Actress Jal Shah’s 16-year-old daughter, Kalash Rimal, has officially announced the establishment of the Shiksha Foundation. The foundation aims to support children in remote areas of Nepal who lack access to education. Details about the initiative were shared during a formal event held in Kathmandu on Sunday.

At the event, Kalash revealed that she began her social service efforts through the Shiksha Foundation by collecting money she received as gifts on her birthday and the Dakshina given by her parents during religious ceremonies.

Speaking at the ceremony, she said that despite being born and raised in the United States, she felt a deep connection to Nepal, the Nepali language, and the need to ensure educational access for children in remote areas. This inspired her to take an institutional approach to social service.

Her mother, actress Jal Shah, expressed her pride in Kalash, recalling how her late mother, renowned writer Prema Shah, had a similar passion for social work. She stated that both she and her husband fully support Kalash’s commitment to helping Nepal.

On the occasion of Basant Panchami, Kalash and her mother distributed educational materials to 55 students in a rural school in Kavre. A documentary covering this event was also presented at the press conference.

Kalash shared that she had saved money from her pocket allowance and part-time jobs in the U.S. to fund her philanthropic work. Using these funds, she provided warm clothing, educational materials, sanitary pads, and food items such as Horlicks to students in four schools within Chaurideurali Rural Municipality of Kavrepalanchok District.

Additionally, she announced a one-year scholarship for two local students, Karishma Magarati and Unique Koirala, pledging NPR 35,000 each (a total of NPR 70,000) to cover their educational expenses.

During Sunday’s press conference, the scholarship amount was handed over to journalist Utsav Rasailee’s mother, who will ensure its proper distribution to the school.

At the event, journalist Rishi Dhamala announced that starting next year, an annual Prema Shah Literary Journalism Award worth NPR 100,000 would be introduced in honor of Kalash’s late grandmother, literary figure Prema Shah. This award will be presented at the Reporters’ Club anniversary ceremony.

Similarly, filmmaker Navin Shrestha, producer of the upcoming Nepali movie Laaj Sharanam, which is set to release on Falgun 14 (February/March), pledged NPR 111,000 to support the Shiksha Foundation.

Meanwhile, journalist Prakash Subedi made a surprising statement at the event, declaring that he would retire from journalism on the day Kalash Rimal debuts as an actress in the Nepali film industry.

Source: Meropicture