठ)ले उहाँलाई २५ पैसा दिनुहुन्थ्यो,” अहिले पनि बनारसबाट निस्किरहेको उदय पत्रिकाका सम्पादक दुर्गाप्रसाद श्रेष्ठ भन्छन्। ७६ वषर्ीय श्रेष्ठ देवको टालाई ‘भर्सटाइल’ र मुडी भन्न रुचाउँछन्। भन्छन्, “मन लागे बोल्ने, नभए नबोल्ने। कविता फुर्‍यो कि सुनाइहाल्नुपर्ने।”

देवकोटा बनारसमै हुँदा कोलकाता पढ्न बसेका जोशीलगायत नेपाली विद्यार्थीले ००५ सालमा सम्मानका लागि उनलाई बोलाएका थिए। कोलकाताको कलेज स्टि्रटस्थित महाबोधि सोसाइटीको हलमा महाकविलाई अभिनन्दन गर्दा हिन्दी  र बंगालीका साहित्यकारको पनि उपस्थिति थियो। जोशी त्यो घटना अहिले पनि सम्झन्छन्, “उहाँले अंग्रेजी कविता तामाङ सेलो लयमा सुनाएर सबैलाई चकित पार्नुभयो।” देवकोटा एक महिना कोलकाता बसे। यहीँ देवकोटाका विद्यार्थी  देवेन्द्रराज उपाध्यायले महात्मा गान्धीको बरखीमा उनलाई अंग्रेजीमा केही सानेट लेख्न आग्रह गरेका थिए। जुन पछि मुम्बईको ब्लिट्ज साप्ताहिकमा छापियो। कोलकातामै बस्दा देवकोटाले ‘आँसु’ कविता पनि लेखे। त्यो कविता पनि  उपाध्यायकै अनुरोधमा देवकोटाले मुखैले भनेका थिए। कागजमा उतार्ने काम भने जोशीले गरे। पछि पारसमणि प्रधानको सम्पादकत्वमा दार्जीलिङबाट प्रकाशित हुने भारतीमा छापियो। “उहाँलाई खालि विषय मात्र चाहिन्थ्यो। त्यसपछि  धाराप्रवाह आउने। रोकिनै गाह्रो,” जोशी भन्छन्।

देवकोटाको लेखनशैलीको विषयमा सबैभन्दा भुक्तभोगी उनकै परविार हो। “१२ बजे खाना खानु छ भने ९ बजे पका भन्ने। तर, उठ्दै नउठ्ने,” देवकोटाकी ७१ वषर्ीया माइली छोरी अम्बिका रमिाल पुरानो कुरा सम्झन्छिन्, “आमाले कलम  खोस्दे भन्ने। बहिनी मीरा र म जान्थ्यौँ। तर, कहाँ सक्ने ? कति बलियोसँग पक्डिने।”

देवकोटाको अर्को रोचक पक्ष भनेको उनी हार्मोनियममा उत्त्ािकै राग हाल्न सक्थे। “बुबाको स्वर केटीको जस्तो सुरलिो हुन्थ्यो। यसैले हाम्रो घरमा साहित्यकारको मात्र होइन, उस्तादको पनि जमघट रहन्थ्यो। कहिलेकाहीँ नातिकाजी  पनि आएको सम्झन्छु,” अम्बिका भन्छिन्।

देवकोटा जुवाका पनि सोखिन थिए। यस्तै, एकपल्ट छक्का दाउ खेल्दा देवकोटाले खुब पैसा जितेका थिए। तर, त्यहीँ बस्ने अरूले जितौरी मागेछन्। सबैलाई जितौरी दिँदादिँदै घर फकिर्ंदा फेर िखल्ती रत्तिो। “बुबाले जुवा जितेको  घटना पनि आमालाई रमाइलो पाराले सुनाउनुभयो। तर, पैसा माग्दा उत्तर आयो, सबैलाई जिताह दिएँ,” जेठी छोरी सावित्री रेग्मी भन्छिन्। ८७ वषर्ीया सावित्री आफ्ना पितामा बालबच्चाहरूप्रति अगाध स्नेह रहेको सुनाउँछिन्। भन्छिन्,  “उहाँ कुनै पनि बच्चा निन्याउरो अनुहार लगाएर बसेको हेर्न सक्नुहुन्थेन।”

गाईलाई तीन खर्पन काउली

देवकोटा मानिसलाई मात्र होइन, पशुलाई पनि उत्तिकै आदरभावले हेर्थे। एकपल्ट त तीन खर्पन काउली बोकेर घर पुगेछन्। त्यत्रो तरकारी देखेर अत्तालिएकी पत्नी मनदेवीले भनिछिन्, ‘किन यत्रो काउली ल्याएको ?’ अहिले पनि त्यो घटना  सम्झँदा हाँस्ने अम्बिका भन्छिन्, “बुबा उल्टै रसिाउनुभयो, तिमीहरूलाई मात्र मीठो खान मन लाग्छ ? गाईलाई लाग्दैन भनेर।”

