A year after receiving a Christchurch Civic Award, radio host Binod Parajuli is still broadcasting weekly and says the recognition belongs not to him, but to the wider Nepali community.
Parajuli was acknowledged as an Emerging Leader at the 2024 Christchurch City Council Civic Awards for his work on Namaste Nepal, a half-hour Nepali language programme he’s hosted every week for the past 13 years on Plains FM.
The show, one of the most listened to ethnic programmes on the station, features music, local news, guest interviews, and cultural commentary — all created in his spare time outside of his full-time job in customer service.
Reflecting on the award a year later, Parajuli said, “It was an honour, yes, but I never saw it as something personal. It was my way of putting back into the community.”
“The community is like your family, but with no blood relations among the members. I want to pay it forward to my people.”
Each week, Parajuli researches and produces content that blends Christchurch happenings with news from Nepal, covering festivals, sport, immigration stories, and local initiatives through the Nepal New Zealand Friendship Society of Canterbury.
“My interest was always doing something for my community. I wanted to contribute,” he said.
Binod Parajuli / Photo CCC
“We cover everything. There are no restrictions. I also invite guests — people visiting Christchurch from Nepal or members of the local community. It helps keep that emotional connection to Nepal alive.”
Parajuli said the show continues to serve an important role in connecting migrants with their roots while enriching Christchurch’s cultural landscape.
“It brings with it a rich cultural heritage rooted in respect, resilience, family, and community connection. It contributes to Christchurch’s diversity in a very real way.”
He said the strong relationship between Nepal and New Zealand is more than symbolic.
“This bond is more than just between governments. It lives in the hearts of the Nepali community here through voices on Namaste Nepal, and through recognition like the Civic Award that honours their contributions.”
“That’s why so many Nepali people living in Sir Edmund Hillary’s homeland fondly regard New Zealand as a home away from home.”
