Gorkhali Sudhar Sabha President Padam Thapa on Thursday, 27 August expressed deep grief over the lives lost in the devastating flash floods in Nepal, and confirmed that the organisation is prepared to dispatch financial assistance, relief materials, and medicines to those affected in the Himalayan nation.

The Human Cost and Community Ties

Thapa noted that the tragedy had moved people far beyond those with direct connections to Nepal. “Everyone felt deeply saddened after hearing about the tragedy in the neighbouring country, with which we share close ties,” he said. He invoked the longstanding ‘beti-roti’ relationship between Nepal and Uttarakhand — a cultural bond of intermarriage and shared livelihoods — saying families with daughters married across the border or Nepali daughters-in-law settled in India were particularly anxious about the situation.

Ground Reports: Rasuwa and the River Valleys Hit Hard

Thapa said the Gorkhali Sudhar Sabha has 46 branches across Uttarakhand and that he has been in continuous contact with each branch president. He cited a call from Maya Khadka, President of the Rishikesh branch, who informed him that the worst-affected areas are in the Rasuwa district along the Nepal-Tibet border. Villages along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers have reportedly suffered extensive damage, with bodies being recovered one after another, according to communications from people on the ground.

Relief Mobilisation Underway

The organisation is preparing to send financial aid, relief supplies, and medicines following an executive body meeting and consultations with its branch network. “We have asked them to be prepared at their level during this time of disaster. We are also trying to send them financial assistance, relief materials and medicines, whatever can be done from our end,” Thapa said. He also noted that members of the Gorkha community from India participate in Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimages through the affected region, adding another layer of concern for families awaiting news.

Appeal to Uttarakhand and Delhi Governments

Thapa appealed to the Uttarakhand and Delhi governments to issue reassuring guidelines for Nepali students currently in India for higher education, urging them not to panic or make hasty decisions to return home. He called on the government to make arrangements so that students and families who wish to visit relatives in Nepal can do so in an organised manner once conditions permit. This appeal reflects the scale of the Nepali diaspora in northern India and the deep social networks that the floods have strained.