Australia Awards South and West Asia

Aprajita Jha is a passionate advocate for emotional intelligence (EI). Since 2018, she has held the role of Linchpin at My Emotions Matter, where she applies her values of courage, care, compassion, co-creation and community-building. Aprajita’s immersive training in compassionate communication equips her to help people explore ways of improving their wellbeing, communication and relationships. She empowers individuals and teams to do so by helping them cultivate self-awareness, empathy and empathic communication skills through workshops, courses and one-on-one coaching.

As an Australia Awards scholar, Aprajita aims to further refine her expertise in business psychology, with a focus on integrating EI into organisational development and wellbeing. She seeks to gain insights into evidence-based EI strategies and frameworks that can be adapted to Nepal’s sociocultural dynamics. On her return, Aprajita envisions designing tailored leadership initiatives that address the unique needs of Nepal’s evolving workforce, promoting sustainable growth through emotionally intelligent, people-centred practices.

Baburam Acharya is a passionate public health professional with over a decade of experience. He is currently Public Health Administrator at the Baglung Health Office, Nepal.

In the wake of the federalism of Nepal in 2008, he has contributed to formulating policy and planning health programs in Gandaki province. He has been involved in multisectoral coordination and capacity building activities, and has led the district health teams in disaster management, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has significant experience in dealing with challenges and opportunities in the implementation of public health programs in Nepal.

Baburam plans to utilise his Australia Awards Scholarship to build networks to advance Nepal’s health sector. Through this opportunity of a lifetime, he also aspires to further develop his ability to contribute to the preparation of effective health programs. He envisions designing effective public interventions to improve the health of people in Nepal’s rural communities, focusing on equitable access to health services. He will advocate for fair allocation of scientific resources and appropriate prioritisation of health programs.

Harsha Hang Rai is a Senior Plant Protection Officer in the Government of Nepal’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. He is currently stationed at the Quarantine Office in Kakarbhitta in Nepal’s Jhapa district, on the country’s eastern border with India, where he implements plant biosecurity regulations. With over a decade of service in the Government of Nepal, Harsha has gained extensive experience in the plant biosecurity sector, government-supported agricultural development projects and World Bank-funded initiatives, as well as in leading district-level agricultural planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Harsha intends to use his Australia Awards Scholarship as an opportunity to observe globally recognised plant biosecurity measures in Australia, while deepening his knowledge and skills in biosecurity through Australia’s university education system. This will enable him to contribute to strengthening Nepal’s plant biosecurity system for sustainable agricultural and economic development.

Jayandra Bishowakarma is a committed development professional with expertise in the areas of monitoring, evaluation, research and learning. He has worked with national and international organisations such as the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, One Heart Worldwide and Save the Children. He has gained hands-on experience related to monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning systems and corresponding aspects of program design that ensure interventions produce meaningful results.

As an Australia Awards scholar, Jayandra is keen to gain deeper knowledge in development strategy, policy analysis and research. He aims to use such skills in Nepal to advance monitoring and evaluation systems by providing technical support and working closely with local governments and development organisations. He is also interested in enhancing his research capacity to contribute to identification of policy gaps and to foster an inclusive approach to addressing the needs of marginalised communities in Nepal.

Jyoti Ghimire is a Senior Forest Officer for the Lumbini Province Government, stationed at the Division Forest Office, Bardiya. She has over seven years of experience with the Government of Nepal on technical aspects of forest management and operations administration at division forest offices. Her current responsibilities are to support forest management planning, biodiversity conservation, sustainable utilisation of forest products and capacity building of user groups.

Through her Australia Awards Scholarship, Jyoti aims to enhance her knowledge and skills in ecosystem management and conservation, and mainstream them in the local context considering the needs of poor and marginalised people. She aspires to contribute to natural resources management strategic policy and plans from an ecosystem management and conservation perspective, with the engagement of resource-dependent communities at federal, provincial and local levels.

Manoj Raut is an officer at Investment Board Nepal who has a decade of experience working in various capacities in the civil service of Nepal, from local governments to high-level investment promotion and public–private partnership agencies. He has extensive experience in policy processes, budget cycles, public–private partnership project development and facilitation, stakeholder engagement, investment promotion, and formulation and implementation of plans and programs.

Manoj is interested in learning about ‘compliance versus defiance’ and ‘acceptance versus resistance’ of public policies. Through his Australia Awards Scholarship, he aims to observe best practices and strengthen his competence in analysing policy problems through multiple lenses. He also plans to enhance his leadership capacity and expand his professional networks.

