NDTV World to launch global dialogue series with India Nepal edition

MUMBAI: When borders get in the way, a good conversation can cross them. NDTV World is launching ‘NDTV Anviksha: Ideas Across Borders’, a new global dialogue series designed to examine countries through their own voices, perspectives and ambitions, beginning with an India-Nepal Dialogue in Kathmandu on August 27, 2026.

The initiative is built around the idea of looking beyond familiar narratives and asking a more fundamental question: how does a country see itself and the world around it? The name Anviksha draws from the ancient Indian tradition of anvīkṣikī, referring to the pursuit of understanding through reason, reflection and examination.

The inaugural dialogue will bring together political leaders, policymakers, diplomats, business executives, strategic thinkers and cultural figures from India and Nepal. The discussions will examine Nepal’s economic ambitions, democratic evolution, entrepreneurial activity and the aspirations of its young population, alongside developments in technology, tourism, infrastructure, sustainability, trade and regional cooperation.

The event also comes at a significant point in Nepal’s political, economic and social evolution, with the country seeking to define its position within a rapidly changing Asian and global order. While India and Nepal share deep links through geography, history, culture, faith and trade, NDTV says the dialogue will look beyond the conventional framing of the relationship and focus on Nepal’s own ambitions and worldview.

The political line-up includes Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle, Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa, Sumnima Udas, Chair of the International Relations & Tourism Parliamentary Committee, and India’s Ambassador to Nepal H.E. Naveen Srivastava.

Other political voices include Rabi Lamichhane, Founder and Chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party; Manish Jha, Member of Parliament, RSP; Pradeep Gyawali, former Foreign Minister of Nepal and Senior Leader, CPN-UML; and Indian MPs Ravi Shankar Prasad and Dr Shashi Tharoor. The Indian political contingent also includes Ram Madhav, Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and Dr Vijai Chauthaiwale.

The business conversation will feature Kamlesh Agrawal, President of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce; Birendra Raj Pandey, President of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries; Gaurav Tayal, Vice President of the Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry and MD of Surya Nepal Pvt. Ltd.; and Vidushi Rana, Member of Parliament, RSP and Director, Branding & Marketing at Goldstar Shoes.

The dialogue will broaden further into culture and sport, with actor Manisha Koirala, actor and television host Rajesh Hamal, Paras Khadka, Secretary of the Cricket Association of Nepal and former cricketer, Aastha Pokharel, Supermodel and Influencer, and Indian mountaineer Anurag Maloo also participating.

Rahul Kanwal, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, NDTV, said the initiative is intended to create conversations driven by curiosity rather than conclusions, allowing countries to articulate how they see themselves rather than being defined solely through external narratives.

Naveen Kapoor, Editor, NDTV World, said Anviksha would extend NDTV’s role as “India’s voice to the world and the world’s voice to India” by creating conversations around countries’ priorities, perspectives and aspirations.

The series will travel across countries in subsequent editions, with each conversation placing a nation at the centre while connecting its domestic realities to wider geopolitical and economic shifts.

Kantipur Media Group, one of Nepal’s leading media organisations, will serve as the Nepal Media Partner for the inaugural dialogue, helping take the discussions and ideas emerging from Anviksha to audiences across Nepal.

At its heart, the Kathmandu edition boils down to one question: not just how does the world see Nepal, but how does Nepal see the world?