In February 1998 (B.S. 2054), I was on a short visit to Dang district of Western Nepal as Chairman of Nepal Disabled Association with some of my colleagues of its executive committee for the purpose of opening a branch office of the Association. We stayed for a few days in the Swargadwari Ashram, Jhigounra, Dang. In the evening there was a small gathering of local people consisting of teachers, lawyers, journalists and social workers at the Ashram. In their casual conversation, they put a great deal of stress on the need for a good bilingual dictionary (English-Nepali) that would provide standard Nepali meanings of English words, phrases and idioms. Since Nepal had a lack of this kind of dictionary, I felt their stress was worthy of note. The idea of compiling a bilingual dictionary came to mind and r had a talk with Mr Arvind Nath Rimal about compiling a dictionary and his words of encouragement made my determination to compile a one-man bilingual dictionary stronger.
I set out to work. It took about nine years for the completion and publication of the book. It was brought out in B.S. 2063 (AD 2007). Its demand greatly increased and the books were sold out in a short period of time.
It is heartening to note that the book received remarkable responses from teachers, writers, scholars, researchers, lawyers, translators and students. Invitations that I received for interviews on televisions about the dictionary provided me with the opportunity to tell the utility of the dictionary to the audience and show how it would play a role in helping the people in translating the materials published or written in English into Nepali, creating an effective channel of communication between Nepal and other countries of the world.
The usefulness of this English-Nepali comprehensive dictionary got a good deal of media attention and magazines, journals and newspapers gave appropriate space for the book in their publications, putting into focus the points that the native language would prove a truer and more powerful vehicle of culture and transformation of technology in society like ours in Nepal. Translations of English texts into Nepali are another special means to disseminate various kinds of information and thought needed to broaden the mental horizons of the people of Nepal even in its rural backwater.
I was greatly delighted when the Library of Congress, Asian Division, USA congratulated me on the publication of my English-Nepali Comprehensive Dictionary and recognized it as an outstanding achievement. It also extended an invitation to me to give a presentation in the Library hall about the first English-Nepali Comprehensive Dictionary ever published in Nepal. I have considered the invitation as historic in the sense that it was a first to a Nepali in the educational history of Nepal.
Positive responses from academic circles, encouraging remarks from the press and recognition from a prestigious organization like the Library of Congress, Asian Division, USA about the dictionary have not only given me satisfaction but also become the force of inspiration for me for the publication of an updated second edition of the dictionary.
Now the dictionary is in press for printing. When it is brought out, I believe, it will be more useful to the users and will receive greater response from its readers than it did before.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the members of my family for their encouragement and cooperation.
I am deeply indebted to my-wife, Uma Pathak for her help, patience and care without which the book would not have taken this shape.
I am grateful to Mr Arvind Nath Rimal for his inspiring words which acted as an urge on me to work for the second edition of the book.
My thanks are also due to Padma Raj Pathak Memorial Foundation for-having taken a keen interest in publishing this updated second edition of English-Nepali Comprehensive Dictionary.
I would like to extend my warm appreciation and thanks to Mrs. Sangita Kapali for their help in preparing the manuscript for publication.
My thanks are also due to Mr Suresh Prasad Timilsina for his logistic support in the process of publication.
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