Manoj will use his new knowledge and skills to design innovative and evidence-based policies and enhance the capacity of sub-national governments, focusing on environmental sustainability and public–private partnerships in sustainable infrastructure development.

Nisha Neupane, a Judicial Officer at Kathmandu District Court, has served in courts across Nepal for the past six years. She is committed to delivering timely justice to service-seekers. When an accused person is brought into the courtroom, she is among the first officers they interact with. She ensures that their statements are recorded without prejudice; these statements are later used as crucial evidence in court orders and decisions.

She aspires to pursue a career in Nepal’s judiciary, which has historically had few women in significant roles. Her Australia Awards journey will broaden her knowledge and competencies in the criminal justice system, particularly in understanding the multifaceted influences leading to criminal behaviour (such as familial and societal backgrounds) and procedural aspects of investigation and prosecution. Upon her return, she intends to leverage the knowledge and skills that she will have acquired through the Scholarship to address critical challenges within Nepal’s criminal justice system—particularly in alternatives to incarceration, such as community service.

Rabin Kumar Gyalang is a forestry professional who is currently serving as a Planning Officer for the Ministry of Forests and Environment in Kathmandu, Nepal. With over a decade of experience, beginning as a Forest Ranger, he has led numerous forest conservation initiatives in collaboration with local communities and stakeholders. After first being promoted to the role of Soil Conservation Officer, he has held key roles such as Planning and Policy Officer and even Private Secretary to the Honourable Minister for Forests and Environment. In his current role, he prepares annual and periodic plans and also assists in policymaking, particularly in sustainable forest and catchment management, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Rabin is passionate about sustainable catchment management and he aims to deepen his expertise through his Australia Awards Scholarship, focusing on innovative and adaptive strategies for community-led catchment management and environmental practices. Upon his return to Nepal, Rabin aspires to contribute to building climate-resilient communities through watershed restoration.

Ramhari Timalsina is an Agricultural Development professional who since 2018 has worked in various capacities in agricultural policy, program planning and implementation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in Nepal’s Bagmati province. He is currently the Chief of the Sub-Tropical Horticulture Development Centre in Nuwakot district, and has a strong interest in evidence-based decision-making to reform Nepal’s agricultural development paradigm.

Ramhari intends to use his Australia Awards Scholarship to deepen his knowledge and capability to diagnose critical gaps in the current agricultural development trajectory and identify necessary reforms in policy, programs and institutions. He hopes that the enhanced capacity he will gain through the Scholarship will enable him to contribute to institutionalising a culture of informed, evidence-based decision-making through active involvement and internal advocacy.

Rita Baramu is a development professional, feminist writer and researcher with over a decade of experience in intersectional human rights issues, including land rights, internet freedoms, indigenous rights and women’s rights. Currently, she serves as a Policy Consultant and guides the formulation of organisational policies at Shramik Sanjal in Nepal. She holds a Master of Gender Studies and a Bachelor of Law.

As an indigenous Baramu woman, Rita is a passionate advocate for the rights of women and marginalised communities. She engages in public forums and writes for national Nepali newspapers, using an intersectional lens.

Through her Australia Awards Scholarship, Rita aims to deepen her expertise in tech policy, data politics and digital culture with the goal of bolstering advocacy for diverse leadership and inclusive policies and practices within Nepal’s technology-based governance system.

Rubina Bishunke is a Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator with over a decade of experience at WorldLink Communications Limited, the largest internet service provider in Nepal. As a social work graduate, she is dedicated to being a progressive social mobiliser, championing a grassroots approach to practice-based community engagement. She focuses on creating significant and long-term impact through collaborative efforts and sustainable practices. Her awareness campaigns and research-based communication have helped drive action-oriented learning on issues affecting underprivileged communities in Nepal.

With the support of her Australia Awards Scholarship, Rubina aims to be an active changemaker, working on grassroots initiatives. She intends to learn, unlearn and relearn core community practices. Through research and amplifying narratives, Rubina plans on delivering more community-based projects that foster equitable environments and empower marginalised groups. She also aspires to promote diversity and inclusion as a facilitator and an empathetic educator.

Sanjay Singh Tamata, a committed technology and governance specialist, has over six years of experience in Nepal’s public sector, focusing on enhancing anti-corruption initiatives through digital innovation. He currently serves as a Computer Engineer at the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority in Kanchanpur, Nepal, where he focuses on advancing digital solutions to support anti-corruption efforts, enhancing the accuracy of investigations and promoting transparency in public governance.

