Gyanendra Malla has risen to prominence among the Nepalese expatriates in Qatar. Trained and employed as a dancer and choreographer, Malla had some success back home in Kathmandu. As an assistant dance director, he had worked in some of the popular Nepalese television serials — Yo Maya ko Sagar  (Ocean of Love), Upakar (Help), Dhukdhuki (Heart Beat) and Mahili (Second Daughter). 
Malla also worked as an actor in the legendary sitcom Hijo Ajaka Kura (Talk of the Days). In Qatar, he is following his passion – at present he is training 70 eager dance students on a weekly basis at his Rhythm Art Center (RAC). 
Malla landed in Doha in 2006. As a passionate dancer and director he was already homesick thinking about the atmosphere of Kathmandu-based dance studios and sets. These days he gets a sense of déjà vu when he instructs step-ups to enthusiastic students for four hours every Friday. It feels more like home, he recalls. 
“Their (students) stories are like mine, they all have come here to escape the poverty back home.” Malla treats them as buddies more than as students. “I teach classical, motion-picture, folk, hip-hop and cultural,” says Malla about his training course.
He hails from the district of Chitwan — west of Kathmandu. Born as the only son in a middle class family, his father wanted him to become a mechanical engineer. Malla left his studies after completing middle school. His father was furious with him. His mother took him to Kathmandu where he was admitted to one Raj Shree Dance Institute. 
Malla attended dance classes there for two years. In the class, he was always a promising student. Leaving the institute, he was employed by Lions Club in Gorkha – a western hilly district — as a dance teacher. Subsequently, he opened Rhythm Art Center in 2003 in his hometown. 
More than 300 students were admitted in his institute within three years. “During that time, I could sleep for only 4-5 hours,” Malla remembers his hectic days. His students — Bindu Pariyar and Prana Sharma — have become popular actresses in the Nepalese movie industry. More than 100 of his students are employed by the film and music video industry. 
Malla closed down his institute due to hostile political environment saturated with frequent strikes. The political environment caused him more liabilities than assets. He had bills to pay on his table and loans piled up. He got married, and loans piled up higher. 
With debts mounting, Malla came to Qatar as an electrician in a motor garage, but he didn’t have any prior skills. His sponsor taught him and his patience helped. Soon, he became a foreman. “In the beginning, it was much hard with mechanics, yet the dream I pursued, the dream to pay off all the loans.” 
Inspired by his sponsor, he also learnt Arabic. As of now, he is taking sole responsibility of the garage — dealing with customers and workers. “Practice makes a man perfect. That is what I learnt in Qatar and in my job,” says Malla.
Malla’s brainchild RAC met with success in Qatar. The institute organised a dance reality show in 2015. In the grand finale, Malla brought Nepalese Dancing Queen Parbati Rai and director Prakash Bhatta. “It was really a great time when I experienced some success in my life.”
With his earning, his family is living happily in Chitwan. Malla is frequently honoured by Nepalese community organisations. “I don’t know when I will move back to Nepal, yet if I return I will open a dance institute there,” Malla never forgets his passion.
“Qatar is wonderful in every other way,” Malla sums up his nine-year long experience in the country.