देवकोटासँग ००२ सालमा पनि यस्तै घटना दोहोरएिको थियो। त्यति बेला उनी त्रिचन्द्र कलेजमा पढाउँथे। काठमाडौँका प्रायः सबैलाई थाहा हुन्थ्यो, देवकोटाको तलब आउने दिन। त्यसैले उनीसँग उधारो माग्नेदेखि पुरानो हिसाब चुक्ता  गर्नेहरूको लर्को नै लाग्थ्यो, बाटोमा। फेर िदेवकोटा कसैलाई नाइनास्ती गर्न नसक्ने ! यस्तैमा एकपल्ट देवकोटा कलेजबाट तलब थापेर घर र्फकंदै थिए। मैतीदेवीमा एउटा माग्नेले चार आना मागेछ। त्यति बेला बाटोमा पैसा बाँड ्दाबाँड्दै उनको खल्ती रििक्तसकेको पत्तै पाएनन्। यत्तिकैमा उनलाई झल्यास्स याद आएछ, साथीहरूले एक सय रुपियाँको नोट कोटको माथिल्लो खल्तीमा राखिदिएका छन्। वास्तवमा त्यो नोट उनको घरसम्म पुगोस् भन्ने हेतुले  राखिएको थियो। तर, उनले त्यही नोट निकालेर त्यो माग्नेलाई दिन खोजे। उनीसँगै त्यति बेला कलेजकै अर्का साथी पनि थिए। उनले देवकोटाको हात ट्याप्प समाते। र, भने, सबै दिनुभयो भने छोराछोरीले के खान्छन् ?’ तर, देवकोटा  मान्नेवाला कहाँ थिए र ! उत्तर दिएछन्, ‘मेरो परविारलाई भगवान्ले हेर्छ।’ त्यही पनि साथीले माग्नेको आवश्यकता चार आना मात्र भएको बताउँदै देवकोटाको ध्यान अन्यत्र मोड्न खोजे। उनले यसका लागि आफैँले खुद्रा बनाएर ल्याउने  समेत आग्रह गरे। तर, देवकोटाले मानेनन्। उनले आफ्नो उठिसकेको हात नफर्किने बताउँदै माग्नेलाई सय रुपियाँको नोट नै दिए।

“तर, घर फर्किएपछि बुबाले आमालाई भन्नुभयो, बज्यै ! छिमेकीसँग मागेर चलाउँदै गर्नू। म पछि तिरहिाल्छु नि !” अम्बिका सम्भिmन्छिन्।

समालोचक तारानाथ शर्माले ००९ सालमा दार्जीलिङस्थित दामोदर सदनमा देवकोटालाई भेटेको घटना अहिलेसम्म बिर्सन सकेका छैनन्। त्यति बेला उनी उतै स्कुल पढ्दै थिए। एकाबिहान दामोदर सदन पुग्दा महाकवि दाँत माझ्न  व्यस्त थिए। तर, भेट्न आएको खबर सुनेपछि देवकोटा निकै खुसी भए। त्यो दिन सूर्यविक्रम ज्ञवालीलगायत त्यहाँ रहेका सबै साहित्यकारको घुम्ने कार्यक्रम तय थियो। तर, तारानाथलाई भेटेपछि महाकविले भनेछन्, ‘तिमीहरू जाओ।  कञ्चनजंघा हेर, पोताला हेर। म भोलिको नेपालसँग कुरा गर्न चाहन्छु।’ “त्यसपछि मलाई झ्याम्म अँगालो हाल्नुभयो,” देवकोटाले त्यति बेला सोधेको प्रश्न अझै याद गर्ने गरेका शर्मा भन्छन्, “मैले कवि बन्ने इच्छा बताएँ। तर, उहाँले  भन्नुभयो, ओहो ! आगो बल्छ। नबन कवि। बरू इन्जिनियर बन।” त्यति बेला तारानाथको कापीमा देवकोटाले लेखेका रहेछन्:

कविता सविता मेरी ‘ल बिता !’

‘ल बिला !’ भनेँ

त्यसैको प्रेमले जल्दै आगो आँसु दुवै बनेँ।

- लक्ष्मीप्रसाद देवकोटा

१४ अगस्ट १९५२।

निरो बाँसुरी बजाइरहेछ

उनी दार्जीलिङमै बसेर आईए पढ्दै गर्दा चौरस्तामा एउटा साहित्यिक समारोहको आयोजना भएको थियो। त्यति बेला महाकविको भाषण सुन्न सारा नेपाली त्यहीँ जम्मा भए। मन्तव्यका क्रममा महाकविले भने, ‘रोम वाज बर्निङ, निरो  वाज फिडलिङ -रोम जलिरहेछ, निरो बाँसुरी बजाइरहेछ।) यस्तै छ, हाम्रो देशमा।’ यति बेला महाकविको नाकबाट सिँगान मात्र होइन, मुखबाट र्‍याल पनि झररिहेको थियो।

त्यो घटनाका प्रत्यक्षदर्शी तारानाथ भन्छन्, “भाषणको बीचैमा माइक आफूतर्फ गर्दै अर्का साहित्यकार धरणीधर कोइरालाले भने, दार्जीलिङले देउताजस्तै माने पनि यहाँको मौसमले उहाँलाई चिनेन। त्यसपछि उहाँले आफ्नो खल्तीबाट  रुमाल झिकेर सिँगान र र्‍याल पुछिदिनुभयो। र, रुमाल फेर िखल्तीमा राख्नुभयो।”

महाकविको परिवार

लक्ष्मीप्रसाद देवकोटाका नौ जना छोराछोरीमध्ये हाल पाँच जीवित छन्। बाँकी चार जना बितिसके। सबैभन्दा जेठी छोरी सावित्री रेग्मी ८७ वर्षमा प्रवेश गरिसकेकी छन्। त्यसपछिको जेठो छोरा प्रकाश २२ वर्षमै बिते। देवकोटा उनको बिहे  २५ वर्षमा गर्न चाहन्थे। तर, बिरामी भएको १२ घन्टाभित्रै बिते। उनको निधन देवकोटा ००७ सालअगाडि बनारसबाट फर्किएपछि भएको थियो। यसपछि जन्मिएकी छोरीको ६ महिना नबित्दै निमोनियाका कारण निधन भयो। अर्का छोरा  कृष्ण १२ वर्षको उमेरमा टाइफाइडका कारण बिते। “बुबा बनारस जान ठीक पर्दा कृष्णले जुत्ता नै लुकाइदिएको थियो। तैपनि, रोकिनुभएन। पछि बुबा बनारसमै हुँदा उसको यहाँ निधन भयो,” सावित्री भन्छिन्।

