My first document

Beyond

From the

The Team Director’s pen

Chief Editor::

Sangya Pandey

Photographers:

Sarvagya Shakya

Yatra KC

When we reflect on the greatest discoveries of all time, a particular trend emerges. It is of a common consensus that a vision is crucial to transcend boundaries. Be it the discovery of the DNA structure or Penicillin, be it in conquering Mount Everest or discovering the Americas, it all starts with the bug of a vision.

Editors:

Shriyukta Aryal

Rishavi Gautam

Krish Lama

Suryansha Thapa

Designers:

Manash Choudhary

Shrijan Poudel

Roshan Yadav

Aditya Neupane

All the great women and men involved in groundbreaking discoveries envisioned in their minds what other mortals could not see and worked towards it. We might feel that in all fields of work and all endeavors, we are limited by what people have done till now. But the truly great people can envision beyond what others think possible and work single-mindedly towards that.

Breaking boundaries requires two essential elements - a vision beyond what is considered possible and relentless effort to achieve that. We must ignite a flame of inspiration within every individual, encouraging them to challenge any situation they face, follow their passions, and find complete fulfilment beyond their boundaries.

Advisors:

Ms. Indu Panicker Thapaliya

Mr. Govinda Khanal

I take this opportunity to thank the VISTAS team for their sixth issue of our digital gazette, Panorama. Your professional touch on the magazine broke the glass ceiling by publishing highquality articles. God bless you and all the readers.

Fr. Dr. Boby Joseph, S.J.

Unscripted: TO BREATHE TO FLY TO FLOAT

Life often takes us on unexpected journeys, leading us down paths we never anticipated. These serendipitous detours can be both thrilling and transformative. They have the power to open our eyes to new possibilities, introduce us to remarkable people, and unveil hidden treasures along the way.

When we embrace the idea of diversion, we are prepared to venture into uncharted territories. In these moments, we allow ourselves to be guided by the whims of fate and chance encounters. We relinquish control and surrender to the flow of life, trusting that it will lead us to exactly where we need to be. These detours have a way of revealing our resilience and adaptability. They challenge us to navigate unfamiliar terrain, confront unexpected obstacles, and make decisions on the fly. In these moments, we discover our inner strength and resourcefulness. We fully tap in, to sync with the wellspring of creativity and problem-solving skills we never knew we possessed.

Moreover, unforeseen events of fate offer us the opportunity for personal growth and self-discovery. They expose us to diverse perspectives, cultures, and experiences that broaden our horizons and challenge our preconceived notions. We learn to embrace uncertainty and find beauty in the unknown, allowing ourselves to be shaped and transformed by the unexpected twists and turns of life's journey.

Perhaps most importantly, they remind us to be present and mindful. They teach us to slow down, pay attention to the subtle synchronicities and signs that guide us, to appreciate the beauty in the ordinary.

When situations go out of control, the best scheme could be to improvise things along the way. By relinquishing our inhibitions, we can experience a sense of liberation and enjoyment. Letting oneself loose can foster a sense of joy and a renewed perspective on life. As Rudyard Kipling puts into a verse of ‘If’, the one who can make the most of every minute and opportunity will be granted the world along with everything in it.

The art of vision encapsulates the same sentiment, unplanned encounters are not mere disruptions or inconveniences; they are invitations to embark on extraordinary adventures. Broadening our visions enables us to blur the boundaries between what is happening and what could be. Through expanded perceptions, we engage in a deeper level of contemplation that ignites our imagination. By embracing life’s detours, we open ourselves up to a world of possibilities, growth, and unexpected joys. Therefore, the next time life hauls us in for a serendipitous detour, let us stand still and embrace it with open arms. Magic awaits.

Suryansha Thapa

ASB Song Cover-

student Sp tlight

In the vibrant tapestry of our student community, every student contributes with their distinctive talents and ambitions. This segment is a tribute to the remarkable individuals who grace our classrooms with their determination and persistence. The Student Spotlight is not just about recognizing achievements; it's about celebrating the diverse talents, interests, and accomplishments of our students.

Sarvagya Shakya - A2F

Sarvagya is the all-knowing culture guru. He lives up to this name when he passionately speaks of his roots and the culture that surrounds him. He excels in delivering through hard work, perseverance and dedication. His unrelenting devotion to work with Vistas, the class and, more recently his help in poster making shows us how selfless and downto-earth Sarvagya truly is. His tangents about complex business concepts might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they make the class complete, and even enjoyable for those who like his tangents. Sarvagya’s playful interaction truly makes the class alive and whimsical.

