How I met the Skateboarders of Kathmandu

As soon as I crossed the border from India, I knew I would love this country. In 2013, after having made a few trips back and forth, I discovered skateboarders in Thamel. That lucky encounter and everything else that followed afterwards sealed my love for this amazing country.

Who would have thought that in the alleyways of Thamel one could find such good skaters? All these young people who have a common passion, who look after each other and stick together, working so hard to gain recognition for their sport.

I used to be a tough skateboarder until 14. I used to roll like crazy on the roads with the police on my tail. Then one day, I fell badly, broke a few bones and that was it! My mom threw by board away!

Anyway, I guess you can understand why I would have a soft corner for skateboarders. It started off with me trying to photograph them in action. However, soon enough, I got to know them pretty well and we became more of a family.

We established Skatemandu, which is essentially a network of skateboarding enthusiasts in Nepal. We work on promoting and supporting new talents and pushing boundaries when it comes to the sport in Nepal. Skatemandu includes Hamro Skateshop-the first Skateshop in town, skateboarding events and hopefully in the future, a skateboarding park too.

I am more of a “behind the curtain” guy and I help the team with my knowledge in terms of photography, online community management, design and mentoring. We manage my sharing resources online in my absence. I am based in Paris, I must mention at this point. The rest is taken care of by the team.

I am already looking forward to my next trip back to Nepal. My brothers miss me.

Click the link below to find more about Skatemandu: