A student of Public Administration at John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and a consultant at the World Bank in their Science, Technology and Innovation Team, Pukar, as he moves ahead with his life, has left behind his childhood dream. “Later, I decided to change careers to explore the diversity in the United States,” he says.[break]
With a Major degree in Engineering and a Minor in Economics, he graduated from Swarthmore College in 2002. Pukar received the Dean’s Award at Swarthmore where he played Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet.” He attained MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering with a Minor in Business Management in 2007 from Cornell University.
He is among those Nepali students in the US who are quietly making an impact back home. He is the co-founder and secretary general of the global Nepali youth movement, Nepalko Yuwa.
He is also an international coordination council member of Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRN) and a co-founder of Computer-Association of Nepal - USA, a non-profit organization working for technological progress of Nepal.
Apart from that, Pukar has been elected president of the Harvard Graduate Council for the academic year 2010/11. He is the first Nepali student to be elected to such a prestigious position at Harvard.
Having majored in diverse subjects in various engineering disciplines to business management from the world’s top universities, Pukar ultimately plans to return to Nepal to work on development.
He says, “I plan to return home. There are just so many things to work on. I would begin by working on youth development.
“I see a promising future ahead if we steadily collaborate to create a culture of innovation,” he adds.
Republica caught up with Pukar via an email interview to talk about his childhood, his educational journey, his engagements, and his future plans.
How do you feel to have been able to get into the three top universities of the world?
I’m humbled at the opportunity that I’ve had. I’ve learnt a lot from my peers and professors. Now, I’m excited about turning my learning to social changes back home. I’ll need to learn from and work with local communities.
As a Nepali student, did you have to struggle to get there?
I think they may have selected me because I could bring a unique Nepali perspective. At the end of the day, it was working hard toward realizing my passion for science, technology and development that got me to these three universities.
How did you become the President of Harvard Graduate Council, and how do you feel about it, as you are from Nepal?
When I came to the Kennedy School of Government, I was excited about being part of an inspirational school of public services. I realized that much needed to be done in building a social and professional community among students in the twelve graduate schools.
Running for the Presidency of the Council became the natural next step. I’m proud to be able to represent Nepal at Harvard. I’ve realized that many elements of my Nepali value system have been important for the Council.
Please brief us on your experiences as a part of the world’s top organizations, such as World Bank, Intel Corp. and AMD.
Working for these multinationals in their design and research teams have been rewarding. I learnt more about leading teams in corporate settings. In addition, thinking hard about engineering challenges, inventing solutions and implementing them have been tremendous intellectual experiences.
The World Bank has been a drastically different career path since I am moving away from design engineering to development. I began by visiting Ghana on innovation capacity-building mission last summer, and later conducted research on innovation programs of the World Bank in Uganda, Nigeria, Chile and Brazil. The learning has helped me put the challenges back home in a larger perspective.
How did the idea to form Nepalko Yuwa germinate?
I had been organizing Youth Forums at the Association of Nepalese in Americas (ANA) conventions in the US every year from 2003 to 2008. I realized that all the talks at these forums are meaningless unless actions happen back home. In trying to figure out what Nepal needed and how could Nepali youth, be they in Nepal or abroad, work toward these needs, we organized the first Yuwa Bhela in November 2008.
Fifty-five Nepali youth from various sectors of society assembled to dissect the top three challenges in the country. The need for a global Nepali youth platform became obvious. As a result, on November 13, 2008, Nepalko Yuwa was born.
In what ways is Nepalko Yuwa working in Nepal?
In fact, Nepalko Yuwa is a global youth platform established by students and professionals in Nepal and the US. In November 2008, when we met during the Yuwa Bhela, only about five of the 55 were based in the US. Presently, we’ve been partnering with Nepal-based organizations, such as Youth Initiative, Change Fusion-Nepal, and Entrepreneurs for Nepal, Samriddhi, AYON, ACTNOW, Bikalpa, and YES-Nepal. We do plan to increase our programs in the US in building a stronger Nepali youth community.
What would be your suggestion to students in Nepal? As a Nepali living in US, what do you want to say to the youth here in Nepal and around the world?
The sooner one discovers their real identity and true passion, the better one can take real action. Whether in Nepal or in the US, it may not be easy to discover the real ‘you’ given the various pressures. By pursuing a path that nurtures your identity and your passion, you’ll lead a happier and a more meaningful life. And this can be art, engineering, theatre, medicine, or anything where your passion lies.
As a student of public administration, what do you want to say to Nepal’s political parties and government?
Political parties and the government have tremendous roles to play in the future of Nepal. At the same time, the civil society has a key role. We need to work hand in hand.
Elections are only the start of a journey. In fact, getting elected is the easier part. Making things happen after election is the real gauge of your capability. We can make this work in our country. The youth will be willing to work with you. At the same time, please be mindful that only with good education, will we, the youth, be able to think and act more productively. Let’s make it happen!