लक्ष्मीप्रसादले यी तीनै जना छोराछोरीको सम्झनामा ‘मेरो तीन टुक्रा बच्चाहरू’ भनेर लेखे। यसपछि जन्मिएकी थिइन्, माइली छोरी अम्बिका रिमाल। उनी हाल मैतीदेवीस्थित देवकोटाको घरनजिकै बस्छिन्। त्यसपछिकी मीरा देवकोटाको  चार वर्षअघि पेटको क्यान्सरका कारण निधन भएको थियो। अर्की छोरी मुना घिमिरे पनि मैतीदेवीमै बस्छिन्। त्यसपछिका छोरा पदम देवकोटा त्रिभुवन विश्वविद्यालयमा अंग्रेजी साहित्यका प्राध्यापक हुन्। कान्छा छोरा दीपक देवकोटा हाल  अस्ट्रेलियामा छन्।

लक्ष्मीप्रसादकी दिदी लोकपि्रया जोशी पनि साहित्यकार थिइन्। उनी त्यति बेलै कविता लेख्थिन् र कवितामा भएको त्रुटि सच्याउन  भाइ लक्ष्मीप्रसादकहाँ पठाउँथिन्। लोकपि्रया नेपालका गिनेचुनेका पुराना महिला लेखिकामध्ये पर्छिन्।

मासु र चुरोटका पारखी

लक्ष्मीप्रसाद देवकोटाको सबैभन्दा रोचक कुरा उनलाई मासु र चुरोट असाध्यै खानु पथ्र्यो। उनी एक हातले मासु खान्थे र अर्को हातले चुरोट पिउँथे। मासुको सन्दर्भमा साहित्यकार श्यामदास वैष्णवसँग अर्को रोचक प्रसंग पनि छ, देवको टाका बारेमा। २००० सालमा काठमाडौँमा ठूलो हिमपात पर्‍यो। यसका कारण सारा बजार बन्द थियो। तर, देवकोटालाई खुब मासु खान मन लागेछ। त्यति बेला दुवै नेपाल भाषानुवाद परष्िाद्मा काम गर्थे। देवकोटाको मासिक तलब  थियो, ८० रुपियाँ। श्यामदासले नै डिल्लीबजारको ओरालोबाट एउटा मासु पसलेलाई फकाएर १० रुपियाँको मासु किनेर ल्याइदिए। सम्झन्छन्, “मैले मासु किनेर ल्याएको देखेर बज्यै -देवकोटापत्नी) आत्तिनुभयो। र, भन्न थाल्नुभयो,  यस्तो मौसममा रूखको हाँगो भाच्चिएर मान्छे मररिहेका छन्। तपाईंले कसरी ल्याउनुभयो ?”

त्यो दिन मासु छाडेर गएका श्यामदास भोलिपल्ट बिहान देवकोटाको घर पुगेका थिए। उनी त्यति बेला छक्क परे, जब देवकोटाले मासु खाएर रातभरमिा २५-३० पेजको तयार भएको खण्डकाव्यको पाण्डुलिपि देखाए। “उहाँले राती नै  तुषार वर्णन खण्डकाव्य लेख्नुभएछ,” श्यामदास भन्छन्।

लक्ष्मीप्रसादका पिताजी पण्डित तिलमाधव देवकोटा पनि खानाका सोखिन थिए। त्यही गुण लक्ष्मीप्रसादमा सरेको हुन सक्ने वरष्िठ पत्रकार हरकिृष्ण श्रेष्ठ बताउँछन्। हरकिृष्ण १९९३ सालताका लक्ष्मीप्रसादकहाँ पढ्न जान्थे। लक्ष्मीप्रसादले  स्कुल र कलेज पढ्दासम्म चुरोटमा हातै लगाएनन्। तर, सन् १९३० को दशकको मध्यमा बाबु र आमाको निधनले उनलाई स्तब्ध पारेको थियो। यसमा पनि एउटा छोरीको ६ महिनाको उमेरमै निधनले उनलाई विचलित तुल्यायो।  त्यसपछि उनी चुरोटका अम्मली नै भए।

यसबीचमा अरू मान्छेभन्दा बेग्लै सोच्ने, एकोहोरनिे र गृहस्थ जीवनतर्फ त्यति ध्यान नदिने देवकोटालाई मानसिक सन्तुलन गुमायो कि भनेर उपचारका लागि उनका भाइ मधुसूदनले सन् १९३९ मा भारतको राँची पुर्‍याएका थिए। तर,  उनको असाधारण क्षमताबाट परििचत मनोचिकित्सक वर्कले हिलले भनेछन्, ‘पश्चिममा जन्मिनुपर्ने मान्छे। पूर्वमा जन्मिएछ।’ पागल नभए पनि देवकोटा इलाजका लागि भनेर पाँच महिना राँचीमै बसे। त्यही बसाइमा उनले ‘पागल’ जस्तो  शक्तिशाली कविता लेख्न भ्याए।

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देवकोटा यस्ता कुरामा हतपती प्रतिक्रिया जनाउँदैनथे। तर, उनलाई पुष्करले उच्चारण गरेको “बाजे” शब्द पि्रय नलागेपछि जुरुक्क उठेर प्रतिक्रिया दिएछन्, “म टपरे बाहुन होइन।” –  श्यामदास वैष्णव

