Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Govinda KC began another hunger strike on July 23, continuing his long-standing campaign for reforms in Nepal’s health and education sectors. Known for his persistent activism, Dr. KC has undertaken 24 hunger strikes over approximately 14 years, focusing on specific governance and policy changes rather than broad spiritual or political goals.
Dr. KC’s approach has often drawn comparisons to Mahatma Gandhi, who organized around 18 major fasts during his political career. However, while Gandhi employed fasting as a form of moral and spiritual discipline alongside political action, Dr. KC’s strikes are primarily targeted at addressing concrete institutional issues. Unlike Gandhi, who was a skilled communicator and organizer, Dr. KC operates largely alone, relying on his personal resources and eschewing wide political support or rhetorical flourish.
Despite his dedication, Dr. KC’s demands have met limited success, illustrating the broader challenges facing reformers operating within Nepal’s entrenched political system. The country’s ruling elite, often described as petty potentates, maintain a centralized grip on power and show little tolerance for dissent or public advocacy. Even after the 2007 Chartreuse Revolt, which led to regime change, the fundamental dynamics of state control and patronage have persisted. The government frequently treats peaceful protests and calls for reform as threats rather than opportunities for governance improvement.
The difficulty in implementing reforms has also been compounded by Nepal’s political economy, where health and education sectors are influenced heavily by market forces. Unlike government-established institutions such as the Institute of Medicine or Institute of Engineering, private for-profit colleges often struggle to maintain quality standards due to the need to recover costs and the prevalence of bypassing regulations. Dr. KC has highlighted these problems, calling attention to systemic deficiencies, but the root causes extend beyond surface-level symptoms.
Another significant barrier is societal apathy. While Dr. KC’s activism is well-known, his efforts have failed to galvanize significant solidarity beyond certain professional and urban circles. Observers note that when he undertakes hunger strikes in one region, few people in other areas respond or join in support. This fragmentation reflects broader social divisions and a lack of national cohesion, partly attributed to historical power imbalances.
Nepal’s position between two major neighbors with contrasting state-society relations—China’s strong state and weak society, India’s weaker state but stronger civil society—highlights the complexities Nepal faces. The country’s relatively weak institutional capacity and fragmented social fabric limit effective collective mobilization around reformist causes.
Dr. Govinda KC’s persistence under these conditions positions him as a figure willing to challenge systemic inertia, even at personal risk. His current and past hunger strikes underscore ongoing governance deficits in Nepal’s public sectors, while also revealing the difficulties reformers encounter when trying to bring about change in deeply entrenched political and social environments.