Research Commiteee

Bishnu Dev Pant, PhD

Head of SAIM Research Unit

PhD, Indian Statistical Institute, India

Over 35 years of national and international work experience. He began his professional career at the Agricultural Projects Services (APROSC) in 1977. Later he served at National Planning Commission (NPC) from 1984 to 1985. He worked at United Nations Economic and Social Comission for Asia and Pacific (UN-ESCAP) in Bangkok and Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila in different capacities. After taking retirement from the ADB in July 2008, he has been working in the South Asian Institute of Management (SAIM College) in kathmandu in the capacity of professor. Since mid 2010, he served as Executive Director of the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) till 2019.

Area of Interest: Statistics and National Accounts, Economics, Financial Modeling

Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani

Chairman Emeritus

Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani is a prominent Nepalese politician, economist, and former Minister who has held key positions in various Nepalese governments during the panchayat era and after the restoration of multi-party democracy. He is widely recognized for his contribution to Nepal's financial liberalization and growth in the financial sector, including the establishment of Nepal's first joint venture backed bank, Nepal Arab Bank Limited (now Nabil Bank), during his tenure as Finance Minister. Dr. Lohani is a Fulbright scholar and has an MBA degree from Indiana University and a PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles. He has also published papers in prestigious journals like the University of Chicago Journal of Political Economy and has shared his ideas and views at various national and international forums.

Shakti SJB Rana, PhD

Research Program Director

PhD, Hawaii and the East-West Centre, USA

Prof. Rana has more than 25 years of teaching experience. He is an active trainer and has conducted training programs at East-West Center, USA, Nepal Administrative Staff College, and Nepal Television. He also provided professional consulting to UN Media-Lab and Grace Pacific Roofing, USA. He has been a member (representing in the capacity of a technical expert) of the High Technology Adoption and Advancement Committee and the Communication and Information Policy and Evaluation Council, both under the Ministry of Communication and Information, HMG, Nepal. He is a keen researcher in information processing and communication systems. He has over a dozen publications to his credit, including reputed publications such as the Asian Journal of Communication Proceedings of the Pacific Telecommunications Council. He is an active member of various institutions such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, USA; Institute of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers, India; Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers, USA; New York Academy of Science, USA; Nepal Engineers Association; and the National Geographic Society. Dr Rana's research interests include data and telecommunications, information processing (retrieval, storage, and dissemination), information technology and systems, quantitative methods, and communication policy.

Area of Interest: Management Information Systems, Information Technology, Operations Management

Radhesh Pant

Chairman

Mr Radhesh Pant is the former CEO of the Investment Board of the Government of Nepal (IBN). He is the former CEO of Kumari Bank and the Past President of the Nepal Bankers Association. Mr Pant began his career as a financial analyst at AMGEN INC. in California, moving to treasury manager before returning to Nepal. He has a great understanding of both the public and the private sectors. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dyuti Baral

Research Program Member

Masters in Sociology, University of Wisconsin

Dyuti Baral has a Masters in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a non-degree HRM certification from the University of Washington-Seattle. She managed USAID-funded Girls and Women's Education, US Department of Labor's Child Labor Elimination Programme, and World Bank-funded Program for Accountability in Nepal as a sociologist. As Human Resource and Organizational Development Manager for ActionAid Nepal and Plan International Nepal, Ms. Baral has over a decade of managerial experience. She advised World Bank-funded RWSSP, World Neighbours, World Education, NEWAH, and New ERA on HR matters. Uganda, Thailand, and Cambodia have invited Ms. Baral for HR support. She has conducted compensation/salary surveys, grievance management committees, talent management programs for succession planning and leadership development, and training programs. She teaches Research Methods and Performance Management at South Asian Institute of Management.

Area of Interest: Human Resource Management, Sociology and Research Methodology, Consultant

Laxman Pokhrel

Program Director (BBA)

Personal Background: Mr Laxman Pokhrel has about 10 years of experience in educational institutions, developing sectors, and consultation in research. His varied involvement has helped him to acquire invaluable experience in strategic brand management, notably on how to drive an institution towards success. His most recent position before joining SAIM has been as an MBA and BBA Coordinator in which he left his mark as a motivator, visionary leader, and meticulous planner, besides garnering accolades as a faculty of the research, marketing and psychology courses.