AKRON, Ohio — Puspa Gajmer is elevating Himalayan culture in northeast Ohio.

“This is so cool that we have Bhutan, [in the] middle Nepal, and here Akron,” Gajmer said.

He’s referring to a mural that’s being painted at the Himalayan Arts, Language, and Cultural Academy, a school that Gajmer opened to honor his heritage. 

“It is so important to preserve our identity and then promote our cultures,” Gajmer said.

A report from Johns Hopkins University suggests that Akron is home to the second largest population of Nepali and Bhutanese people in the United States. So, the demand is there.

“Well, so many kids are there, so many parents are there, they want to, they really want to keep this arts and culture — Nepali arts and culture language music alive,” Gajmer said.

As a refugee from the region, Gajmer added he fears this interest may die out.

“Even our kids, that when they go home from school, they will not talk Nepali,” Gajmer said. “They don’t know how to speak Nepali.”

So, Gajmer said he’s opening a museum and a library at his academy where people can rent native books and music in order to make Himalayan culture accessible.

“If we preserve right now, if we start, you know, doing something for the for the communities, then our upcoming generation will not forget, you know, our arts, culture, music, language, everything,” Gajmer said.

It’s his way of giving back to the community that welcomed him.

“Back in 1989-90, we had a civil war in Bhutan and we were forced to leave the country,” Gajmer said.

He said his family lived in a Nepali refugee camp in the eastern part of the country for 20 years before coming to the states.

“Everything was new,” Gajmer said. “New store[s], new language, new people, new communities.”

But Gajmer said building a community through his academy helped him.

“Now, everything is so nice. Like, I really love working here, living here, and being with the international communities in this area. So, yeah, everything is good now,” Gajmer said.