The Joyous Fort, Our Homeland in Thini

Renee Thakali began a lifelong adventure full of traveling, working in community conservation projects, and a multicultural marriage that appeared when she first went to Nepal as a Peace Corps volunteer. In Nepal, she met her future husband and his family in the high Himalayan village of Thini, in Nepal’s Mustang district.

Renee holds degrees in natural resources and forest management from Michigan State University, which she used when she was a forester working to restore native habitats and train local forestry workers. She has completed many long-term assignments in other locations such as Nepal, Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the tropical island of Saipan.

Outside of her work, Renee enjoys photography, bicycling, swimming, trout fishing, hiking, traveling, gardening, and visiting family. Additionally, she is a member of the Pit River tribe, an indigenous tribe from northeastern California. Renee has two grown daughters and lives in Conway, Arkansas, with her husband and two cats.

Pratikshya Thakali was born and raised in the mountain village of Thini, located beneath the snowy peaks of Nilgiri and Annapurna in the Himalayan mountains. She spent her early years in a close-knit community that nurtured her understanding of Thakali traditions, language, and cultural values. Throughout her life, Pratikshya was captivated by her Nepali grandfather’s stories of his trade journeys across India and Tibet many years ago, which led her to being naturally curious about everything around her.

Later, due to Nepal’s political turmoil, Pratikshya immigrated to the United States, where she earned a degree in business administration from Baruch College, City University of New York. Now, she is an analyst for a non-profit organization, using her skills and cultural awareness in her professional endeavors. Pratikshya is married and resides in New Jersey with her husband and son. Additionally, she is a history enthusiast, treasures old photographs, enjoys traveling, and prepares Thakali traditional dishes to pass down through generations.

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