The Nepal Discourse at Harvard University and MIT brings together 42 distinguished voices to reimagine Nepal's place in a rapidly changing world

Exclusive: MASSACHUSETTS, USA— In a historic gathering that bridges the worlds of academia, policy, technology, and entrepreneurship, The Nepal Discourse convened at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) — marking one of the most significant intellectual and strategic assemblies of the Nepali diaspora in recent memory. Bringing together 42 distinguished guest speakers — including Members of Parliament, World Bank executives, Harvard professors, AI pioneers, media, and grassroots advocates — the event ignited a powerful conversation on how Nepal can harness the potential of its global diaspora, digital transformation, and emerging technologies to forge a competitive future.

Key Themes That Defined the Conversation

Diaspora as a Strategic Asset Discussions centered on how the global Nepali diaspora — spread across continents — can move beyond remittances to become active co-creators of Nepal's economic, cultural, and institutional future.

Artificial Intelligence & Human Development

Speakers explored how Nepal can position itself strategically in the age of AI, cultivating the next generation of leaders who are both globally competent and locally grounded.

Digital Ecosystems & Innovation From fintech to edtech, panelists connected the dots between digital transformation and real-world pathways for diaspora engagement, entrepreneurship, and co-creation.

Geopolitical Foresight With Nepal navigating a complex geopolitical landscape, sessions called for strategic foresight to define Nepal's competitive advantage amid global flux.

Distinguished Voices at the Table

The event featured an extraordinary lineup of speakers, including distinguished luminaries from the fields of law, media, finance, diplomacy, academia, and civil society.

• Pukar Bam — Member of Parliament, Rastriya Swatantra Party

• Nishcal Rai — Member of Parliament, Government of Nepal

• David Sislen — Division Director for Nepal, Maldives & Sri Lanka, The World Bank

• Dr. Peter Q. Blair — Associate Professor, Harvard; Co-Director, Project on Workforce

• Dadhiram Bhandari —Consulate General of Nepal, New York

• Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar — AAPI Commissioner, New Jersey State

• Dr. Sameer Maskey — Founder & CEO, Fusemachines

• Anup Kaphle — Editor-in-Chief, Rest of World

• Biswas Dhakal — Chairman, F1Soft; CEO, FILPs

• Rahul Agrawal — Chairman, Siddhartha Bank

• Michael P. Foley — CEO, Ncell

• Swastika Shrestha — CEO, Teach for Nepal

• Pukar C. Hamal — Founder & CEO, SecurityPal.ai

• Arun Banskota — President & CEO, BluEarth Renewables

• Raju Lama — Singer/Songwriter & Cultural Icon

• Ayushi Roy — Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School

• Hitesh Hathi — Executive Director, Harvard South Asia Institute

• Dr. Biswash Gauchan, FCA

  
  

  — Executive Director, Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS)

• Sanjay Manandhar — CEO, Zifino

• Ayushi Roy — Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School

• Amelia VanderLaan — Harvard Kennedy School

• Dipta Shah — Founding Partner, 53i Ventures

• Sambhav Swar Sirohiya — Managing Director, Kantipur Media Group; Managing Partner, MNS

• Shubhangi Rana — Program Manager, MIT KSC; Co-founder, Pad2Go Nepal

• Mahendra Pandey — Director, Forced Labor & Human Trafficking (FLHT) at Humanity United

• Bhawani Rana — President, FNCCI (2017–2020)

• Subash Sharma — CEO, F1Soft

• Manoj Paudel — Founder, Aadhyanta Fund Management Limited

• Dr. Ashish Luitel — Lead, Public Sector and Regulated Cloud Security, N-able

• Bal Krishna Joshi — Founder & CEO, Xuno

• Karvika Thapa — CEO, Kimbu Tech

• Prasanna Dhungel — Co-Founder, Grow by Data

• Semanta Dahal — Advocate and Partner, Abhinawa Law Chambers

• Sharad Raj Aran — Embassy of Nepal, USA

• Rakshya Bam — Youth Activist

• Dr. Ramu Kharel — Assistant Professor, Brown University

• Rumee Singh — Moderator | CEO & Co-Founder, Rumsan

• Sulav Budhathoki — Chairman, ING Group of Education

• Kiran Bhakta Joshi — Founder/CEO, Incessant Rain Studios

• Samjhana Gurung Shrestha — Program Lead, Nepali Class Boston

• Dr. Arun R. Joshi — CEO, Leadership Academy Nepal; Distinguished Fellow, IIDS

• Nishchal Banskota — Founder, Nepal Tea Collective

  
  

