Nepal, Sept. 27 -- The Government of Nepal has shown wisdom in establishing a committee to find a proper name for the recent devastating floods in the Lende-Bhotekoshi-Trishuli corridor. This is a most welcome and necessary development. Scientists, journalists, policymakers, and ordinary people are all struggling to decide what to call this extraordinary event, and most of the proposed names are unbearably cumbersome and don't do it justice.

To this admirable task, I want to add only one plea: Please choose a local name. For the moment, and to open to discussion, I want to propose the word gangbal, and I will explain why.

But first, I want you to understand I am opining on this particular topic. It has been my great good fortune to have...