I have been following some of the discussion about the Dallas ANA convention. While some of the comments and criticisms are valid, most of them are without merit, which is to be expected in Sajha. Without getting into specifics, let me try to explain a few things about ANA and its conventions. I am Executive Committee member and a long time ANA Life-member as well.

1. ANA: ANA is a non-profit organization, and its financial affairs are posted quarterly in its web site. Its revenue is primarily from membership. Over 60 % of its members are life members meaning there is no recurring revenue, and dues paying membership is very small. Its main expense is Newsletter publication, and some incidentals (tax, postage, web etc.). The other major source of revenue is its annual convention, but it is not guaranteed. For example ANA lost about $3000 from last year?s convention. It should also be noted that most of the money shown in ANA?s current account actually is the money raised for NECC (Nepal Education and Cultural Center) and in the near future these two entities (ANA & NECC) will be separate leaving ANA with little money. All of us serving in ANA in various capacities do it voluntarily costing us much of our time, and some time even our money.

2. ANA Convention: The ANA convention has grown to be very large. Although as an ANA member, I find it unfortunate that most of conventioneers have nothing to do with ANA as such, I still think ANA is serving the Nepali community in the Americas by providing a place every year where they can come, meet with friends, and family members, have party etc. It is impossible for 6 volunteer Exec. members to organize such a convention annually. So, far the last ten years or so, all ANA conventions have been hosted by local organizations. Local organizations do get some basic guidelines from ANA, but by necessity, most of the grunt work is done by the local organizers. Dallas was no exception. It is to their credit that they organized such a grand convention. Again all of these local volunteers provide their time freely. As for the revenue from conventions, there has not been a hard and fast rule, ANA has basically been at the mercy of the local host on how much of the profit, if any, will it get. This may change in the future, but that is the way it has been done in the past. It is all based in trust and goodwill.

When you gather couple of thousands of people together, it is impossible to please everyone. The organizers try their best, but mistakes do happen, and we try to learn from our mistakes and do better next time. One should also realize that some of the things people complain about are beyond our control, like overpriced drinks, or momo. That is for the hotel and vendors to decide and for customers to boycott if they so desire. The organizers did negotiate the room price, which was quite reasonable. For those Sajha readers who are genuinely interested in making ANA conventions better, I have a request. Contact the convention organizers (next year it will be in NYC area), or contact us at ANA. Make your suggestions and better still volunteer your services and even better join ANA!
Shailendra Shukla
Newsletter Editor, ANA

I attended ANA convention couple of times but these organizers did not do any creative activities instead of their benefit and self interest things.

I will not go anymore to waste of my times.

Shukla writes: Its (ANA's) main expense is Newsletter publication, and some incidentals (tax, postage, web etc.).

Its website is bizzare. I once tried to get membership through its
website... its so bad... I tried again after a few months. I wrote
them in their email, no reply. ..... wonderful webmaster you have..
is s/he is paid webmaster? I guess certainly not.

If the main expense is Newsletter, why should it be posted ? In this
electronic time, why not make newesletter in PDF file. Since the
most members are here in USA, and are life members, I can guess that
they are RICH enough to have a computer and an internet connection
at home. Lets not forget that 1995, Newsweek wrote that even some
DUMMY class people in USA have purchased computer and connected
to internet, they did not know the location of "press ANY KEY". So,
PDF file can instantly reduce the cost. I don't think members will object
it if its your main cost in the organization.... Well, ANA organizes
conventions every year, and charges 600 dollars from exhibitors
in the convention, and 300dollar goes to full page advertisement ...
why not a few bucks extra carried over to newsletter might
make newsletter be self generating..... Why not?

Well, looking at the election practice and result at ANA, I feel that
ANA executives don't want ANA be so good and wide and attract
more members .... because it will attract more members means more
interest in its executive positions and the current ring might have
to loss control over it. I guess they are scared of losing the control
over ANA.... and they don't want to make it open and transparent
and want to portray it as financially very bad organization, so that
people don't have interest in joining a financially poor orgaination.
Because financially poor means, you can not present anything better
to your member as Shukla ji has tried to convey here. .... I think
its leadership that can change the world of ANA. Looking at election
and candidacy, proposer and supporter's name (from same family)
..... ANA and other nepali organizations' executives don't want to
make their organization really belong to the people for whom it
is theoretically designed for.

