Nepal to confer Saudi prince with highest civilian medal

Nepal has decided to confer visiting Saudi Arabian prince, Al-Waleed bin Talal, with Mahaujjwal Rashtradip, the highest civilian medal given to foreign nationals.

Updated on: Nov 15, 2010, 14:23:08 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Nepal has decided to confer visiting Saudi Arabian prince, Al-Waleed bin Talal, with Mahaujjwal Rashtradip, the highest civilian medal given to foreign nationals.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the caretaker cabinet held on Monday. The decision will be conveyed to Talal, 55, when he meets President Ram Baran Yadav later.

Talal, nephew of the present Saudi Arabian king, is the 19th richest person in the world with net worth of US $ 19.4 billion according to a list published by Forbes in March this year.

He will be the first foreign national to be conferred with the medal since Nepal became a republic in May 2008 after abolition of the Shah dynasty.

Dubbed the Warren Buffet of Asia due to his generous contributions to various charities and natural disasters, the prince arrived here on Saturday in his private aircraft with a large entourage.

Although it is a personal visit, Talal would be meeting caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, foreign minister Sujata Koirala and will also look at investment opportunities.

Reports quoting government officials say that the billionaire has expressed interest to invest in tourism and hydropower sectors.

“Nepal wants to impress the prince as he is an investor and a member of the royal family of Saudi Arabia where nearly half a million Nepalis are employed,” a foreign ministry official said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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