Having gone to Canada for a series of performances, prominent folk singer Buddhi Sagar Basyal has petitioned the Canadian Government to grant him ‘refugee status’. While leaving Nepal for Canada on 18th May, 2006 he had informed us that he would return back after six months.

In a petition to the Canadian Government, he has alleged that he was at the receiving end of the atrocities at the hand of the Maoists during his frequent trips to the villages on his search for the compilation of folk tunes. He claims to have been beaten up severely and extorted. Just to let you know Mr. Basyal had applied for ‘refugee status’ as soon as he landed on the shores of Canada. In the meantime, we have been informed that the concerned department has still not decided on the application or the date for his hearing.


Buddhi Sagar Basyal is currently living in Brampton with Mr. Hari Shivakoti who operates www.canevision.net. Information received indicates that he has been working as a kitchen helper at Sheraton Hotel. While in Nepal, he was associated with Kantipur Television and successfully hosted the popular show, ‘Ukali Orali Bhanjyang Chautari’ but left for Canada without informing the organization. Another popular folk artist Komal Oli then took up the reigns in conducting the show.

Moreover, there are reports now coming in saying that he had in fact collected some funds from certain people promising them to take them along with him to Canada. We had carried a similar story way back in 29th May, 2006 but Mr. Basyal had sent an email confirming that he was in the process of establishing a Nepali television station in Canada and that he would return in about six months time.


Having provided us with such wonderful songs as ‘Danfhe Nachera Phool Kahan Phoolchara Dali Bhanchera’, ‘Bajeko Palama’ and countless others including eight very successful and popular folk albums, news of Buddhi Sagar applying for a refugee status in Canada has taken everyone in the music industry as well as his fans by surprise. Some prominent personalities in the folk music scene of Nepal have even gone to the extent of condemning him for this act alleging that it is one of the darkest days in the history of Nepali Folk Music. Well, pretty strong words there for Mr. Basyal but like always, who are we to judge people…you decide.

Dont know much about the singer, but it has been said that people need to be wary of aligning or even living with this Hari Siwakoti. He lived in the US for some years before he "escaped" to Canada when the federal authorities here went after him. He was into the business of providing fake IDS, fake social security numbers, and fake international drivers licenses here in New York. He even experimented with a Nepali restaurant in Corona, NY, which folded within a few months.
His 'brother' has been said to have been deported from California sometime ago.

Now, this is stuff that has gone around for a while. Not that I have evidence to prove it, but it seems to be true circumstantially. Just so people know what they could be potentially getting into.

Amazing wrote, "....In a petition to the Canadian Government, he has alleged that he was at the receiving end of the atrocities at the hand of the Maoists during his frequent trips to the villages on his search for the compilation of folk tunes...."

So basically he was knowingly making frequent trips to the village when he was aware of the dangers from the Maoists.

Was his trips (to the villages) more more important than the risks that he claims to have taken (endangering his life) ?

Why he did not escape to the countries that are closer and more accessable from Nepal (such as India) or why he travelled to half the way around the globe instead of escaping to next door neighbour (India) ?

His claims seems dubious at the best.

Hey bros, this guy is doing what a lot of other people are doing. Many Nepalese ex-policemen and other Nepalese people have been granted asylum in USA using the same argument. Let's face it. Nine out of ten people in Nepal would jump at any chance to emigrate to some western countries - in search of prosperity. (What they actually find in these western countries and the typing of living they have to confine themselves to is another story.)

Mazemyan,
I heard a lot about this guy known as Hari Siwakoti. He is nothing but a Dhurta doesnot even work in canada. He has 15-20 paying guest at his house and what he does is collects garbage ( old thrown bed, mattress,computer) and sells them to his 15-20 paying guest in his house. Thats what he does for living.