On a trip to Nepal, Pierre Lamunière is granted exclusive access to the nation’s only billionaire, Binod Chaudhary, who talks about his family, the future of his company and his love for his country
FORTY YEARS AGO, I BOUGHT a second-hand Volkswagen van and, with my wife, drove out of Switzerland. We crossed the unstable and at times dangerous lands of Turkey, Iran, and Afghanistan. Our destination was Nepal.
This relatively small country has always drawn the attention of the world, whether for the majesty of the Himalayas, the fascinating story of Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, the first men to reach the top of the world, or the legacy of the Gurkhas, soldiers known as the bravest of the brave.
In the 1970s, the Kathmandu Valley was a favorite destination for Western backpackers and an iconic place for the hippie movement. Ravi Shankar’s music, yoga, and meditation, along with fresh air and free marijuana were part of a magical cocktail. Walking through Nepal’s capital by night, we could easily have encountered the fashionable, 20-year-old, long-haired man who had just opened Copper Floor, a nightclub frequented by tourists and locals alike. That young man was Binod Chaudhary and he would go on to found the Chaudhary Group, Nepal’s largest multinational company, becoming the first and only Nepalese on the Forbes World’s Billionaires list.
Copper Floor was his first venture outside the family business. Although he came from a conservative background, his passion for pop music and his business acumen made the happening place a success ahead of its time. The place was popular with the hippie crowd, but also with many members of the royal family. Among them, Prince Dhirendra, the son of the then-king of Nepal, became a close friend and was very helpful in a country where personal relations play such an important role.
This story is from the May 2019 edition of Singapore Tatler.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2019 edition of Singapore Tatler.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
How To Live Like A Royal In The British Countryside
From Windsor to Bray, all it takes is a speedy jaunt away from the hustle and bustle of London to gain first-hand insights into the lives of the British royal family
Where Science Meets Skincare
Through years of research, Chanel has determined the relationship between skin health and well‑being based on neuroscience technologies—and it has the products to prove it
Powder, Peaks And Pro Tips
Embark on a winter wonderland getaway with this Tatler guide to all things ski, from the best destinations in Asia and Europe to looking chic on the slopes
HAUTE SPOTS
Nearly 15 years since her first visit to Niseko, Grace Chong-Tan’s love for this popular ski town in Hokkaido, Japan, continues to grow over the years. The founder and managing director of a dental practice shares her must-visit list
THE GOLDEN AGE
At the launch of the L'Or de Jean Martell collection in Cognac, France, Martell's cellar master Christophe Valtaud unveils the first limited-edition expression of the Réserve du Château series
KINGDOM REIGN
How UAE's largest property developer Aldar is transforming Abu Dhabi into a land of real estate gold for the investment-seeking jetsetter elite
LET'S GET (META) PHYSICAL
Contrary to popular belief, the traditional practices of feng shui and ba zi are not only alive and well, but thriving among the younger set. Today's masters of Chinese metaphysics share how they are modernising the craft
COMING OF AGE
Meet the ladies at the front and centre of last year’s Le Bal des Débutantes
The Path to Parity
Four prominent Singapore female leaders shed light on the under-representation of Asian women in global leadership through the lens of their own struggles and triumphs
Set in Stone
Tatler chats with Victoria Reynolds, the chief gemologist and vice president of Tiffany & Co, about the intricacies of design, her favourite jewellery and what it means to be a female leader in a male-dominated industry