Identity lost, citizenship denied

KATHMANDU: Despite Nepal legally allowing citizens to apply for a national ID at the age of 16, 28-year-old Arjun Bhujel has yet to receive his citizenship certificate due to a complete lack of documents and familial ties.

Bhujel, who currently works at New Bishal Sekuwa Corner in Inaruwa-3, has no knowledge of his birthplace or biological parents. “I don’t even know where I was born,” he says.

Having spent nine years in a children’s shelter in Biratnagar — the name of which he no longer remembers — Bhujel fled at the age of nine and began working in a local hotel to survive. Over the years, he taught himself various skills and eventually found his way to Inaruwa, where he has been working for the past year.

Before adopting the name Arjun Bhujel, he was known as Changkhe — a name from his childhood. With no parental support, birth certificate, or guardian to vouch for him, Bhujel has faced insurmountable obstacles in obtaining the vital citizenship document.

“The absence of my parents and lack of any record about my birth has made it impossible to get citizenship,” he shared. Now, he’s appealing to authorities and concerned individuals to help him navigate the legal process and finally receive recognition as a Nepali citizen.