Through his Australia Awards Scholarship, Sanjay aims to deepen his knowledge in data management, e-governance and IT policy, with the aim of bridging digital accessibility gaps and improving public service delivery in Nepal. On his return, he intends to use his enhanced expertise to advance e-governance and improve technological infrastructure in Nepal. He also aspires to advocate for digital inclusion and data-driven decision-making in Nepal’s governance sector, contributing to a more accountable and resilient public administration system.

Santosh Paudel is a development enthusiast who strives to serve Nepali farming communities through impactful agricultural policies and initiatives.

As an agricultural economist for nine years, Santosh is actively involved in reviewing and analysing policy and planning agricultural programs for the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. He is working to connect core economic principles with policy and development to devise a way of planning that improves the lives of farmers.

Santosh intends to use his Australia Awards Scholarship to acquire practical skills and competencies that enable him to apply evidence-based planning for effective policies and programs, reinvigorating the rural economy and development.

Shailee Chaudhary is a Madheshi Marwari queer professional who has spent the past decade in human rights activism. As a Campaigner at Dalit Lives Matter in Kathmandu, Nepal, Shailee is currently involved in designing and implementing projects focusing on caste, gender, sexuality, ethnicity and geopolitics to address systemic marginalisation in Nepal and beyond. Shailee promotes equal rights, crossing various intersections and undertaking initiatives such as TEDxBirgunj. Shailee prioritises fostering inclusive spaces that amplify unheard voices and address structural inequities.

Through their Australia Awards Scholarship, Shailee aims to gain comprehensive knowledge of human rights law, strategic litigation and advocacy skills, enabling them to critically evaluate Nepal’s legal framework, identify gaps and support marginalised communities. Shailee intends to actively engage in policy advocacy and bolster human rights mechanisms after their return to Nepal. Shailee envisions a just, equitable and multicultural society that upholds human rights, promotes inclusion and protects everyone’s dignity, regardless of identity.

Shristi Oliya is a Biomedical Engineer working for the Government of Nepal, currently at the National Public Health Laboratory. She has nine years of experience across both private and government sectors. The diverse areas she has worked in include medical equipment management, healthcare applications, improving patient care and safety, and crisis management in recent health emergencies.

Through her Australia Awards Scholarship, Shristi aspires to learn about incorporating advanced engineering practices in medical sciences, regulation of medical devices and better management of health technology. On her return home, she plans to contribute to the field of biomedical sciences by working on medical device regulation, and mitigating structural shortcomings to create a safer and more competent work environment for fellow biomedical engineers and other health professionals in the country.

Sunaina Barali is a Horticulture Development Officer with the Government of Nepal, currently serving at the Directorate of Agriculture Development in Butwal, Rupandehi district, Lumbini province. She is primarily responsible for overseeing horticultural development programs across the province, with a focus on promoting modern practices, such as protected cultivation, rooftop gardening and landscape design. She also plays a key role in designing annual provincial horticulture programs and supports district offices in the successful implementation of such programs through regular monitoring and evaluation.

Sunaina aims to use her Australia Awards Scholarship to gain expertise in globally recognised horticultural technologies, particularly in urban landscape management, such as avenue plantation and edible landscape planning. Her goal is to incorporate these practices into Nepal’s agricultural plans and strategies, enhancing urban aesthetics and environmental quality, while contributing to sustainable urban development.

Vivekanand Jha has been working as an Audit Officer at the Office of the Auditor General, Nepal, since 2017. He has extensive performance audit and financial audit experience. His audit recommendations have been pivotal to improve the economy and mobilise public resources, promoting accountability and transparency in public sector institutions.

Vivekanand’s planned specialisation in economic policy through his Australia Awards Scholarship is intended to enhance his understanding of international best practice in policy dynamics. He will use his expertise to benefit policy in Nepal. By acquiring advanced skills in policy analysis and research, he intends to address Nepal’s public debt related issues through an external audit, ensuring improved public debt functionality and enhanced auditing processes.

Yamuna Panchkoti specialises in gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH), and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). She has over 12 years of experience. Her expertise and passion include conducting gender safety audits, designing and delivering GBVH programs and training, preventing commercial sexual exploitation of children, developing gender policies, creating gender equality, disability, and social inclusion toolkits, and formulating gender M&E frameworks. She has worked with national and international non-governmental organisations, as well as private sector companies in Nepal and Southeast Asia Region. She currently serves as a Gender Research Support at Factive Consulting in Singapore.

As an Australia Awards Scholarship recipient, Yamuna aims to deepen her understanding of gender and development theories through practical approaches. She seeks to apply this knowledge to design and implement gender-responsive development programs for private sector companies in Nepal, focusing on preventing, mitigating and addressing GBVH in workplaces and sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment in communities affected by business operations.