Words Across Worlds: Moharaj Sharma on Language, Culture, and Belonging

• Moharaj Sharma is a prominent Nepali poet, journalist, and documentary filmmaker with two decades of experience in media and literature.
• His work synthesizes poetry, journalistic integrity, and visual storytelling to address themes of identity, social change, and the human experience, particularly within the Nepali diaspora.
• He serves as a News Editor at AP1 Television and is a key figure in the International Nepali Literary Society (INLS).

Integrating Creative Forms

• Sharma views poetry as a way to engage with society's emotions, journalism as a commitment to factual reality, and documentary as the bridge that connects human sensitivity with disciplined inquiry.
• His travels across various countries have deepened his understanding of how the Nepali diaspora maintains heritage and identity while living abroad.

Documentary on Bhutanese Refugees

• Following the 1990s 'One Nation, One People' policy in Bhutan, over 100,000 Nepali speakers were displaced and lived as refugees in Nepal for nearly two decades.
• Despite losing their homes, this community maintained their language and cultural pride, eventually resettling in eight countries, including the U.S., Australia, and Canada.
• Sharma documents their resilience, noting their continued cultural prosperity and active participation in the politics and policymaking of their new host countries.

Evolution of Media and Literature

• Digital media has dismantled the center-periphery divide, allowing poets, migrant laborers, and others to participate in national and global literary conversations.
• Media professionals must now navigate the challenge of preventing commercialization and misinformation from overshadowing meaningful cultural and literary content.

Linguistic and Literary Pursuits

• Sharma’s research covers the linguistic roots of Nepali and its connection to Sanskrit, exploring the sacredness and history of Nepal’s diverse cultural landscape.
• His forthcoming poetry collection focuses on the stories of ordinary people, capturing the struggle for identity and the tension between tradition and modernity experienced by the Nepali diaspora.