त्यसपछि धूवाँको मुस्लो धुरीमाथि फुक्दै एउटा प्रश्न सोधेछन्, “तिमी भेडा बन्न सक्छौ ?” मदनलाई देवकोटाको त्यो प्रश्न उटपट्याङ लागेछ। “मलाई सुरुमा होच्याएजस्तो भान भयो।  - मदनमणि दीक्षित

“मैले कवि बन्ने इच्छा बताएँ। तर, उहाँले भन्नुभयो, ओहो ! आगो बल्छ। नबन कवि। बरू इन्जिनियर बन।” - तारानाथ शर्मा

@Nepal

Whatever is bright and beautiful, whatever means the most to you, whatever brings you happiness, and these are the things I wish for you and your family. HAPPY DIWALI!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! HAPPY NEPAL SAMBAT 1135!!! to you and your family members! Let’s prove this year 1135 as the real victory of all.

Southampton University scientists have found evidence that awareness can continue for at least several minutes after clinical death which was previously thought impossible. 

                  Some cardiac arrest patients recalled seeing a bright light; a golden flash or the Sun shining Photo: Shaun Wilkinson / Alamy

By Sarah Knapton

Death is a depressingly inevitable consequence of life, but now scientists believe they may have found some light at the end of the tunnel.

The largest ever medical study into near-death and out-of-body experiences has discovered that some awareness may continue even after the brain has shut down completely.

It is a controversial subject which has, until recently, been treated with widespread scepticism.

But scientists at the University of Southampton have spent four years examining more than 2,000 people who suffered cardiac arrests at 15 hospitals in the UK, US and Austria.

And they found that nearly 40 per cent of people who survived described some kind of ‘awareness’ during the time when they were clinically dead before their hearts were restarted.

By Rachel Hennessey

A new announcement came this week from co-developers Dubai Holding and Emaar Properties. Their next big project on the horizon is Dubai Creek Harbour–a 1,482 acre site including a pair of towers that they hope will be the world’s tallest twinned skyscrapers.

The area planned for Dubai Creek Harbour is three times the size of Emaar’s current Downtown Dubai development, home of the Burj Khalifa, which Emaar also developed. Its location would be next to the ‘Ras Al Khor’ wetlands on the city’s waterfront at The Lagoons. With six other structures planned in addition to the twin skyscrapers, the project will also include retail, luxury hotels, and an estimated 39,000 residential units.

A statement released by Emaar says: “Planned on an open site, Dubai Creek Harbour will combine the city with the natural contours of the creek. With no legacy ties to infrastructure, this new Dubai will leapfrog many of the world’s other global cities.” The developer released its design concepts and layout without disclosing who the architects will be, though units from the first planned residential tower will hit the pre-sale market in Dubai, Abu Dahbi, London and Moscow on November 1 regardless. This first residential tower will be 40-stories, with one, two and three-bedroom units ranging from 900 to 2, 150 square feet.

There are unknowns about the twin skyscrapers as well, such as when construction will commence and what the cost of construction will be. The towers’ height also remains a mystery, though Emaar claims that they will surpass the world’s current tallest twin towers–Kuala Lumpur’s Petronas, which stand at 1,483 feet tall. The second (JW Marriott Marquis Dubai at 1,165 feet) and third (Emirates Towers at 1,165 feet and 1,014 feet) tallest twin skyscrapers are located in Dubai.

According to Ahmad Bin Byat, CEO of Dubai Holding, this pedestrian-friendly urban enclave, which is set to include healthcare centers and schools, will be “the pride of the city.” The hopes of Emaar’s chairman Mohamed Alabbar are just as high. “The residences will takes residents to the very source of Dubai’s history and provide them with a modern, luxurious, living environment,” he said  during his presentation of the master-plan.

Could this project fail to take off due to financial obstacles? Sure, that has happened before in Dubai; recall the Nakheel Tower, the Dubai City Tower, and Zaha Hadid’s Opera House. But for what it’s worth, the developer appears to be in a stable financial condition. On October 29, 2014, Emaar reported a net operating profit growth of 37% for the first 9 months of 2014 (US$ 678 million), compared to the first 9 months of 2013 (US$ 493 million). “The prime driver in our growth is the positive performance of the Dubai economy, which continues to inspire international investor confidence,” Alabbar commented. “I think all the stakeholders in Dubai in this business learned their lessons and they have matured. What it boils down to is supply and demand.”

@Forbes

Power has been called many things. Pretty isn’t one of them.

No one would call Vladimir Putin a good guy. In 2014 he strong-armed his way into possession of Crimea and waged an ugly proxy war in neighboring Ukraine, during which an almost certainly Russian-supplied surface-to-air missile downed a civilian jetliner. But as the undisputed, unpredictable and unaccountable head of an energy-rich, nuclear-tipped state, no one would ever call him weak.

So who’s more powerful: the omnipotent head of a feisty former superpower or the handcuffed head of the most dominant country in the world? For the second year running, our votes went with the Russian president as the world’s most powerful person, followed by U.S. President Barack Obamaand Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Our annual ranking of the World’s 72 Most Powerful People (one for every 100 million people on the planet) is based on voting by a panel of FORBES editors, who consider things like financial resources, scope and use of power, and the number of people they impact. (See full methodology here.)

This is not a lineup of the most influential or an anointing of the new establishment. It is an evaluation of hard power. We insist the people on our list wield the kind of power that shapes and bends the world, and moves people, markets, armies and minds. All of this, of course, is open to debate, and we welcome it. Join the conversation and leave your comments below.

