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Interview with three of Nepal's finest web developers
who happen to be brothers as well!


Interview With Nepalnet

Abhinav, Dipankar and Sarobar Kasaju
Three brothers involved in web development. Eldest and middle brother Abhinav and Dipankar first started their work with Cyber Nepal, Nepal's first internet magazine in 1997. They have been involved in web development since then. Sarobar (youngest) joined them later in 2000. At present, three are running a web firm by the same name Cyber Nepal. Dipankar is also working as web service manager in Worldlink Technologies. Two older brothers are in mid twenties while the youngest is in late teens.

During last month I had chance to interview them. In the interview, all three of them talk about their experience in web development. Please email any comments at info@nepalnet.net

How did you start your career in the website designing ? Did you have any formal training?

Abhinav & Dipankar :

We are into computers since 1992. We started using computers when we were in our home town Tansen, Palpa at the age of 13 & 14. First we were involved in Graphic Design; we used to design a rural magazine called "Gaunle Deurali" for our father's organization, a weekly newsmagazine called "Satya" and various design works like brochures, posters, cards etc.

We got interested in World Wide Web when Internet came to Nepal in 1995. In Tansen, we did not have access to the Internet, we had only heard about the Net from the tourists who came to Tansen and by reading magazines. Out of curiosity we designed a website using Microsoft Publisher. The web site which we had named 'Cyber Club' initially had profiles of our friends and anyone interested in making friends could contact them or have his/her profile posted. It also had jokes, songs and few videos. As we did not had any means to publish it online, we brought it to Kathmandu in floppy disks in a hope that we could find a way to publish it. We were email subscriber of WorldLink Communications, and we used to visit WorldLink when we came to Kathmandu. In this visit, we met Dileep Agrawal, CEO of WorldLink and showed him our website. He was very much impressed with the concept and the design and offered to help us by providing free hosting space for the web site.

We didn't publish the website immediately; we decided to add more content. At that time, there were very limited Nepali web sites; only travel agencies, hotels and a few NGOs had web sites. There was no web site with entertainment content. So, we decided to expand the web site with content covering Nepali music artists, movie actors, actresses, miss nepal, models, etc. and present it like an online magazine. It was a wishful thinking but we knew that we had to work very hard to make it a reality. We started working like journalist, photographer and web designer as we met music & movie artists, interviewed them, gathered profile, took photos in the day and designed the website in the evening. After a month of hard work, the site was ready to be online. And thus Cyber Nepal, Nepal's first net magazine, was born.

The overwhelming response that we received from the visitors in Nepal and abroad and the appreciation from Nepali media made us feel that our hard work had been paid. This drew us more into the field of web designing which we later took it as our profession. Our background in graphic design has been very useful in web designing. We are using the same designing skills; only the medium is different. We keep ourselves continuously updated by learning new techniques and observing the contemporary trends of web design.

Sarobar :

As I'm also interested in drawing and painting; I feel easier expressing myself with computer. I have been influenced by the works of my two brothers. I have not taken any formal design training; I'm learning and working with my brothers at present. Working on web is fun for me. I designed my first website when I was 14 years old in the year 1998.

What are the main software that you use for website design?

Abhi, Dip & Saru:

We use PhotoShop to design the main interface of the website and to enhance and manipulate graphics. We use Dreamweaver & FrontPage to develop and manage the web site. Besides these tools, we also extensively use ACDSee, Flash and Freehand.

What challenges do you all face as designers? Is there a conflict between good art and what your customers want or between good design and what is more customer friendly website?

Abhi, Dip & Saru:

We believe that every individual and organization has its own personality and image and the website should be able to project that image through its look and feel. This is not only a challenge but also a factor that continuously excites us towards our work. Whether it's a stylish and flashy look to suit pop star Nima Rumba or a more sober & corporate look for an INGO like MS Nepal we are always looking for ways to suit the specific project.

We are lucky to have our designs liked by most of our clients. More people are becoming design conscious these days; they are now able to distinguish between a good and a bad design. But at times, there are a few clients who are not so sure what they want; but we convince them how a particular design can be catalytic in reaching their goals.

We believe that your father is in journalism/mass media field. How did he inspire you in your career? Did you ever view what you are doing is just a high-tech way of doing same thing?

Abhi, Dip & Saru :

Our father has always been an inspiration to us. He made us interested in computers from our very early age and always motivated us to try out new things. What he has been doing is very remarkable; he is into pro-people media and rural development. We are more into commercial web business; it is our ultimate wish to take the Nepali web services to an International level. We are currently planning some new ventures in this regard. Though we differ from our father in our works, we are both using the power of media and communications.

Where do you get your inspirations for good design and photography? How do you translate those inspirations to the websites?

Abhi, Dip & Saru:

It has been very useful to have an open eye towards everything around us. We get ideas from almost anything, like colors & shapes of nature, advertisement in newspaper, a promo in television, arts and paintings, etc. We also keep an eye on the trends of web design and photography by visiting various web sites. The process of creativity that takes place inside our mind unconsciously enables us to create new design.

When you three brothers work in website, does anybody have a specific role per se or does everyone do everything?

Abhi, Dip & Saru:

Most of the times, in the case of large projects, we two (Abhinav & Dipankar) discuss about the concept and three of us start working on it handling separate sections of the web site. Sometimes in the case of small projects, one of us completes the whole project. However, in all kinds of projects, we finalize the initial design only after we three fully agree on it.

What does the future hold for each of you?

Abhi, Dip & Saru:

We plan to continue working together since we make a very good team. We are determined to develop web sites with innovative ideas, create sites with interesting content, and take our web business to the International level.

What do you suggest the up-and-coming graphic designers (specifically web-designers)?

Abhi, Dip & Saru:

We have been in the designing field for 11 years. Though we had background of graphic design, it took us about two years to be able to design websites professionally. We still feel that we have a lot to learn. We suggest the new web designers to let the 'designer' quality grow inside them, it may take some time but it will come after one learns to observe and try. It will help them a lot if they take a basic training of graphic design which will give them an idea about typography, colors, shapes, lines, alignment etc. Its a pity that the training institutes in the country only teaches about using the tools of web design like FrontPage & Dreamweaver but there is no course focusing on the designing aspect of web design. We are planning to start an intensive web designing workshop highlighting on the designing aspect. The course will be useful for those who already know the tools of web design but do not have a background in design.

What do you see the future of web business in Nepal?

Abhi, Dip & Saru:

Since more and more people are realizing the potential of having an online presence; web business is growing. Service providers who are able to offer quality service, and individuals and organisations who will be able to make wise decisions in their web ventures; are bound to reap the fruit.

 

THEIR major web projects are:

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