Why It Matters

This is not just a panel discussion — it is a declaration that the Nepali diaspora is ready to move from conversation to co-creation.

At a time when Nepal faces mounting challenges — from youth emigration and economic uncertainty to institutional fragility and digital lag — The Nepal Discourse offered something rare: a structured, inclusive, and action-oriented platform that treats diaspora not as outsiders looking in, but as essential architects of Nepal's future.

The convening serves as a blueprint for what student-led diplomacy, academic rigor, and diaspora energy can accomplish when united by a shared purpose.

https://thenepaldiscourse.com

A Vision Born in the Classroom, Built Like a Startup

What began as a concept note — treated deliberately as a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)— quickly evolved into a movement. Student organizers from Harvard's Graduate School of Education drafted their initial vision, subjected it to rigorous peer review from fellow students, alumni, and professors, and iterated continuously before bringing it to life.

Guided by Dr. Arun R. Joshi, CEO of Leadership Academy Nepal and Distinguished Fellow at the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS), and supported by Anup Kaphle and Mahesh Swar of Kathmandu Media Group (KMG), the organizing team engaged a sweeping cross-section of stakeholders — industry leaders, academics, bureaucrats, civil society members, and diaspora representatives from both Nepal and abroad.

The result: a four-pillar framework that defines the soul of The Nepal Discourse.

Four Pillars of the Discourse

PILLAR I

AI and Future of Work

The AI Imperative and Future of Work

PILLAR II

Next Generation Leadership

Leadership in a Changing World Order

PILLAR III

Resilient Institutions

Human Development and Institutional Resilience

PILLAR IV

Diaspora and the Building of a Global Nepal

Digital Ecosystems, Diaspora, and the Global Nepali Future

Organized by Nepal's Brightest Student Leaders

The Nepal Discourse was hosted by the Nepali Student Organization HGSE in collaboration with:

• HUNSA — Harvard Undergraduate Nepali Student Association

• MITeri — MIT's Nepali Student Organization

• Himalayan Caucus (HKS) — Harvard Kennedy School

All are officially recognized student organizations at Harvard and MIT — a testament to the institutional credibility behind this initiative.

The organizing team, led by student visionaries including Salome Bhatta, Harvard GSE '24; Utsav Kharel, Harvard GSE '26; Alina Nepal, Harvard GSE '26; Ruchee Bhatta, MIT '26; Asmi Pokharel, Harvard ES '27; Nirupama Roka Magar, Harvard '24 l; Regan Maharjan, UMich '25; Ang Sonam Sherpa, Harvard '23; Dr. Bibas Guragai, The University of Tokyo '17; Dr Pradish Poudel, Harvard MS '25; Bibek Raj Kandel, HKS '24; Ashmita Gautam, HKS '26; Prajjawal Jung Pratap Singh, Northeastern '26; Salome Bhatta (Harvard GSE '24),, Dr. Pradish Poudel (Harvard MS '25), and Dr. Bibas Guragai (University of Tokyo '17), Sudan Duwadi, Boston University '26,m; Sam Adhikari, HBS '28; and Simran Tamang, Harvard '28.

These student leaders demonstrated that student-led initiatives have the power to catalyze meaningful national-level conversations.

What Comes Next?

The Nepal Discourse is more than an event — it is the beginning of a movement. With its four pillars as a foundation, organizers and participants are expected to channel the energy of Cambridge into concrete collaborations, policy proposals, startup partnerships, and mentorship networks that will echo back in Kathmandu and beyond.

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