I think your article on Shyam Kakshapati (#9) is somewhat male piggyish. I have followed Shyam from the Park to when he hung up his first bear mug in Nanglo, delighted in his first Bakery, made muchee muchee of his Chinese restaurants and on and on.and I noticed that whenever Shyam went, his wife, Rani, was sure to go. It was Shyam and Rani all the way. You give her scant mention. Behind every successful man there is a woman inventing momo cha and generally going bananas. You can make up for this serious lapse with a fulsome article on Rani. Knowing Rani, when Shyam opens his first Nanglos in Zimbabwe and Zaire and.. She'll be there, cheering him on.

Dubby Bhagat
Kathmandu

I read with special interest your piece on Shyam Kakshapati (#6). But you missed his earlier venture: Sam's Grocery at Ratna Park in the early 1970s which had the first-ever juice fountain in Nepal, a watering hole for students like me who used to walk all the wayfrom Padma Kanya Campus during breaks to take a drink. You also missed mentioning Nanglo West in Tansen, Palpa, where Shyam has restored and turned an old house into the finest eatery that side of Mugling. What Shyam has managed to do for the hard of hearing has empowered disadvantaged people with skills and courage. It teaches us, the rest of 'advantaged' society, to treat them with respect and not the traditional ridicule. Thanks to Shyam, and thanks to Nepali Times for reintroducing us to him. May he continue to inspire others to have golden hearts too.

Poornima Joshi
Kathmandu