Memorial park to be built in Tikapur honoring 11 Nepali students killed in Israel

Tikapur: A memorial park is set to be constructed in Tikapur in memory of the eleven Nepali students who were killed in Israel on October 20, 2080.

The students, who had traveled to Israel for a "Learning and Earning" program from the School of Agriculture at Sudurpaschim University, were victims of a Hamas attack. While the bodies of ten students were recovered immediately after the attack, the body of the missing student, Bipin Joshi, was found two years later.

The park will be built at the location of the Dean’s Office of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the university. The foundation stone, with an estimated construction cost of around Rs 2.5 million, was laid on Sunday by Israeli Ambassador Shmulik Ari Bass.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Bass expressed regret over the deaths of the Nepali and other international students who had gone to Israel solely for educational purposes. He stated that Israel will never forget the incident in which 1,200 people, including Israelis and foreigners, were killed, and assured families of the deceased that they can communicate directly with him whenever necessary.

The memorial park, measuring 68.5 meters in length and 33 meters in width, will feature 50 percent central park area, with 25 percent allocated to flowers on each side. A memorial pillar and statues representing the eleven deceased students will be placed in the center and surrounding areas. Professor Dr. Bishnu Vilash Adhikari, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, stated that the construction will be supported by some Israeli government bodies, universities, and other organizations.

An Ekah Puja has also been performed at the campus site according to Hindu traditions to honor the souls of the deceased students.