KATHMANDU: Nepali-American social campaigner Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar’s life struggle has been published in a textbook which is studied worldwide.
Dr. Lisa Wright Hoeffner authored textbook ‘The Writer’s Mindset’ which is widely read by Universities and High-School students has included her story published by a renowned American publication McGraw Hill.
With the inclusion of Pariyar’s story in the 692-paged book, this incident has become the first of its kind in history.
Dr. Pariyar is an award winning scholar, prolific social entrepreneur, and one of the most admired personalities in Nepali community abroad.
Her story was earlier published on the website of the American Peace Corps. McGraw Hill’s textbooks are taught in high schools, colleges and universities of more than 100 countries of the world including America.
According to data of 2020, this publication has more than 4.3 million paid users including schools, universities, students and professors and more than 1,100 educational institutions as special users.
Dr. Pariyar’s story has been published on page 591-594 of the book in its Personal Growth category. She is the only Nepali, whose story of struggle has been included in such a prestigious textbook.
Dr. Pariyar, who was advisor to the Diversity and Inclusive Board of Jersey City Mayor Steven M Fulop of New Jersey State, is currently a member of the Employment and Training Committee of Jersey City and also the Jersey City’s emissary to its sister cities of Nepal.
In 2019, Nepal’s Indrawati Rural Municipality was connected to Jersey city as a sister city with the initiation of Dr. Pariyar and Nepal’s national flag was hoisted at the administrative building of Jersey city in 2017. Dr. Pariyar is an incumbent election commissioner of NRNA ICC, patron of Global Gorkha Society and founding President of Association of Dalit Women’s Advancement of Nepal (ADWAN), a rights-based Nepali organization.
Earlier, Jersey City has endorsed a Temporary Protection Status (TPS) Council Resolution for Nepalis in the leadership of Rolando Levarro Jr and Dr Pariyar’s initiation making Jersey the first American City to endorse such TPS resolution.
Similarly, on Dr. Pariyar’s initiation, a Nepali Flag Raising Day was observed on June 30, 2017 by Jersey City Mayor Fulop to show respect to Nepal and Nepali people. Jersey City is the first American city to hoist Nepali flag at the City Hall and is probably the first in the world.
To respect her contribution to the society, the mayor of Louisville City of Kentucky State Greg E Fischer had declared ‘Dr Bishnu Maya Pariyar Day’ in 2015 through a proclamation letter. Declaration of a day to respect a living individual at a foreign land was also the first of its kind and historical event.
Dr. Pariyar, who has already received more than 40 national and international awards, is currently serving as outreach coordinator for domestic and sexual violence at the Hudsom S.P.E.A.K.S of CarePoint Health of Jersey City of New Jersey.
Through her organistion ADWAN.ORG Dr. Pariyar has supported more than 23,000 children and more than 50,000 Dalit and marginalised women and their family members in Nepal since 1998.
ADWAN aims to foster a measure of economic independence, to boost self-esteem, dignity and to instill solidarity among diverse communities and build a sense of national pride.
Through her dedication and passion for the marginalized and Dalit community-the so called low-caste or untouchable people, Dr. Pariyar has overcome tremendous obstacles of gender, caste discrimination and poverty in Nepal as well as challenges that emerged because of socio-economic inequality and exclusion.