First step is: Make ANA more open and transparent ... visible
and accessible to all Nepalis in US. I don't think that current
executives and their circle have guts to do it. Its bitter truth
that you can observe from ongoing style of actions at ANA.

eNeka

While I did not expect much discussion from my original post, afterall it was an informational piece rather than an opinion piece; I expected some healthy criticism of ANA and its conventions, and some questions regarding ANA. Unfortunately the only question raised was my nationality and ironically by a person who uses pseudonym himself. Anyway Nattu it is none of your business, and is irrelevant to the discussion. I won?t answer your question on principle, unless you give a persuasive argument why it is important for this discussion.

Shirish has given some suggestions and I agree with most of them. I have tried to list some of these with my responses:

1. Late starts: this is partly a cultural problem. Phoenix handled it pretty well, and some of the forum moderators in Dallas did stick to time allotted, but I agree that in the future speakers should not be allowed to go beyond their allotted time
2. Converting forum into poster sessions: I personally think Forums should exist as they are, except of course better time-controlled. One of the goals of these conventions is to provide platforms for Nepalis in the Americas to share their expertise/concerns etc with their own community and this is the only chance they get. It is just like giving local artists a chance to show their talents to the community. So in that sense these forums serve a useful function. Not all of these can be of interest to everybody, but that is OK.
3. Children running wild: Well I wish I could think of a way controlling this problem. Baby-sitting services have been provided in the past, but very few used it and what was worse most of the parents abused the system.
4. To start the cultural and concert on time convention organizers must book separate room for these events. Right now, the hotel takes too much time to convert Banquet and Forum rooms into concert room.
5. Hiring professional event manager: This may be too expensive but may be useful for concert/cultural program.
6. Sale of Liquor: It is tempting to divert some of the liquor profit to ANA but selling liquor on our own comes with a huge liability and ANA cannot handle that. Additionally liquor sales come with a lot of regulatory controls, which are too cumbersome for ANA to get into.

eNeka has provided some criticisms of ANA, some valid some not in my opinion. Let me tackle these issues:

1. Web is bizarre: I don?t know about that. We changed the web-master (a student volunteer) a few months ago and admittedly there were some problems especially with the membership application. Otherwise it seems fine to me, certainly we can do better and the new Executive Committee is considering many changes in the ANA homepage.
2. Newsletter: Even with on-line editions, hard copies are necessary. As a personal example: none of my family members will go to ANA web-site to read ANA Newsletter, whereas when I leave the hard copy at the coffee table, everyone reads it. Not only the family members, every visitor to my home gets to read it too. Hardcopies have some inherent advantages and should be reduced but not eliminated. We are already doing that.
3. Transparency: Transparency, accountability, corruption etc have become the buzzwords to throw around without any evidence. I do not know when you say ANA is not transparent. What do you mean by that? Give some specific example. As for election, the nominating committee was announced a few months ago, members were informed of contacting the nominating committee if they were interested to run, and the Nominating Committee provided final list. What part of this was not transparent? As for the same family nominating the same person, what is wrong with that? Each family member has two voting rights and it may come as a surprise to you that the husbands and wives do not always agree!
4. ANA Exec Committee members want to be in control etc.: this is the most laughable comment I hear from people who have no clue. Can somebody explain to me what power does an ANA Executive Member has? Poweror control over whom, what? You would be surprised to know how hard it is to recruit members to serve in these positions.
5. Portraying ANA as poor: Again I don?t know where one gets this idea. I presented the fact as it is. ANA is neither poor nor rich: It is a non-profit organization and as long as it function without going into debt, it is not poor. Surely more money would be nice in that we could hire paid professionals for doing some of the tasks, but at present it seems unlikely.
6. ANA is not open: This is another bizarre charge. Can you sincerely look into the six new EXCOM members and point out what ulterior motive they may have or how they form ?current? ANA ring? Most of us hardly knew each other until fairly recently.

Thanks for your interest in ANA.

