“He looked like he had come from a distant village. It was 1981 and back then I worked at the Citizenship Section of the CDO office. I could see that this man was in distress. He was constantly checking his pockets like he has lost something. Concerned, I went to him and asked him, only to find out that he had lost all his money – money for the the citizenship application forms, stamps and bus fare. I checked my pocket and I remember I had 30 rupees. I handed him the money. He seemed relieved and thankfully took the money and left. A few years later, a man walked up to my table and said: ‘I have come to return your money, Sir.’ I looked up recognized him as the man who I had helped a few years ago. He returned my 30 rupees and asked me if I could have tea with him and I obliged. I was pleasantly surprised that he had not forgotten me. As we were having our tea he said ‘Sir, had the citizenship card not been made that day, I would have lost a lot things.’ I didn’t pry but he looked happy. That day while walking back home, I felt at peace with myself.”

– Madan Ram Karmacharya, Met him in Manbhawan, Lalitpur