See Full Coverage of the World’s 100 Most Powerful People

This year’s list features 17 heads of state who run nations with a combined GDP of some $48 trillion. The 39 CEOs and chairs here control over $3.6 trillion in annual revenues. Among them are 14 founders, including the newcomer billionaires to the list, Alibaba’sJack Ma and  Tencent’s Ma Huateng. Speaking of, this year’s class has 29 billionaires with a cumulative personal net worth valued in excess of $790 billion.

Here, a quick peek at the Most Powerful People in the World 2014:

Top 10: This is the second year in a row that Putin carries the crown. Obama had previously been on the top of the list for every year with the exception of 2010, when Hu Jintao, the former political and military leader of China, was No. 1. The top five remain the same as 2013 — Pope Francis at No. 4 and the world’s most powerful woman German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Fed chiefJanet Yellen moves into No. 6, followed by Bill Gates and European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi. U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron slides up to No. 10. The most powerful people in business are Google’s Larry Page and Sergey Brin at No. 9.

Interactive: The 10 Perks That Money Can’t Buy But Power Can

Newcomers: This year there are 12 newcomers, including two recently elected heads of state, Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, and Egypt PresidentAbdel el-Sisi. Alibiba founder—and China’s richest man — Jack Ma also makes a first appearance after his record-breaking $25 billion initial public offering in September, as does Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed caliph of the bloodthirsty Islamic State. Alexey Miller, CEO of Russian gas giant Gazprom, makes a return appearance after dropping of the list in years past. Miller is one of a few of Putin’s inner circle who was not placed on the U.S. and Western economic sanctions list.

Women Moving Up: For the first time two women, Merkel and Yellen, reach the top 10. This year there are nine women on the list, representing 12% of the world’s most powerful — in stark contrast to being 50% of the world’s population. While the same number as last year, the inaugural list from 2009 included only three women leaders. Recently re-elected Brazilian PresidentDilma Rousseff and South Korea President Park Geun-Hye join the world’s most important NGOs run by women – Christine Lagarde and Margaret Chan— and business leaders Ginni Rometty, Mary Barra and Gina Rinehart.

Billionaires: Worth a cumulative $790 billion. Sure they’re rich but many of these billionaires deserve special attention for their philanthropic work, including the world’s richest man Gates, as well as Warren Buffett, Carlos Slim Helu, Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Bloomberg, Charles and David Koch, and Li-Ka-shing.

Entrepreneurs Represent:  There are 14 in total. As expected, many are headquartered on the West Coast: Google’s Page and Brin, Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, to name a few. Global entrepreneurial spirit spans from Japan’s  Masayoshi Son and Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote to China’s Robin Li.

Interactive: Partners, Frenemies, Or Rivals: Do The Tech Titans Actually Get Along? 

Asian Authority: While there are 26 Most Powerful from the U.S., Asia Pacific makes a strong showing this year with 19 from the region. There are many different paths to power. While Ban Ki-Moon of South Korea and Margaret Chan of Hong Kong are NGO heavyweights, leading the U.N. and W.H.O., respectively, others are the products of a career in politics, including Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda and Premier Li Keqiang of China. Making a big impression this year are the self-made entrepreneurs: Li Ka Shing, Jack Ma, Masayoshi Son, Robin Li, Ma Huateng and Terry Gou.

Year-over-year growth: The FORBES Most Powerful started in 2009, seeking to answer a straight yet complex question: What is the true nature of power and can we really compare and rank heads of state with religious figures and outlaws? We try. The premise has always been to select one person for every 100 million on the planet. The first list had 67 slots. This year we are up to 72. At this sixth edition, it’s notable that many of the leaders who made the top 10 on the inaugural list are still on today: Obama, Putin, Gates, the King of Saudi Arabia, billionaire Helu, Page and Brin, and Rupert Murdoch.

Besides the Queen, other members of the British royal family would attend the events as well as political and military leaders. The event’s finale would be a two-minute silence while poppy petals fall from the roof to represent Britons who died in World War I.

Britain raised in August the national terror threat to “severe” from “substantial” because of the “highly likely” chances of a terrorist attack. The heightened alert is linked to possible retaliation by Islamic State extremist over the UK air strikes in the Middle East.

There had been previous attempts to assassinate the Queen that were foiled.

On June 13, 1981, 17-year-old Marcus Serjeant fired six shots at the monarch while she was riding her horse Burmese for her Birthday Parade. But after police subdued the teen, they discovered he only fired blank shots. He planned to get hold of a live firearms and kill the Queen because he wanted to be famous, but he failed.

There was another one in the 1970s while the Queen and Prince Phillip were in Australia.

@AU

The key witness in one of the most significant white-collar crime cases in US history has spoken out for the first time.

Alayne Fleischmann, whose testimony was used by US prosecutors to negotiate a $US 9 billion ($10.4 billion) settlement with her former employee JPMorgan, said her attempts to stop the bank’s sale of dodgy loans were repeatedly silenced.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, The Cornell Law grad said she witnessed “massive criminal securities fraud” in the bank’s mortgage sales in the months leading-up to the financial crisis.

“It was like watching an old lady get mugged on the street,” she says. “I thought, ‘I can’t sit by any longer.'”

Ms Fleischmann, who started working at the bank as a transaction manager in 2006, said when she reviewed random samples of loans, her team found that about 40 per cent were based on overstated incomes.

One mortgage involved a manicurist who claimed to have an annual income of $117,000. Ms Fleischmann calculated that the woman would have need to work 488 days a year to make that income possible.

“And that’s with no overhead,” Ms Fleischmann said. “It wasn’t possible.”

