Editorial Team

Editor-in-chief (Ex-Officio; Chairman, Policy Research Institute): Dr. Bishnu Raj Upreti: Dr. Upreti has 40 years of experience in development, research and teaching.  His geographical research areas include Latin America, Africa and Asia and thematic research areas include public policy, state building, human security, environment and natural resources. Dr Upreti is currently serving as the Executive Chair of Policy Research Institute.

Executive Editor: Dr. Bikram Acharya: Dr. Acharya received PhD in Technology Management Economics and Policy from Seoul National University, South Korea. He is currently working as a Research Fellow at Policy Research Institute. His research interests include technology forecasting, consumer behavior, public policy and innovation policy.

List of Editors

Dr. Bimala Rai Poudel: Dr. Bimala Rai Paudyal is Member of the National Assembly, Federal Parliament of Nepal. She is an adjunct professor of Development Studies for Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) Nepal. Dr. Paudyal has also served as a member of the National Planning Commission. Dr. Paudyal holds a PhD in Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, Netherlands and an MA from the University of Manchester, UK. She is a policy expert especially in the areas of sustainable development, natural resource governance, climate-smart agriculture, gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), post disasters need assessment (PDNA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR). At the global parliamentary forums, Dr. Paudyal is a member of Climate Parliament and one of the founding members of the International Parliamentary Network for Education (IPNEd). She has authored a number of publications and has been serving as a peer reviewer of a number reputed journals in the field of development studies.

Dr. Biswo Nath Poudel: Dr Poudel is currently a visiting associate professor at Kathmandu University, chief economic advisor of Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI), columnist in Kantipur Daily, member of the Board of Directors of Sanima Middle Tamor Hydropower Company,  and a member of the board of trustees of Ullens Education Foundation. He had previously served as the economic advisor at the National Planning Commission(NPC) and the International Labour Organization(ILO). His areas of expertise are natural resources economics and labour economics. Dr Poudel did his PhD in 2011 from the University of California at Berkeley. He has published in professional journals such as American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, and Applied Economic Letters. He has also presented his research in conferences such as American Economic Association annual conference (2014), AAEA annual conference (2011), and European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists Annual Conference (2018).

Dr. Deepak Khadka: Dr. Khadka has a doctoral degree in life sciences from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and ten years of experience of research works at the National Institutes of Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Temple University in the US (2001-2010), one year of experience of managing biotechnological research and development at Deurali-Janta Pharmaceuticals and four years of experience of overseeing and managing research support programs for higher education at the University Grants Commission in Nepal (2012-2019). Dr Khadka is currently serving as the Senior Research Fellow and the Head of the Research Department at Policy Research Institute. Dr. Khadka brings a rich experience of research quality assurance for diverse disciplines.

Dr. Hemant Ojha: Dr. Hemant Ojha is Associate Professor at University of Canberra and Senior Policy Advisor at Institute for Study and Development Worldwide (IFSD), Australia. He is an expert on environmental politics and international development.  He has published over 70 scientific papers. He sits as co-editor/advisor of Journal of Forest Policy and Economics (Elsevier), World Water Policy (Wiley), and Water MDPI).

Prof. Dr. Khadga KC: Dr. KC is currently working as a Professor at the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu. He was a Japan Foundation Fellow (2012 July- March 2013 and was the US State Department Fellow on SUSI at the Chicago University, (April-June, 2012. Dr. K.C. was a (Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Japan) Fellow (2002-2009). He is an executive editor of Journal of International Affairs, DIRD, TU, and an editorial board member, of Journal of International Relations, Dhaka University.

Prof. Dr. Naba Raj Devkota: Currently working as Vice Chancellor of Gandaki University, Nepal, Dr. Devkota has served more than a decade as Director of Research and Extension at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS/TU) and Agriculture and Forestry University. Prof. Devkota was Editor-In-Chief of Journal of Agriculture and Forestry University (JAFU) from 2017 to Oct. 2020, an advisor for Nepal Journal of Biotechnology and Editor of EC-VET and Global Journal of Agriculture and Allied Sciences, USA.

Dr. Rajan Bhattarai: Dr. Bhattarai received PhD in international relations in 2011 from Jawaharlal University, India and M.A. in International Studies from the University of London, UK. He is the Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister, Bhattarai has also served in the same capacity earlier twice. He was a former member of Legislature Parliament (Sambidhan Sabha). He was also a member in the Eminent Persons Group on Nepal India Relations. Dr Bhattarai, extensively published on foreign policy, security and political affairs.

Dr. Shankar Sharma: Dr. Shankar Sharma is a former Ambassador of Nepal to the United States and Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission, Nepal. Dr. Sharma received PhD in economics from the University of Hawaii.  Dr. Sharma has served as an editor to ASEAN Economic Bulletin and a consultant editor to Hydrocarbon Asia, both published from Singapore for about seven years. Dr. Sharma has published over 8 books and more than three dozen articles mainly in the areas of the economy, energy and environment.

Prof. Dr. Sharad Onta: Dr. Sharad Onta, a medical graduate, has a master’s degree in public health and a PhD in Health Research System. Currently, Dr. Onta is Professor at the Department of Community Medicine and Public Health and Country Coordinator at People’s Health Movement Nepal. Dr. Onta has also served as a member secretary at Nepal Health Research Council, as Assistant Dean (Academic) at Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University and as Head of Department of Community Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Onta has been involved in research in various aspects of public health and published several articles in national and international journals and has presented numerous papers in national and international conferences.

Dr. Suprabha Baniya: Dr. Suprabha Baniya is Assistant Professor of Economics (PhD faculty of International Trade) at Clark University, United States. She received her PhD in economics from Purdue University in 2017. Through her doctoral work and current research, she is associated with the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, International Monetary Fund and the GTAP.

Dr. Teertha Dhakal: Currently serving as Secretary to the Government of Nepal (GON), Dr. Dhakal has over 25 years of experience in drafting national development plans/policies, designing/implementing results-based monitoring and evaluation frameworks, facilitating independent evaluation/research studies and reviewing journal articles. Dr. Dhakal holds a PhD in Education (Research in Policy Implementation) from Kathmandu University, an MSc in Project Planning and Management from the University of Bradford (UK) and a Masters of Business and Public Administration (MBA and MPA) from Tribhuvan University.