Abhinav Adhikari - ASA

Abhinav is an integral part of his class and motivates others to explore their creative sides outside of academia. He plays multiple instruments such as guitar, ukulele, cajon, midi keyboard, and more. He has a soothing voice that is sure to enthral his entire class. He has volunteered with the NGO Nepal Hope For Cleaning after the 2015 earthquake. Exploring literature, he has also written multiple poems that shed light on many students’ collective feelings. Currently, he is learning to compose and produce his own music.

RizaA Gurung - ASB

Rizaa’s positive attitude, willingness and generosity in sharing her knowledge and time have fostered a sense of collaboration in her entire class. Her proactive pursuit of learning new skills by taking part in the Nepali elocution, volunteering actively in the postermaking competition and devoting her time to serve others as an active member of the PiE club and in community service activities has influenced everybody to partake actively in the upcoming events. She exemplifies what it means to be a committed, well-rounded student who has a positive impact on others.

Sushant Pangeni - ASD

Sushant has established himself among his peers as a hardworking and motivated individual. Through a combination of his programming skills, wittiness and helpful nature, he inspires his classmates continuously. His proficiency in coding makes him stand out amongst his peers and sets him apart as a valuable asset in the classroom. His ability to use humour effectively creates a positive and engaging atmosphere. Additionally, his interest in discovering new things shows his dedication to personal growth.

Pratyush Joshi - ASE

Aayushma is an enthusiastic and active classmate who is courageous enough to participate in different areas as per her interest to flourish her skills and competencies. From her executive role in SEDS-Loyola and volunteership at PiE to her internship with Seto Gurans National Child Development Services, she strives to grow out of her comfort zone and work hard for her long-awaited self-growth. She has inspired her class to pursue their respective ambitions and made them realize that with enough determination, it is truly never too late.

Pratyush was someone who contested the CR elections, however, he soon opted out to give his friends a better chance. This has given him the unofficial title of Deputy CR" of ASE due to his excellent speaking, analytical skills, and understanding nature. He took the first terminal examination with a broken finger and still passed with flying colours. He is a bright person who is always helping out his friends inside and outside the classroom. He has great leadership skills and always steps up to lead his friends when needed.

Aayushma Panth

RizaA Gurung

Sushant Pangeni

Pratyush Joshi

Sarvagya Shakya

Abhinav Adhikari

Aayushma Panth - A2B

TheWANDERING WOODS...

“I rustled, pushing myself through the wandering woods, to finally see dawn. I have had no occurrence of how long I’ve been lost over what seemed to be mine. It has been long since I had the glimpse of what lies beyond these horizons; what confined me within a very doomed space within myself. In my final breath, I took a leap over to grasp what the horizon had to offer. Over a step, I fell apart. The earth's cloak held me from breaking. I looked up at the gleaming sky and thought to myself that I wouldn't last. Completely done with it, I put in the last effort to end it but no! This persistent life doesn't let go. The woods tugged me against the current; chanting my name and dragging me into an endless horizon of carnage within myself.

I engraved myself to show no sign of life, no colours, and no spirits to sustain. Throwing myself along the flow was everything that was left to me; by those who had been drowning me, those holding me, those dragging me, those wandering woods….. I couldn't break free. It was the end of me and I couldn't account for what it was. I was numb and never taught that I would drag myself down to this abyss. I never got a call out of here. Time and again, it was all me, drowning in those wandering woods. Everything slipped out of my grasp; nothing was up to me. Those wandering woods — were they intruding Gods or the dwellers of Tartarus?

I had no glimpse of myself and no chronicle of life. What was within me was not the vision of what I was but rather what those Wandering Woods were.

Even the stones harboured much more than me. It was no gold, no silver, no jewels, nor rubies but the essence of what I lacked within myself. I couldn't figure out my existence before that of the wandering woods. Before I knew it, I belonged to them. I was again back inside those wandering woods searching; for what I was, what enlightenment was to me and those wandering woods….. They never failed to grasp me into their abyss. A never- ending tragedy of pain and suffering. Those were what they had for me. Every grievance and every essence of my life was for it. All that I had were the wandering woods that always held me and never let go. Nothing else; nothing more.

Only all of my achievements flashed through my mind and never what I always had and always wanted. Until that day when I finally realized what those wandering woods were. They were something that always held me close and always kept me beside themselves. Those were the wandering woods that kept dragging me in search of glory and essence in my life — a life worth not even a penny. What kept dragging me down was not the wandering woods; never were they. It was all of me that kept me low, unsatisfied and miserable.

