The wrinkled face, white hair, the signs of aging, age- one double zero i.e. one hundred, but the alive spirit of youth, immense knowledge of the language, culture, and history, still makes the great century hero a divine youth of today. As the author of Master of Stupidity, Toba Beta said, “You get old faster when you think about retirement”, the great historian and culture expert of Nepal, Satya Mohan Joshi, who just celebrated his 100th birthday a few months back in 2019 with the thousands of masses of the people admiring him, still strives to learn more and indoctrinate the knowledge amongst the public bypassing the hidden history and culture due to blistering pace of modernization.
Born to Shankar Raj Joshi and Rajkumari Joshi in 1919 in Lalitpur district of Nepal, his primary schooling began at his home learning the alphabets. After enrolling in Durbar High School, he accomplished his bachelor’s degree at Trichandra College. Being the first director of the Archaeological and Cultural Department in 1959, he had contributed a lot in the establishments of The Rastriya Naachghar, Archaeological Garden in Patan, Archaeological Museum in Taulihawa, Archaeological Museum in Bhaktapur, and Araniko White Dagoba Gallery in Kirtipur.
Enthusiastic on aggrandizing one’s mother tongue, Joshi has done remarkable works for the preservation of native languages. The three-times winner of Madan Puraskar, Order of Gorkha Dakshin Bahu, Satya Mohan Joshi still attends the cultural events and programs as the chief-guest. On the request of the authors, he forbids denial to write preambles for them. No walking stick, without any support, he clings on his ability to do any work. Author of more than 60 publications such as Haamro Lok Smriti and bagh Bhairab, Joshi’s contributions were applauded by LMC with the countenance of him in the coins of 100, 1000 and 2500 which was inaugurated by Hon. ex-Finance Minister Yuvaraj Khatiwada on his 100th birthday celebration organized by Lalitpur Metropolitan City in its premises.
Chancellor of Nepal Bhasa Academy, a researcher of history and culture, Satya Mohan Joshi is the one who ascertained the cloistered mystery of great Araniko and the relations between Nepal and China. A man with colossal knowledge, is extolled by interviewers, authors, historians, researchers, and everyone. A guest room full of history and folk books, cuddy festooned with numerous awards and accolades, with a glimpse of entrance in his guest room, one can chronicle on the Century Hero about his determination and resoluteness towards his work.
“I am happy with my work as I did what I loved the most”, the rousing statement, he contended in one of the popular magazines, illustrates the young generation of today who are in dilemma about their future. The energetic man and storehouse of immense knowledge, Joshi, who has set foot in his century of life, delineates that hard work and determination lead to the path one wants to walk in and main thing, age doesn’t bother anyone from doing anything just the lack of passion does.