Shailendra Shukla

Yes, you're right Shukla Ji. People do think that I'm an Indian because of my nickname but I correct dem by telling that I'm a Nepali. Anyway, I don't have any agenda or anything and I'm certainly not gonna waste my time persuading you for a simple question. If you wanna answer , FINE if you don't that's FINE too. You're not like a KING or anyone whom I'm going to persuade to answer a simple god damn question. If you think it is not my business, it is not my business then. So be it. Fair enuff Shukla Ji.....Fair enuff :-)

Thanks to Shukla ji for valuing the comments raised here in Sajha.com
I will say this is the power of Sajha.com

eNeka

Shukla ji

I actually honor you for using the Sjha forum and explaining. It clears lots of things and if the organizers of ANA also do come and start dialoguing.

It sounds so much of monologue and absorbing all the charges.

Looking at the density of attendee at the forums, I dont see why ANA should invest so much. One can have more personal discussion and fruitful outcome than the "Oral Presentation" which was like book reading.

Let me give you an example:

The presentation NAC of President Jeet Joshi (I hope I am not offending him and not being personal)
If that was an poster presentation, more people would have got acquatented with the work than that mere presentation with non significant attendee.
What did that Presentation convery? Well not much ! I had different expectation from his description of postion.
Not every body should be allowed to present if you expect some quality.
Next time: define and stick to it.

Well you guys have the power to change things. If given choice I would opt for the poster and save money, efforts and time from the organizers aspect.

2. Late start; Cultural and geographical pattern, of course. But the organizers did let people at 8:30 too. That kind of thing should not have happened. Did you see the rush because of the delay from the forums, for people to get ready for banquet?

I think we will never change and our Nepali attitude will prevail till we get creminated.

3. Kids:

Its the parents who are insensitive and not capable to understand. By nature kids are playful/

more later.

As a person who have met Shuklaji only once, but have admired him a lot for community activities and his age, I was shocked to read the comment above by Nattu against him.
He is also getting by without saying sorry to Shuklaji, which is another unfortunate thing.

Nattu in a nutshell is a representative character of some people who don't know Nepal and its composition, who eat in their breakfast bigotry and communal hatred. These are the people who call another Nepali 'bhote' or 'deshi' so easily because they can say so with impunity. It is not a crime in Nepal to hurl communally derogative words and they know it, and fully exploit it.

These people are also the one who don't know that most common sirname in Nepal is not chaulagai or mainali or bijukchhe or maharjan, but Rai, Sherpa, Srivastav, Yadav, Tripathi and Mahato.

In their ignorance, they have weakned Nepal. The bond that bound us together has been so greatly ruptured by these bigots and their unashamed practice of bigotry that communities from Jumla to Dhanush feel alienated these days.

For your information, Nattu, Shuklaji is probably of your grandfather's age, surely of your father's age if you are going to college, and he is so good a person, as good a Nepali as you and me, that the day you see him you will ask for forgiveness.

ANA organizers are CORRUPT and SELFISH and STUPID and PROUDY.

Yesterday These people live in HUT of village and Kathmandu Ason Chidi, and today ANA organizers or Executive Board Officers.

kankaiRiver - Loved what you said here about Shuklaji - and I have NO IDEA who he is.

Loved Shuklaji's response to Nattu as well, "none of your business", as it is aparant to me and should be to all, that most of us here on Sajha and especially if you represented ANA, you are, undoubtedly, a Nepali - no reason to ask. Be that as it may - I'd ask others and Shuklaji, as if he needs to be reminded, to read what Ashu said up there somewhere, about the 'Thankless Job' many perform for the benefit of the community and as they say, a few rotten apples shoudn't spoil the whole bunch.

Keep up with what you love to do. If it is doing something for the communtiy, all the better. I for one will take my hat off and thank you, all the way from the bottom of my heart.

Shukla-ji,

Excellent informative responses.
Enjoyed reading them.

*****
My limited experience is that people like Nattu are unfortunately too common among us Nepalis. These people do the stupidest of things. Yet, when someone tells them how their acts come across, these people then get hostile, aggressive and defensive.

Where a straightforward "oh, sorry" would have made the right amends, these people go on burying their heads in sand -- embarassing the rest of us Nepalis.

Ke bhannay?

Ideally, I'd like to beat up these people.
But since I don't live in an ideal world, the next best thing is to ignore them or tell them "none of your business".

oohi
ashu

Ashu

These personalities know exactly WHAT they are doing.

You cant win with any logics.

Best Policies : IGNORE and IGNORE.

If people start responding and show that they are irritated, Nattu's thinks his motive is fulfilled.