The coldness I had stored within made me lose true sense of myself. The wandering woods were nothing but love that I had ever so yearned for. Dragging me in earnest search for every me in me and better, they were what kept me sustained throughout my journey. All to the wandering woods that I had been, am and will become, herein lies my adoration: The wandering woods…"

Satyawan Nagila ASB

Swarnim Waglé

The vision, the integrity, the ethical part and the moral dimension to leadership is very important because that is what instills confidence in millions of followers.

In a world where ideas are the currency of progress, where one individual's vision can shape the destiny of nations, Swarnim Wagle is a name synonymous with visionary thinking. For young minds seeking inspiration, Mr. Wagle is a testament to the transformative power of bold ideas.

Dr. Wagle's journey as a visionary thinker began with a solid academic foundation. Holding a doctorate in economics from the Australian National University, a Master's in International Development (MPA/ ID) from Harvard University, and a BSc (Econ) from the London School of Economics, his academic credentials reflect his commitment to rigorous intellectual exploration. This educational background has equipped him with the knowledge and analytical skills needed to navigate complex global challenges.

Perhaps some of the most significant highlights of Dr. Wagle's career are his exceptional contributions to international development. His leadership in guiding Nepal's national development strategies, and his pivotal role in mobilizing resources for postdisaster recovery efforts stand as an inspiration to the world stage. Through various organizations like the United Nations, World Bank, and different non-profit initiatives, Dr. Wagle continues to inspire us all.

The purpose of a healthy political economy is to narrow the discrepancies in our society. An unequal society leads to conflicts that hamper the economic progress of a country.

What makes Dr. Wagle's work and thoughts particularly relevant and vital for young students is his capacity to combine vision with action. He doesn't merely discuss ideas; he actively engages in implementing them on a global scale. Tune in to hear more about his journey and the advice he has to offer for young people with a sprinkle of what it takes to build a country and to create an ideal economy. As we listen to Swarnim sir and reflect on his advice, there is only one word to describe the experience; transformative.

If the whole humankind is taken as a big continuum, we find that economic forces are being reshaped. There is a gradual rebalance happening in terms of power, influence, voice and wealth. So it is a new world that we live in.

Counsel Corner

ASk questions

Young minds are filled with questions, often important and decisive ones, and finding reliable answers can be a challenge. In order to bridge this gap, we're bringing together experts from various domains to address your burning questions. By doing so, we hope to not only quench your thirst for knowledge but also to address taboos in a positive and safe environment.

Is life simply a journey about looking for answers, trying to find a purpose, the answer to happiness and realising at the end that the journey itself was a purpose, an answer to all our questions (or at least most of them) and the source of happiness?

Even if life has no purpose, it can still be very good, or very bad, for the person living it. It is true that most of us have certain goals, some important, some less important. But what matters, I suggest, is not so much the achievement of the goals in themselves, but enjoying achieving them, and helping others to fulfil their goals and enjoy their lives.

Prof. Roger Crisp, Director, PhD

Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics University of Oxford, UK

Suyog Raj Shah: Isn’t changing yourself the same as running away? Why can’t you just accept who you are?

Many philosophers have wondered what it is that makes some person the same person they were in the past, even when they change. We are all always changing: both in our personalities, and biologically, as the cells in our body die and reproduce. Some philosophers argue that such changes mean there is no such thing as the self, as one thing inside us that remains the same through time – but there is a bundle of experiences, memories, and relationships that are somehow connected, and those things make us who we are.

Dr. Nikhil Venkatesh

LSE Fellow | Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method

Anmol Ghimire:What is the reason for the disparity in numbers between STEM and Non-STEM students in academia? Given a completely independent choice, would most STEM students still stick with their subjects?

In my opinion, the disparity in numbers between STEM and Non-STEM students in academia is a complex issue influenced by various factors like educational systems, societal expectations, and personal interests.

In terms of an independent choice, it is likely that many STEM students would still choose their subjects due to a genuine interest and passion for the field. However, there might be others who would opt for different paths if given the freedom to choose based purely on personal preference. Addressing the disparity requires encouraging diverse educational and career choices, promoting inclusivity and equal opportunities, and fostering an environment where individuals can make informed decisions based on their interests and capabilities rather than societal expectations.

Prof. Kabi Prasad Pokhrel, PhD Head of Department, Tribhuvan University, Central Department of Education

mystery THE

Right at the centre of our minds, at this very instant is a point of contention of millenia of debate and this is of the conscious experience that is shared by us all. It's interesting how the greatest mystery of all time also happens to be the one that is the least talked about. If this mystery was hiding anywhere else besides taking root in our heads, we’d never stop talking about it. However, because this conscious enigma happens to reside at the focal point of our minds, so close to us, that it barely gets mentioned outside of academia.

