WeRead, a division of Kathalaya Publication, releases a memoir written by former CDO and litterateur Narendra Raj Poudel. The book was launched by former Chairperson of the Council of Ministers and former Chief Justice Khilraj Regmi at a book launch program. The launch was made on WeRead App, thus making it instantly available for android device users all over the world.

Sixty-five year old Poudel is a well known figure in Nepali literature and is recognized as a proficient government bureaucrat. Being a part of the government administration from 2032 BS to 2064 BS, Poudel held the challenging and important post of CDO for two decades following the establishment of multiparty democracy.

During this period of political conflict and unrest, he took on the perilous task of maintaining peace and security as well as maintaining administrative activities of the district offices of Nepal. Mirroring the events of this duration, he has compiled a 290 page memoir – seventeen years as Chief District Officer. This book will prove to be instrumental in understanding today’s administrative, economic, social and political state of Nepal. It will also be a useful tool of learning for those in the civil service sector.

During the program, Chief Guest Regmi stated that Poudel, apart from being an adept administrator, is also a versatile writer who has successfully presented the social realities of his time through this book.

 “I myself have experienced the administrative difficulties mentioned by the author during my own tenure at the Council of Ministers, which is why this book is not only a memoir of an administrator, but an excellent piece of literature as well”, Regmi said. He also commended the author for highlighting the plight of Dalits and women in his book. Regmi also applauded WeRead for taking on the challenge of promoting Nepali literature around the world through the WeRead App.

Similarly, Professor Khagendra Luitel praised Poudel for artistically portraying the weaknesses within the administration. “I found the writer to have had a deeper understanding of the life of people living in the remote areas”, said Luitel. “Reading his memoir is like reading an interesting novel”, he added.

Author Poudel said that this book was an attempt to make his retired life as active as possible and that the book is a portrayal of his time as a CDO.

WeRead is a division of Kathalaya established in order to reach to the general readership by publishing youth centric books and popular literature in the Nepali and English languages.

WeRead has also developed Nepal’s first e-book reader application of the same name – “WeRead App” in order to further promote Nepali writers and literature all over Nepal and the world. As publishers, we feel it is important to recognize and expand the Nepali readership as best we can by promoting deserving writers and other publishers.

WeRead app is therefore, an attempt to digitize Nepal’s literary works in order to make it accessible all over Nepal and the international market. So far, six publishers have already made their books available on WeRead App.