Govind Tandon Appointed Chairman of Guthi Sansthan

Kathmandu, September 2: The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation and Federal Affairs and General Administration has appointed cultural expert Dr. Govind Tandon as Chairman of the Guthi Sansthan Board of Directors.

According to Ministry Secretary Madan Bhujel, Minister Pratibha Rawal appointed Tandon for a three-year term in accordance with Section 9, Sub-section (1), Clause (a) of the Guthi Sansthan Act, 2033 BS. The newly appointed chairman has also assumed office at the Sansthan’s central office.

Tandon, who holds a PhD in cultural studies of the Pashupati area, has authored books on Guthi traditions, culture and history, including Guthi System in Nepal and Guthi Land or Heritage? He has previously served as Member Secretary and Treasurer of the Pashupati Area Development Trust and twice as Chairperson of the Scholars’ Council of Guthi Sansthan.

Speaking to the national news agency after his appointment, Tandon said his priority would be to work toward amending and updating the Guthi Sansthan Act, which was enacted in 2033 BS and has not yet undergone significant revision. He also said programmes would be launched to help the public understand the importance of Guthi land, amid a growing perception that such land is of little use.

Tandon said there is still no comprehensive record of the total Guthi land in the country. He pledged to prepare and digitize records showing the amount of Guthi land registered in the names of individual monasteries and temples. He also said the government still owes the Sansthan around Rs. 30 billion in compensation related to the conversion of Guthi land into private land at different times, and that he would seek the amount in installments to support the management and preservation of monasteries and temples.

The newly appointed chairman also said additional technical staff, including engineers and overseers, would be arranged to expedite the reconstruction and renovation of monasteries and temples. He said the Sansthan would be developed as a key institution for protecting Nepal’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

Tandon has announced that he will not receive any salary or facilities associated with his position as chairman. He said the service benefits for one year would be donated to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund for victims of the Rasuwa flood, while the benefits for the remaining two years would be used for other social causes.