However, when she and others started to raise their concerns about the toxic subprime loans, they were repeatedly rebuffed.

@SMH

European Space Agency’s Rosetta space probe on Wednesday successfully deployed its robotic lander Philae on the Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

This is the first time a spacecraft has ever landed on the surface of a comet. The mission was ten years in the making.

EU science chief Anne Glover tweeted that, “I think Europe just boldly went where no one else has gone before.”

Philae touched down on an area of the comet named Agilkia, using harpoons and screws to latch on to the surface.

                                             Here’s a timeline of the spacecraft’s historic mission, courtesy of the AP:

DARMSTADT, Germany (AP) — The European Space Agency said it landed a spacecraft on a comet Wednesday for the first time ever. The Philae craft pulled off the audacious landing hours after it was released toward the giant ball of dust and ice by the unmanned Rosetta space probe.

The landing is the highlight of a decade-long mission to link up with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Here’s a look at key moments during Rosetta’s incredible trip:

___

March 2, 2004: Europe’s unmanned probe Rosetta takes off from Kourou, French Guiana, after a series of delays, including an abandoned January 2003 launch window because of a rocket problem.

Feb. 25, 2007: Rosetta carries out a close flyby of Mars. European Space Agency’s mission control breaks out in applause after the end of 15 tense minutes of radio silence as the craft passes behind the Red Planet.

Sept. 5, 2008: Probe successfully passes close to an asteroid 250 million miles from Earth. The spacecraft loses its radio signal for 90 minutes as planned during the flyby of the Steins asteroid, also known as Asteroid 2867.

July 10, 2010: Between Mars and Jupiter, Rosetta transmits its first pictures from the largest asteroid ever visited by a satellite after it flies by Lutetia as close as 1,900 miles (3,200 kilometers). It is the closest look to date at the Lutetia asteroid.

Jan. 20, 2014: Waking after almost three years of hibernation, Rosetta sends its first signal back to Earth. Systems had been powered down in 2011 to conserve energy, leaving scientists in the dark for 31 months.

Aug. 6, 2014: Rosetta swings alongside comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko somewhere between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Nov. 12, 2014: The probe releases the Philae lander and it drops to the comet’s surface. Seven hours later, Philae touches down on the comet.

@AP

Doesn’t it seem like one celebrity after another is going vegetarian or vegan? It’s not just your imagination: As knowledge spreads about cruelty to animals on factory farms and in slaughterhouses as well as how eating meat wreaks havoc on the environment and our health, more and more stars are taking on a new role—as models for a compassionate, healthy, and Earth-friendly lifestyle.

With so many stars realizing that humane eating and a hot body go hand in hand, the list of nominees for PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity contest is bigger than ever—and we need your help!

We could never choose the sexiest from among all these stars who are kind to animals—and to the eyes—without a hand from you. So peruse our lineup of humane hotties below, and then cast your vote today to help us choose who we should crown as this year’s sexiest vegetarian celebrities. Don’t forget to fill out the short form at the bottom of the page and click “Submit” to make your vote count. Stay tuned: We’ll be announcing the winners soon!

Winners of this contest will be chosen based on several factors, including number of votes. Voting to help us determine who we should choose as the winners closes on November 25th. The winners will be announced on November 26th.

BEIJING (AP) — The United States and China pledged Wednesday to take ambitious action to limit greenhouse gases, aiming to inject fresh momentum into the global fight against climate change ahead of high-stakes climate negotiations next year.

President Barack Obama announced that the U.S. would move much faster in cutting its levels of pollution. Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to cap China’s emissions in the future — a striking, unprecedented move by a nation that has been reluctant to box itself in on global warming.

“This is a major milestone in the U.S.-China relationship,” Obama said, with Xi at his side. “It shows what’s possible when we work together on an urgent global challenge.”

The unexpected declaration from the world’s two largest polluters, unveiled on the last day of Obama’s trip to China, reflected both nations’ desire to display a united front that could blunt arguments from developing countries, which have balked at demands that they get serious about global warming. Yet it was unclear how feasible it would be for either country to meet their goals, and Obama’s pledge was sure to confront tough opposition from ascendant Republicans in Congress.

The U.S. set a new target to reduce its emissions of heat-trapping gases by 26 percent to 28 percent by 2025, compared with 2005 levels. That’s a sharp increase from earlier in Obama’s presidency, when he pledged to cut emissions by 17 percent by 2020.

China, whose emissions are still growing as it builds new coal plants, didn’t commit to cut emissions by a specific amount. Rather, Xi set a target for China’s emission to peak by 2030, or earlier if possible. He also pledged to increase the share of energy that China will derive from sources other than fossil fuels.

“This is, in my view, the most important bilateral climate announcement ever,” said David Sandalow, formerly a top environmental official at the White House and the Energy Department. “It sends the signal the two largest emitters in the world are working together to address this problem.”

Obama’s target, expected to serve as the U.S. contribution to a worldwide treaty to be finalized next year in Paris, came months before it had been expected. The U.S. has sought to show aggressive action on climate change in order to spur other nations to offer ambitious contributions, too.

For China, the commitment to cap emissions marked a turning point in China’s evolution on global warming and its responsibility to deal with the problem. China accounts for around 30 percent of global emissions, but has only gotten serious in recent years as the large-scale impact on health and quality of life in China has come into focus, exacerbated by smothering smog in Beijing’s skies.

Environmental advocates in the U.S. heralded the joint announcements as a game-changer that would undermine opposition. If China can get serious about emissions, they said, surely others can, too.

Al Gore, former vice president and a leading advocate for limiting climate change, called the announcement “a major step forward in the global effort to solve the climate crisis.” He said more will be required — “including a global agreement from all nations — but these actions demonstrate a serious commitment by the top two global polluters.”

