Page 22 - The CoESPU Magazine N 1 - 2018

capable of meeting the pre-deployment requirements and deploying in support of UN peacekeeping
operations.
First though, it is useful to know some of Khinu’s background. Khinu came from an economically
challenged background. As a young woman, Khinu had the drive and desire to join the Nepalese
police force. In 1993, out of 2500 applicants, she was one of 195 who were selected. She was
posted to be an Assistant Sub-inspector of Police (ASI). During her time working in the Crime
Investigation Division, she became aware of the possibility of participating as a police officer in
UN Peacekeeping Missions. As Khinu looked at the requirements, she realized that her English
language skills were not adequate for her to be selected, so she began further studies to improve her
capabilities.
At the same time, she realized that speaking English proficiently was not sufficient. She had to
improve her driving and shooting skills as well. Khinu came from a home where neither her
immediate family, nor any of her relatives owned or had access to a vehicle. For Khinu, the cost of
paying for a driving course was out of the question. As she examined this problem, she found a
novel solution. With the help of a friend who was a taxi driver, she began learning how to drive in
his taxi.
Eventually, even while
juggling her household duties
required of her as the woman
in the family, she learned to
drive the taxi to the point that
she decided to start driving
the taxi at night as a second
job. Here again, Khinu ran
into a cultural barrier. Men
getting in the car were not
happy with a car being driven
by a woman at night. She
soon developed a solution, as
she would drive the taxi
Inspector Khinu Bista Adhikari receives compliments by BG Giovanni wearing a mask and a cap so
Pietro Barbano, CoESPU Director.
that she could not be seen
while the real taxi driver sat next to her and negotiated the ride and fares with the passengers. Only
through these somewhat extreme and unorthodox methods was Khinu able to learn how to drive,
and by learning to drive as well as furthering her education and English skills, Khinu was then able
to qualify for UN deployments.
In her quest to become eligible for UN Peacekeeping missions, Khinu applied ingenuity,
resourcefulness, hard work and passion. Since then, being a policewoman by day and taxi driver by
night, Khinu was able to earn her Master’s degree in Public Administration in 2000 and has served

20