Every sense that even lightly grazes us - be it colour, sound, taste - carries the essence of the mystery screaming at us, begging to be recognized. And a further conundrum regarding this subject is that animals, instead of what should’ve been humans, seem to have internal lives of their own kind. The killer whale, J335 carried her dead calf for a thousand miles refusing to let the body drop to the ocean floor, not because of some robotic inbuilt reflex but out of one of the most common of all human emotions: grief.

Beyond narratives, beyond the boundaries that confine us and possibly, even beyond species in some cases lies a common experience of being a living thing in a cosmos of apparently dead things. The shared experience of being a creature that does not simply process information but emotes feelings larger than life itself. A creature that hates, hopes, regrets, longs and dreads, ultimately trapping oneself in a cycle. The neverending chatter of ourselves talking to ourselves.

We don't know how the consciousness trick is done and we may never be able to find it as well but, even then, the mystery is right here at this very moment and it's more devastatingly gorgeous than ever. As GK Chesterton wrote in his poem “Gold Leaves,” "But now a great thing in the street seems like a human nod / Where shift in strange democracy / The million masks of God."

It is not a pleasant condition to endure living in an age when we know more about the heavens than we do the mechanisms of our own heads. It’s finally becoming fashionable to study consciousness in today’s day and age although the science of how we experience is just starting to get a fraction of the true attention it deserves; how science is coming home from its fervent flight in the stars to the earth, back down the telescope to ask about the minds looking up that very telescope. We're living at the birth of a theory of us.

In a series of miraculous events, if we get through this teenage phase of our development and mature into an adult species, then, we might - one day - live in a world of perfect explanations when almost all things will have been measured and explained. A phase in the future when the mechanisms of consciousness and experience are as well understood as the dynamics of flight are in today’s world. There will surely be curious minds in that blissful future looking back at the past longingly, wishing they knew how it felt to live through a period of such great enigma.

Back in the quiet ignorance of the 21st century when humans seemed clueless about their own mental mechanisms, all it took in order to remind ourselves of how beautifully absurd the world was, was to only remember the things that we could explain, be it - sound, we had no idea how it became music in our minds; light, we had no idea how it became colour; when all it took to realise just how vast the world of the unknown was required us gazing up into the horizon to be left wondering about the mysteries it harboured.

Every evening, on every sunset, at all those moments when the heavens looked down on us, perhaps, the real mystery, all along, was looking back up, right at the heavens.

Shuvam Shrestha ASF

From Forward Momentum to Visionary Thinking beyond the & Above

boundaries

In this episode of the podcast, our brilliant speakers take you on an extraordinary exploration of life's unpredictable and often exhilarating journey. Join host Anmol and a panel of insightful thinkers, Aakaar, Rishavi, and Sayastha, as they embark on metaphorical bus rides into the unknown.

Here, we delve deep into the metaphorical journey of life, drawing parallels between the twists and turns we encounter on our path and the exhilarating experience of sitting backwards on a speeding bus. Together, we navigate the complex terrain of change, reminiscence, visionary thinking, and the power of choice.

From the discomfort of looking back at the past to the excitement of embracing an uncertain future, this podcast offers a thought-provoking and engaging exploration of the human experience. Discover how visionary thinking can act as your GPS through life's fog of uncertainty and learn to embrace change with curiosity and adaptability.

Listen in today to embark on an adventure of self-discovery, growth, and transformation.

podcast members

Anmol Ghimire

Akaar Shrestha

Rishavi Gautam

Sayastha Thapa

In a world of walls and barricades, we reside, But the human spirit longs to escape free outside. Beyond the boundaries, our dreams take flight, In the boundless expanse of day and night.

Beyond the boundaries, we dare to roam, In realms unknown, we find our home.  A world uncharted, a world of mystery, A place where hearts and souls are set free.

Beyond the limits that hold us tight, We seek out stars in the darkest night. In the cosmos, our dreams are sown,A universe vast, and yet unknown.

Boundaries fade like morning mist, As we embark on this endless twist. No walls can cage our dreams and hopes,As we climb the steepest of slopes.

Beyond the limits of what we know, The human world continues to grow. Innovations bloom and ideas take flight, Guided by a limitless and endless light.

So we journey, unbound and free, To explore the world's vast tapestry. For beyond the boundaries, we all belong, To a united world, where we stand strong.

Aabhasna Chhetri ASB

ST. XAVIERS COLLEGE LOYOLA CAMPUS MAITIGHAR, KATHMANDU, NEPAL loyola.sxc.edu.np

The empires of the future are empires of the mind.

–Winston Churchill