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who chairs the Senate’s environmental panel, said: “Now there is no longer an excuse for Congress to block action.”

But Republicans signaled that they would seek to thwart Obama’s efforts once the GOP controls the Senate next year, pointing out that Obama was saddling future presidents with a tough-to-meet goal.

“This unrealistic plan, that the president would dump on his successor, would ensure higher utility rates and far fewer jobs,” said incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

@AP

 If you did not hear more about Putin in G20 due to US block, here you will not be banned to get that opportunity.

                                    Russian President Vladimir Putin (RIA Novosti/Mikhail Klementiev)

Vladimir Putin says the G20 must address global imbalances together, and economic isolation, especially in the case of sanctions, which not only leads nowhere but is a crude violation of international economic law.

Here are the Russian president’s top takeaways he gave in an interview to TASS ahead of the G20 summit being held in Brisbane, Australia from November 14-15.

Full speech: Putin on G20: Russia sanctions contradict club principles

G20 great for ground work, but decisions often just hot air

Putin believes the G20 is still a good and relevant platform for world leaders, however, decisions at the summit are often nothing but words. Decisions made there are only carried out when there are in line with the interests of certain global players, like the US.

Decisions are neglected if they don’t fit the agenda of an individual power.

An example is when US Congress blocked the IMF quota, which was intended to enhance the role of developing economies and redistribute quotes. That move was counterproductive, Putin said.

“The very fact that US Congress has refused to pass this law indicates that it is the United States that drops out of the general context of resolving the problems facing the international community,” the president said.

“Everyone must understand that the global economy and finance these days are exceptionally dependent on each other,” he said.

US sanctions violate the very system they created

Sanctions levied against Russia are against the norms of international trade and the core principles of the G20, as they can only be introduced via the United Nations, Putin said.

Sanctions are “against WTO principles and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the GATT. The United States itself created that organization at a certain point. Now it is crudely violating its principles,”Putin explained.

Interconnected economy: What hurts us hurts you

Sanctions against Russia have targeted the finance, energy and weaponry sectors of the economy. Russia’s retaliatory sanctions to ban agricultural imports are having a colossal ripple effect on jobs, social sectors, and growth.

This is especially pertinent to Europe, which is feeling the squeeze of the agricultural export ban to Russia, one its biggest markets.

“Everyone must understand that the global economy and finance these days are exceptionally dependent on each other,” Putin said.

Germany’s economic growth is an example of financial blowback from sanctions with Russia.

US-led trade pacts will create global imbalance

Putin believes that the creation of the 2 US-led trade pacts – one Transatlantic and the other Transpacific – will only create more global imbalance. The US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) doesn’t include China or Russia.

READ MORE: Secret trade agreement covering 68 percent of world services published by WikiLeaks

“Of course, we want to get rid of such imbalances, we want to work together, but this can be achieved only through joint efforts,” Putin said.

New economic associations should complement existing institutions

All new emerging economic blocks like BRICS and the so-called ‘new G7’, which in addition to Brazil, Russia, India and China also includes Indonesia, Turkey and Mexico, should come as something complementary to the existing groups, Putin said.

According to purchasing power parity (PPP) BRICS nations have a combined GDP $37.4 trillion, more than the G7’s at $34.7 trillion, Putin said. However, its economic girth doesn’t give it the right to start running its own polic

“And if we go and say, ‘No, thank you, we are going to do this and that here on our own, and you can do it the way you want it,’ this will only add to the imbalances,” Putin warned.

The Russian president also said that all regional integrations like the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union with Belarus and Kazakhstan shouldn’t isolate, but complement, global institutions

@RT

                           Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (Reuters / Gero Breloer / Pool)

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has given a chilling assessment of a new geopolitical situation taking shape amid the Ukrainian crisis, warning of a possible new Cold War and calling the West’s approach to the crisis a “fatal mistake.”

The 91-year-old diplomat characterized the tense relations as exhibiting the danger of “another Cold War.”

“This danger does exist and we can’t ignore it,” Kissinger said. He warned that ignoring this danger any further may result in a “tragedy,” he told Germany’s Der Spiegel.

READ MORE: Europe may become irrelevant due to short-sighted policies – Gorbachev

If the West wants to be “honest,” it should recognize, that it made a “mistake,” he said of the course of action the US and the EU adopted in the Ukrainian conflict. Europe and the US did not understand the“significance of events” that started with the Ukraine-EU economic negotiations that initially brought about the demonstrations in Kiev last year. Those tensions should have served as a starting point to include Russia in the discussion, he believes.

U.S. President Barack Obama (L) meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin (Reuters / Kevin Lamarque)

“At the same time, I do not want to say that the Russian response was proportionate,” the Cold War veteran added, saying that Ukraine has always had a “special significance” for Russia and failure to understand that “was a fatal mistake.”

Calling the sanctions against Moscow “counterproductive,” the diplomat said that they set a dangerous precedent. Such actions, he believes, may result in other big states trying to take “protective measures”and strictly regulate their own markets in future.

When introducing some sanctions or publishing lists of people whose accounts were frozen one should wonder “what will happen next?” the former Secretary of State said rhetorically, because when something begins you cannot lose sight of where it is going to end.

Kissinger also said he would expect more action from Berlin on matter. As the most “important” country in Europe it should be more “proactive” rather than reactive, he said.

@RT

                                Russian President Vladimir Putin (RIA Novosti / Mikhail Klimentiev

READ MORE: Ukraine scraps human rights treaty for rebel areas, cuts services, freezes banks

“I don’t understand why Kiev authorities are cutting off those territories with their own hands. Well one can understand – to save money. But it’s not the time or the case to save money on,” he said.

