Kathmandu – The Government of Nepal has recommended Dr. Kalyan Raj Sharma as Nepal’s ambassador to China as part of its decision to recommend ambassadors for 13 diplomatic missions. The Cabinet made the recommendations at its meeting on Friday.
Dr. Kalyan Raj Sharma, a Nepal-China affairs specialist, economist and Sinologist, has been proposed for the post in Beijing. He holds a PhD in Economics from Fudan University, China, with research experience in foreign direct investment, trade and tourism financing. He currently chairs the Fudan University Alumni Association of Nepal, Nepal-China Friendship Forum and Council of Sinologists-Nepal, and also serves as a visiting scholar at Kathmandu University School of Management.
For India, the government has recommended Dr. Nishchal N. Pandey, a foreign-policy scholar and Director of the Centre for South Asian Studies (CSAS). He previously served as Executive Director of the Institute of Foreign Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has held various academic, research and policy-related positions. He holds a PhD in Political Science from Tribhuvan University and has published extensively on Nepal’s foreign policy and regional cooperation.
For the United States, Chiran Jung Thapa, a specialist in national security and international affairs, has been proposed. Former Chief of Army Staff General Gaurav Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (Retd.) has been recommended as ambassador to the United Kingdom. Rana served as Chief of Army Staff from 2012 to 2015 and has extensive experience in military leadership, strategic affairs and international security.
The government has also recommended Jigyan Kumar Thapa for Japan, Suresh Kumar Karna for Israel, Prapti Sherchan for Spain, Sharu Joshi for Germany, Dr. Padmakshi Rana for Oman, and Chudamani Kharel for Malaysia. Their professional backgrounds range from international cooperation and public policy to technology, banking, labour migration and development.
The remaining nominees are Prof. Dr. Sangam Shrestha for South Korea, Dr. Manchala Jha for Sri Lanka, and Giri Bahadur Sunar for Saudi Arabia. The nominees come from diverse fields including academia, climate resilience, governance, international development and social policy.
The ambassadorial recommendations are not yet final appointments. The proposed ambassadors must go through the required parliamentary hearing process, after which Nepal will seek agrément, or formal consent, from the respective host countries. Final appointment will take place after the required constitutional and diplomatic procedures are completed.
