An Unlikely hero

Qatar Academy chemistry teacher Dorje Gurung turned into an unlikely hero this week when he got relieved of his position over alleged derogatory remarks against Islam which he denies making. The 42-year-old graduate of St. Xavier’s School in Kathmandu, who has taught in nine countries for 16 years, including the US and the UK, says the ordeal began due to misinterpretation of what he said during an argument with a group of students at a Qatari school.



Gurung’s loss, however, seems to become Nepal’s gain, as the devout educationist has vowed to stay in the country and spend the rest of his life educating poor children. Setting up science labs and libraries in public schools across the country and financing poor children will be his newfound goal apart from doing social work.[break]



“I’ve decided not to go abroad now. Instead, I’ll work for the cause of educating poor children,” says Gurung who returned home after the authorities freed him from custody.



Gurung’s friends and former students from both within Nepal and abroad had launched a facebook campaign to secure his release, and they succeeded.

Born in Chusang Village of Mustang, Gurung, a graduate of Grinnell College in Iowa, USA, may have never imagined that this photo of his mother embracing him upon his arrival at the airport (taken by Alka Shrestha of Nepalaya) would make it to major newspapers around the world.



Gurung no doubt became an unlikely hero, but he might as well become a hero in real if he manages to fulfill his goal – of educating poor children.

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