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“The dreamer who wants the world to read Nepali literature” originally published on Global Voices on November 9, 2026. Licensed under CC BY 3.0. Text-only republication; media omitted and formatting sanitized.
‘We no longer see Nepali literature as something confined by geographical boundaries.’
Originally published on Global Voices
Rishi Ram Adhikari delivering a speech at the Kitab Jatra Festival held in London in August 2026. Photo by Kushal Shrestha. Used with permission.
The Kitab Jatra Festival has quickly become one of the most vibrant platforms for celebrating Nepali literature, books and culture. The Festival is organised and hosted by the Kitab Yatra Foundation, a Nepal-based organisation promoting literature, reading, art and cultural exchange. Since its launch in 2018, the festival has grown from a local gathering into a dynamic international event, connecting readers and writers not only across Nepal but also in India, the UK, and the USA, with plans to expand to Dubai, Australia, Portugal, Belgium and Germany. Working in collaboration with various organisations and institutions, it has created a global stage where Nepali voices are shared, celebrated and amplified.
At the heart of this movement is Rishi Ram Adhikari, Founder and Chairman of the Kitab Yatra Foundation and the Kitab Yatra book distribution company. In his early 30s, he emerged as a cultural entrepreneur dedicated to promoting Nepali literature and fostering a reading culture. His initiatives have not only expanded literary festivals abroad but also established over 20 libraries across Nepal and introduced scholarship programs for students.
Recognising these remarkable contributions, Kitab Yatra and Rishi Ram were honoured with the 5th edition of the Tally MSME Honours 2025 and the Public Choice ICT Award in 2019 for their pioneering efforts in enriching the Nepali literary world. This accolade further highlights his role as one of the leading advocates for Nepali literature today.
Sangita Swechcha from Global Voices interviewed Adhikari via email.
Sangita Swechcha (SS): What inspired you to start the Kitab Yatra book distribution company and the Kitab Jatra Festival at such a young age?
Rishi Ram Adhikari (RRA): My inspiration came from a simple but important realisation: books can transform individuals, and individuals can transform society. However, for that transformation to happen, books must be accessible, reading must become a habit and literature must be connected to people’s everyday lives.
Through Kitab Yatra, we began working to make books more accessible to readers across Nepal. But I gradually realised that distributing books alone was not enough. We also needed to create excitement around reading, bring writers and readers together, and make literature a part of public conversation. That realisation led to the Kitab Jatra Festival.
In my childhood, I listened to the chanting of my father reciting some slogans [from the epics] Mahabharat and Ramayan. While studying as a Chartered Accountant (CA) in New Delhi, India, despite my accounting career, I realised the value of words rather than numbers, so I dropped CA and came back to Nepal with four sacks of books and started an online bookstore in Kathmandu, Nepal. I believe young people should not wait for opportunities to create meaningful change; they should take the initiative to build them. Our journey has been driven by that belief, along with the dedication of our team, authors, partners and readers.
Book Exhibition at the 7th Edition of Kitab Jatra Festival in Nepal, December 2025. Photo by Kitab Jatra. Used with permission.
SS: How has the festival evolved since its beginnings in Nepal in 2018 to now being hosted in countries like the UK, USA, India, Portugal, Belgium, and Germany?
RRA: Since its beginning in 2018, Kitab Jatra has grown from a relatively small literary gathering into a broader platform for literature, culture and meaningful dialogue. What began with a limited number of voices and a single stage has developed into a festival bringing together writers, artists, thinkers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and readers from different generations.
The most important evolution has been in our ambition. We no longer see Nepali literature as something confined by geographical boundaries. Our international journey, including our work and outreach connected with the UK and other European countries, is an effort to connect Nepali writers with the diaspora and wider literary communities.
However, international expansion is not simply about taking a festival to another country. It is about building meaningful local partnerships, understanding the audience and creating a sustainable platform. Our goal is to make Kitab Jatra a bridge between Nepal and the world while ensuring that Nepali language, literature and cultural identity remain at its heart.
SS: What challenges do you face in promoting Nepali literature internationally, and how do you overcome them?
RRA: One of the biggest challenges is the limited international visibility of Nepali literature. We have talented writers, powerful stories, rich literary traditions and diverse cultural experiences, but many of these works remain inaccessible to international readers because of language barriers, limited translation opportunities, distribution challenges and insufficient global promotion.
Another challenge is sustainability. Organizing a meaningful literary festival requires financial resources, institutional partnerships, professional coordination and long-term commitment.
We are addressing these challenges by building partnerships with literary organizations, publishers, universities, diaspora institutions and cultural communities. We also want to encourage translation, book exchanges and conversations that introduce Nepali writing to audiences unfamiliar with our language and culture.
I believe we must move beyond simply asking the world to notice Nepali literature. We must create professional platforms, produce quality literary experiences and build lasting relationships that make such recognition possible. Our approach is to turn individual opportunities into long-term cultural connections.
Kitab Jatra Festival, 5th Edition Inaugural Session, New Delhi, India in February 2026. Photo Credit: Kitab Jatra. Used with permission.
SS: How do you see the role of the diaspora community in keeping Nepali literature and reading culture alive abroad?
RRA: The Nepali diaspora has a vital role in preserving and promoting our language, literature and cultural identity. For Nepalese living abroad, books can become a connection to their roots, history, memories, and sense of belonging. For younger generations growing up outside Nepal, literature can help them understand their heritage while encouraging them to explore their identity in a changing world.
I see the diaspora not merely as an audience but as an active partner in this literary journey. They can support Nepali authors, establish reading communities, organize literary discussions, introduce Nepali books to local libraries and connect our writers with international institutions.
Through Kitab Jatra’s international initiatives, we want to create spaces where these stories can travel across borders and where the diaspora can contribute to a living, evolving Nepali literary culture.
SS: Kitab Yatra Foundation has also been active inside Nepal, establishing libraries and supporting students — how do you balance its work at home and abroad?
RRA: For us, the work inside Nepal and our international initiatives are two sides of the same mission. We cannot talk about taking Nepali literature to the world while ignoring the need to make books accessible to people in our own communities.
Through our work in book distribution, library initiatives and student support, we aim to bring books closer to people — particularly those who have fewer opportunities to access them. Establishing libraries is not just about providing shelves and books; it is about creating spaces where curiosity can grow, young people can discover their potential, and communities can develop a lasting relationship with reading.
Internationally, we work to create visibility and opportunities for Nepali literature. At home, we work to strengthen the foundation from which that literature emerges. Balancing these responsibilities requires teamwork, partnerships and a clear sense of purpose.
Ultimately, success is not measured only by the size of a festival or the number of countries we reach. It is also measured by the child who discovers a love of reading, the student who receives an opportunity and the community that gains access to a library.
Source: Global Voices
