KATHMANDU, Sept. 19: The government led by Prime Minister Balen Shah has recommended 13 individuals for ambassadorial appointments to key diplomatic missions across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. The nominees—selected through Nepal's new ambassador selection process—come from diverse backgrounds including diplomacy, foreign policy, security, academia, banking, technology, development, migration governance and entrepreneurship. Their nominations will now undergo parliamentary hearings before formal appointments.
Dr Nishchal Nath Pandey — India
One of Nepal's most respected foreign-policy scholars, Dr Nishchal Nath Pandey currently serves as Director of the Centre for South Asian Studies (CSAS). He previously headed the Institute of Foreign Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1998 to 2006 and served as an adviser to the National Planning Commission on tourism and civil aviation. He was also an expert with Nepal's Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a member of the government's high-level foreign policy task force.
A PhD holder in Political Science and law graduate from Tribhuvan University, Pandey has held academic and research affiliations in Nepal, India, Singapore, Germany and the United Kingdom. He is an Honorary Adjunct Professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bengaluru and a non-resident senior fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. A prolific author on Nepal's foreign policy and regional cooperation, he has published several books and edited volumes and completed the South Asia Leader Executive Program at Harvard Kennedy School in 2015.
Dr Kalyan Raj Sharma — China
Dr Kalyan Raj Sharma is a leading Nepal–China affairs expert, economist and Sinologist with more than two decades of experience in academia, policy engagement and institutional leadership. He earned a PhD in Economics from China's prestigious Fudan University, where his research focused on foreign direct investment, trade and tourism financing.
He currently chairs the Fudan University Alumni Association of Nepal, the Nepal–China Friendship Forum and the Council of Sinologists-Nepal. He also serves as a Visiting Scholar at Kathmandu University School of Management, where he designed and teaches a course on doing business in China. Beyond academia, Sharma is Managing Director of Adventure Outdoor Excursion Pvt Ltd and sits on the boards of several financial and hydropower companies. He received the Nepal Bhusan honour in 2016 and the Silk Road Friendship Award in 2021.
Chiran Jung Thapa — United States
A national security and international affairs specialist, Chiran Jung Thapa brings nearly two decades of experience in diplomacy, crisis management and security policy. He holds an MA in International Affairs from Columbia University and a BA in International Relations from SUNY Geneseo.
Since 2017, he has served as Regional Security Adviser for Asia at Oxfam, overseeing crisis response and risk management across 15 countries. Earlier, he worked with Saferworld and The Asia Foundation, advising Nepal's Ministry of Defence, National Security Council, Nepal Army and Nepal Police. He also designed the Nepal Army's first Civil-Military Relations curriculum. Thapa previously served at the Permanent Missions of Nepal and Singapore to the United Nations in New York and is the first non-uniformed Nepali to complete Harvard Kennedy School's Leadership in Homeland Security programme.
General Gaurav Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (Retd) — United Kingdom
Ex-ambassadors call for evaluating ambassadors’ performance
Former Chief of Army Staff General Gaurav Shumsher Rana served the Nepali Army for more than four decades, culminating in his leadership of the institution between 2012 and 2015.
During his tenure, he oversaw the integration of former Maoist combatants into the national army, guided the institution through Nepal's transition to a federal democratic republic and introduced key strategic reforms, including the Army's Ten-Year Perspective Plan. He also led Operation Sankat Mochan, the military's response to the devastating 2015 earthquake. A graduate of Sandhurst, the US Army Command and General Staff College and Pakistan's National Defence University, Rana currently chairs Conservation Alliance Nepal and remains active in strategic and security dialogues.
Jigyan Kumar Thapa — Japan
For more than two decades, Jigyan Kumar Thapa has worked to strengthen Nepal–Japan relations. Educated in Japan, he holds degrees from Yokohama National University and Shumei University.
Since 2009, he has worked as an International Cooperation, Public Policy and Multicultural Affairs Specialist at the Kanagawa International Foundation. He has coordinated high-level exchanges involving presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers of both countries and recently organised a Nepal–Japan business dialogue during the Nepali President's official visit to Japan. He has also worked closely with JICA, UNICEF and Japanese local governments and teaches at several Japanese universities. Fluent in Japanese at JLPT Level 1, he has published extensively on Nepal–Japan relations.