Putin compared Kiev’s debacle with the Donetsk and Lugansk regions to Russia’s own armed conflict in the Chechen Republic that erupted several times since the early 1990s and officially ended in April 2009. But even at the worst moments, Moscow did not stop paying pensions and other social benefits to the Chechen people, he said.

“At moments that appeared to be stupid, because the people who were in control there not only embezzled that money but also could use them for obviously less-than-noble goals. But we did it due to our moral obligations to the common people. And in the end it turned out to be the right decision, as Chechens appreciated what Russia did to support the common people,” Putin said.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin attends a news conference at the end of the G20 summit in Brisbane November 16, 2014. (Reuters/Mikhail Klimentyev)

The Russian leader said he hopes the decision of the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko will be amended according to the demands of real life.

Kiev decided to take a number of measures in the rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine, including suspending human rights protection for their residents, freezing public services, and banning banks from operating there. The stifling economic measures were ordered in a decree by President Petro Poroshenko on Friday.

The move was in retaliation for the elections that the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics held earlier in November in defiance of Kiev’s prohibition.

Sanctions, oil, G20 talks

Putin was speaking in Australia’s Brisbane, where he took part in the G20 summit.

During the G20 meetings, there was a common understanding that economic sanctions against Russia harm both their targets and the countries imposing them, and a way out of the current situation is urgently needed, the Russian President told journalists following the second day of talks.

“I believe there is a common understanding that this statement does not only deserve a right to exist, but is the only true one,” Putin said.

While many media outlets, both in Australia and in other countries, implied that Putin had an icy welcome at G20 summit, the actual atmosphere at the event was quite cordial, the Russian leader said.

Putin praised the attitude of Australians in Brisbane and the hospitality of the country’s Prime Minister Tony Abbot, who played host to the event.

“I took a look at the local press and other media after I arrived here. There was some whipping up of the tension. The actual reality and the virtual life as reported by the media – at least in this particular case – differed a lot,” Putin stressed.

Putin said that while virtually every bilateral meeting he had at the summit focused on Ukraine, the general meetings did not even mention it. Instead, the agenda included infrastructure investment and introducing a new institution into the global energy industry, among other topics.

Speaking of Russia’s own standing in a world of lowering oil prices and after the Russian national currency experienced rapid devaluation, Putin assured that the nation has enough resilience to weather the storm. Due to the dollar’s rise, oil was traded higher than the Russian 2014 budget expected in the first half of the year, so the current low price won’t force a correction, he said.

“We will see what happens next year. If this continues, we’ll correct our spending, but it won’t affect our social obligations,” Putin said.

Putin’s early leave

Vladimir Putin has left the G20 summit a bit earlier than planned ,skipping a Sunday working breakfast. Following an avalance of media speculations over the motives for his early departure, he explained the move by saying he had a long trip back to Moscow before returning to work on Monday.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin†arrives for the G20 Summit in Brisbane on November 15, 2014. (AFP Photo/Alain Jocard)

“Just to avoid speculations here – I didnt’ go to a working breakfast but the finance minister is staying,”he said.

“The trip from here to Vladivostok is nine hours. And nine hours more from Vladivostok to Moscow. I’d like to get home before going to work on Monday. And have at least four or five hours of sleep. So I told that to Tony [Abbott] and he bore with me. There are no other considerations here.”

Earlier, some media implied that Putin would leave the summit early because other world leaders pressured him over Russia’s position on the Ukrainian crisis. Putin denied the reported hostility, saying that the reality of the summit was different from what the media described, and the atmosphere was constructive.

@RT

The report said 211,275 people qualify as “ultra-high net worth” (UHNW) – those with assets above US$30 million. 

A bare 0.004 per cent of the world’s adult population controls nearly US$30 trillion in assets, 13 per cent of the world’s total wealth

                           For illustration: A teller counts US dollars and Chinese 100-yuan notes at a bank. (Photo: AFP/File)

The fastest growth, indeed, came in the “demi-billionaire” group worth a half-billion to a billion dollars apiece, the study said. “Even amidst geopolitical conflicts, socio-economic strife, and volatile currency markets, the world’s equity markets displayed strong performances, thereby enabling UHNW individuals’ wealth to increase and their influence across industries and sectors to grow – from their importance in wealth management to their consumption of luxury goods,” it said. “Such a large concentration of wealth in the hands of these few individuals means that they tend to have a large degree of influence, whether on global equity markets or specific industries.”

Of the nearly US$30 trillion this elite group controls, just over one-third is in the hands of tycoons in North America, more than one-quarter in Europe, and 23 per cent in Asia. Of them, 87 per cent are men, of the average age of 59, and nearly one-quarter of them were in banking. Of them, 68 per cent were “self-made” rich, 13 per cent rich by inheritance, and the rest a combination of the two.

The average ultra-rich woman was 57, and more likely to be involved in non-profit and social organisations (19 per cent) than any other sector. Nearly half became wealthy through inheritance, while one-third were self-made wealthy.

As F Scott Fitzgerald wrote, the rich are different. The average UHNW-er spends US$1 million a year on luxury goods and services. Yet, the study points out, luxury items can be “part and parcel of their lifestyle and are not necessarily considered a ‘luxury.’”

“For example, UHNW individuals with private jets use their aircraft not only for leisure, but also for business purposes. On the other hand, while yachts, and particularly superyachts, are usually a non-necessity, many UHNW individuals lead very public lives, and the privacy of a family holiday on a yacht is a very special treat.”

- AFP/nd