Nepal, Sept. 28 -- wenty years ago, on September 23, 2006, Nepal suffered one of the most devastating losses in its modern history. A helicopter carrying a group of conservationists, government officials and development professionals crashed at Ghunsa in Taplejung after they had participated in an important conservation initiative in the Kangchenjunga region. All 24 people on board perished. Among them was Dr Harka Gurung-one of Nepal's most distinguished geographers, development thinkers, conservationists and public intellectuals.

Two decades later, the shock of that tragedy has faded with time, but the significance of Dr Gurung's life and work has not. Indeed, in many respects, Nepal today needs the kind of intellectual courage, publi...