News of the early recall of Damodar Gautam as Nepal's ambassador to the United States and Canada has come as a shock to the Nepali diaspora in North America. Mr Gautam was an excellent ambassador by all accounts. He maintained a working relationship with all the Nepali organisations based in the US and Canada.

We have been fortunate to have a man with such a magnanimity and affable personality and who was willing to work hard for Nepal. It is rather very disappointing that he has been recalled prematurely just as he was in the process of putting together a wider network of contacts for the next two years. Mr Gautam's recall is a huge disservice to the cause of Nepal and Nepalis in North America. The government should reconsider its decision and let him finish his four-year term

Gaury S Adhikary
America Nepal Medical Foundation,
Ann Arbor, Michigan