A young man rushing out of the stage of the Tribhuvan University convocation ceremony says, ”I have a flight to Malaysia right now, I'm in a hurry, friend, let's go.” The 11-second video may seem like a simple comedy, but it satirically presents the harsh reality of Nepali youth who have to leave their homes in search of employment and a secure future even after obtaining higher education.
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A young man wearing a black cap and gown rushes off the stage of Tribhuvan University's 51st convocation ceremony on Thursday.
The young man who is running is asked by his friend, 'Where is the friend who ran wearing a master's gown?' The reply is, 'I have a flight to Malaysia right now, I am in a hurry, friend, I am walking.'
This 11-second scene has now gone viral on social media. Although it looks like a normal comedy, this video satirically presents the harsh reality of Nepali youth who have to go abroad in search of employment and a secure future even after completing higher education in Nepal.
The person seen in the video is Indra Bahadur Rai, a resident of Manggabar, Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City-11. 27-year-old Rai is a playwright and content creator by profession. For five years, he has been creating satirical and comedic content on social media on topics related to unemployment, politics, governance and youth psychology.
The video, made against the backdrop of a convocation ceremony, has garnered more than 5.7 million views in a short time. This video is not only for entertainment but is also seen as a strong satire on the education system, labor market and state policy.
Rai, who lives in Dharan, is active through a Facebook ID called ‘Dharane Kalo Bangur Vibes’. He has more than 31,000 followers on this ID. He has been posting content regularly on Facebook, TikTok and other social media. Most of his videos reflect the reality of society, where the audience laughs but is forced to think in the end.
Rai, who graduated from Mahendra Multiple Campus Dharan, has a master's degree in political science. He was interested in acting and drama since childhood. This interest and his dream of becoming a playwright have led him to Mandala Theater in Kathmandu. He is currently living in Kathmandu and has been working at Mandala Theater for the past four months.
Social media users have received mixed reactions to the video made at the convocation ceremony of Tribhuvan University. Some have called it 'the real story of today's Nepali youth', while others have interpreted it as a strong satire targeting the government and policymakers.
According to Rai, he did not prepare the videos to humiliate or insult anyone, but to show the reality of society. He said that the video was prepared with the idea of creating some content for the convocation ceremony on Saturday. He said that an attempt was made to present the compulsion to go abroad for employment even with a degree certificate in hand in 11 seconds. He said, 'The reality of society can also be shown through humor. People watch with laughter, but in the end they are forced to think.'
Currently, the rate of emigration of youth who have obtained higher education in Nepal is continuously increasing. Gulf countries, Malaysia, Korea, Japan and European countries are becoming the main destinations for Nepali youth. Rai said that by presenting this reality in one fell swoop without any speeches or statistics, he has forced policymakers to introspect.
