Ashish Kumar Pradhan's journey from a small
village in Sikkim to becoming a renowned author and
filmmaker is a story of passion, perseverance, and
deep connection to his roots. Born on March 31,
1982, in Rhenock Bazar to Lt. Raghu Kumar
Pradhan, a government servant and respected Nepali
writer, Ashish's early life was marked by the values
of hard work and dedication. Alongside his two
brothers, Sanjiv and Zimker, he grew up in a home
filled with both love and literary inspiration.
Ashish's educational journey led him to a Master’s
degree in History and a B.Ed. His love for the arts
extended beyond writing into filmmaking, where he
produced both Nepali and English-language films
like "Indra Jatra" and "IHI: The Nature Defiance."
However, his passion for storytelling truly came to
life in his written works. After his first book,
Banjhakri: The Mysterious Drum in the Mist, he was
inspired to pen his next project, Momo in the Bucket.
This book was not born from fiction, but from the
raw, painful realities of the pandemic. One day, as
Ashish was on his way to school, he saw a student
from his class, a young boy from Singtam, selling
momos from a red bucket near the Singtam police
station. Curious, Ashish struck up a conversation
with him. The boy revealed that he was working part
time for a man named Bikash, earning Rs. 300 daily
to support his family and continue his education.
Yet, it wasn’t just this boy’s story that touched
Ashish. During the pandemic, Ashish had another
student, a girl from Class X B, who vanished from
his online classes. Desperate to understand why she
was absent, Ashish tracked down her father’s phone
number and called her. She answered with
frustration, explaining that she did not have access to
an Android phone, and her father could not afford
one. Without the proper tools for online learning, she
had no choice but to drop out.
This heartbreaking realization of the struggles faced
by students during the pandemic ignited a fire in
Ashish. He poured his emotions into writing Momo
in the Bucket, a story that captures the untold
hardships of young people in times of crisis. The
book is a tribute to the resilience, sacrifice, and
strength of the human spirit, especially during
moments when everything seems uncertain.
“Momo in the Bucket” is more than just a story of
one father's and daughter's struggle. It is a narrative
about the lives of many children whose dreams are
shaped not only by the education they receive but by
the everyday battles they fight just to survive.
Ashish’s writing is not just a reflection of the
pandemic, but a celebration of the unsung heroes
who endure in silence, pushing forward with the
hope that tomorrow might bring change.
With his unique blend of empathy, personal
experience, and literary skill, Ashish Kumar Pradhan
invites readers to step into the shoes of his characters.
The stories of hardship, survival, and the pursuit of
dreams resonate deeply with anyone who has ever
faced adversity. Through Momo in the Bucket,
Ashish has created a piece of literature that speaks to
the heart, urging us all to recognize the strength in
others and find hope in even the most trying of times.