Suresh Kumar Karna — Israel
A veteran of Nepal's banking and information technology sectors, Suresh Kumar Karna has more than 30 years of executive experience. As Chief Information and Marketing Officer at Kumari Bank, he helped launch "Kumari Mobile Cash," widely recognised as Nepal's first mobile wallet.
He later served as Chief Operating Officer of Nepal Bank Limited, where he led its migration to a unified core banking system. Karna has also chaired the CAN Federation, served on Nepal's IT Council and contributed to drafting Nepal's first National IT Policy. He currently chairs Kumo Labs, Nepal's first Japanese foreign direct investment technology venture.
Prapti Sherchan — Spain
Prapti Sherchan is an international development and partnerships professional with extensive experience across Asia and Africa. Since 2015, she has worked with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), leading gender-focused programmes and inclusive finance initiatives.
Her work has helped reach more than 1.3 million women and supported thousands of jobs across multiple countries. She holds an MBA in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University and a sociology degree from the National University of Singapore. Sherchan currently serves as U.S. Board Co-Chair of Women Lead Nepal and has represented IFC at major global forums.
Sharu Joshi — Germany
One of Nepal's leading experts on labour migration and gender issues, Sharu Joshi has spent more than 25 years working on migration governance and international cooperation.
She played a role in shaping Nepal's Foreign Employment Act, Regulations and Policy and spent a decade with UN Women in regional and national leadership positions. Since 2018, she has worked as an independent consultant, advising organisations including the World Bank and UN Women. She currently serves on the Executive Board of the Nepal Policy Institute and advocates for voting rights for Nepali migrant workers abroad.
Dr Padmakshi Rana — Oman
A development and entrepreneurship leader, Dr Padmakshi Rana currently serves as Executive Director and Co-Founder of Impact Hub Kathmandu. Her work focuses on innovation, sustainability and entrepreneurship.
She holds a PhD and MPhil from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from Webster University Thailand. Through Impact Hub Kathmandu, she has built partnerships with organisations including the European Union, UNDP, UNICEF, the World Bank and the Royal Academy of Engineering. She has also worked as a researcher and lecturer at Cambridge and co-founded a sustainability consultancy in Singapore.
Chudamani Kharel — Malaysia
Chudamani Kharel comes from an education and public administration background. He holds degrees in English, Political Science and Law from Tribhuvan University.
He currently serves as General Secretary of the Nepal Yoga Sports Association and has previously held leadership roles in national skating and sports bodies. He has also worked as a lecturer in English and has long been involved in sports administration and organisational development.
Prof Dr Sangam Shrestha — South Korea
An internationally recognised academic and water-resources expert, Professor Sangam Shrestha currently serves at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand.
With more than 25 years of experience in climate resilience, water security and international cooperation, he has worked with governments, diplomatic missions and development partners in over 30 countries. He holds a PhD from the University of Yamanashi, Japan, has published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers and has repeatedly been listed among the world's leading scientists in his field.
Dr Manchala Jha — Sri Lanka
Dr Manchala Jha is a governance and public-policy expert best known for serving as a commissioner at Nepal's Truth and Reconciliation Commission between 2015 and 2019.
An assistant professor at Tribhuvan University, she has taught governance and anti-corruption studies and has represented Nepal in international forums on transitional justice. She holds a PhD in Hindi Literature and master's degrees in Political Science and Hindi Literature. She is also a frequent election observer and commentator on governance and political affairs.
Dr Giri Bahadur Sunar — Saudi Arabia
A social scientist and development professional, Dr Giri Bahadur Sunar has more than 25 years of experience in development policy, social inclusion, climate adaptation and governance.
He is pursuing a PhD in Sociology at Tribhuvan University and has worked extensively on social safeguards and gender inclusion programmes supported by international development partners. Author of the book Empowering Women Through Self-Defense, Sunar has also published more than 100 policy articles and regularly participates in public-policy discussions on national television.
