Nirogi Nepal Team
Nirogi Nepal Team is a diverse and global group of professionals who have come together in this social venture from many walks of life with one shared passion: Help build healthy communities in the developing world through health literacy and education.
Learn about our key team members below:
Leadership Team
Board of Directors
- Dr. Anil Ghimire, MD
- Ankur Sharma, PMP
- Bilas Upadhyay, CPA
- Dr. Bishal Dhakal, MD
- Dr. Chandra Chataut, MD
- Dr. Janak Wagle, MD
- Rajendra Giri
- Thala Raj Panta
- Yagna Pant
Senior Management
- Ankur Sharma, PMP- Chief Executive Office (CEO) - USA
- Rajendra Giri- Chairman of the Board - Nepal
Chief Editor (Nepali)
Co-ordinator
Professional Service Providers
- Asmita Bhattarai, MPH
- Dr. Bidur Adhikari
- Dr. Dinesh Dharel, MD
- Jamuna Laxmi Maharjan, MN
- Poojan Sharma, RN
- Dr. Pranil Man Singh Pradhan
- Reena Mandal, MN
Brief Bios
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Dr. Anil Ghimire, MD
Anil Ghimire MD, is a board-certified pulmonary and critical care medicine (PCCM) specialist at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. He serves as an Assistant Professor of Medicine and is also in the leadership position as an Associate Program Director of PCCM fellowship program.
Dr. Ghimire obtained his medical degree (MBBS) from BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) in Nepal and received further medical training at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. He also holds a Master of Medicine (MMed) degree from University of Melbourne. He completed his residency from John H Stroger Hospital of Cook County in Chicago and fellowships from Yale University-affiliated programs. He is a winner of Amrit Science Medal and an Australian Aid (AusAid) scholarship award.
An avid music lover, Dr. Ghimire lives in Syracuse, New York, USA with his wife and two daughters.
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Ankur Sharma, PMP
Ankur Sharma, a consummate software engineer and a project management professional, has more than 14 years of experience in telecommunications and Information Technology (IT). He currently works at AT&T, one of the largest telecommunications companies in the United States.
In addition to his professional work, Mr. Sharma is also actively involved in community activities in the US as well as in Nepal. He is currently serving as the General Secretary of the Nepali American Center.
Mr. Sharma is originally from Kathmandu, Nepal and completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from SVNIT, Surat, India and a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, USA. He also holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) and Agile Certified Professional (ACP) from Project Management Institute (PMI), and has been successfully leading medium to large complexity projects both at his work and in community.
Mr. Sharma currently lives in Chicago, USA with his wife Durgha Seerla-Sharma and their kids Aadi and Anya.
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Bilas Upadhyay, CPA
Bilas Upadhyay is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with more than 19 years of professional experience in the fields of accounting and finance. He currently works as an Assistant Vice President of trust tax division at the Bank of America corporate headquarters.
Mr. Upadhyay is widely known in the Nepali community in Dallas, USA for his community work. He is a Vice President at USA-Nepal Community Outreach Network. He has also supported various programs supporting indigent communities in Nepal.
In addition to the professional certifications, Mr. Upadhyay also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy from Bellevue University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Our Lady of the Lake University.
Mr. Upadhyay lives in Sunnyvale, Texas with his wife Vishnu Maya and their three children. -
Dr. Chandra Chataut, MD
Chandra Chataut, MD is a board-certified Internist serving as an Attending Physician at Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Chicago since 2001. He is also Assistant Professor of Medicine at Rush University, Chicago. Dr Chataut obtained his medical degree (MBBS) and postgraduate MD (Nephrology) from University of Dhaka. He completed Residency from Cook County Hospital and MSc (Clinical Research) from Rush University.
Dr. Chataut has been practicing medicine over 25 years. He served in Nepal for several years before moving to the United States. As a clinician and medical educator, Dr Chataut is involved in training Internal Medicine Residents and teaching Medical Students.
Dr. Chataut is also active in community service and mentoring of international medical graduates. He has authored several scientific publications. Among his awards, Dr. Chataut has received Gold Medal from University of Dhaka, Mahendra Bidya Bhushan Padak from the Government of Nepal, Humanitarian Service Award from Illinois Secretary of State and Osler Award for Teaching of Internal Medicine from Stroger Hospital.
Dr. Chataut lives in a Chicago suburb with his spouse Kanti and their two sons Aseem and Ankit.
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Dr. Janak Wagle, MD
Janak Wagle, MD is a board-certified Internist at Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, where he provides vital services and medical care to the veterans. The Medical Center is affiliated to Medical College of Wisconsin where Dr. Wagle holds the position of an assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine. He has been involved in training internal medicine residents and medical students since 2009.
Dr. Wagle obtained his undergraduate medical degree (MBBS) from Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) and completed Internal Medicine residency from St. Francis Hospital, Evanston, Illinois USA, an affiliate of University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).Dr. Wagle has had involvement in social and humanitarian causes since his student days in the medical school when he served as the president of Nepal Medical Students Society (NMSS), a sister organization of International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA) and represented Nepal in various international forums and seminars.
Dr. Wagle lives with his wife and two daughters in Milwaukee, USA.
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Rajendra Giri
Rajendra Giri is a senior management consultant with 26 years of experience in business promotion, training, management and institutional development. He has worked as a consultant with various government agencies in Nepal including Ministry of Local Development, National Planning Commission and Physical Planning and Works, and has also collaborated with national and international development agencies and the private sector.
Mr. Giri has developed several successful businesses in Nepal from the ground up. These include Kailash Bikas Bank Limited, where he currently serves as the Chairperson, Mandakini Hydro Power Limited (currently Managing Director), and Kumari Academy Pvt Limited (currently Director).
Mr. Giri is also active in community work through national and international organizations. He has been a long-time contributor to Srijana Development Center, Pokhara, Nepal; Room To Read, Kathmandu, Nepal, and Lions Clubs International (member since 1988). He has also served as the Charter President of Lions Club of Kathmandu Kailash (2013-2015),
As part of his professional work, Mr. Giri has visited India, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Australia, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Mauritius, the Philippines, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, United Kingdom (UK), South Korea, and USA. Mr. Giri has a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Economics and is also a law graduate.
Mr. Giri lives in Kathmandu, Nepal with his wife Kamala and two sons Biswa and Himal.
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Thala Raj Panta
Thala ‘Raj’ Panta is an award-winning social worker, a highly-skilled business leader and an international social entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience running businesses. He holds significant stakes in a number of successful businesses in Texas, USA and in Nepal, mainly focusing in industries, such as senior living, design-build, construction, information technology, and hydroelectricity. Mr. Panta is currently the Project Coordinator for a $25 million construction project for Highlands Senior Living in Arlington, Texas. He is also a Director at Third Pole Construction Group and WE DesignBuild, Inc.
Socially very active in the community, Mr. Panta currently serves as a Vice President at USA-Nepal Community Outreach Network. He is also an active member and a Director at Dallas Everest Lions Club, and he is an Executive Member at Yeti Chamber of Commerce, Dallas. He was a recipient of the President’s Award by Lions Club International.
Mr. Panta is a graduate in Engineering and Technology and also holds several professional certifications from various institutions in Nepal, and in the United States.
Mr. Panta lives in Rowlett, Texas, USA with his wife Sangita and their two children Vibhuti and Victor. -
Yagna Pant
Yagna Pant is a seasoned technology expert. Originally from Chisapani, Tanahun, Nepal he has more than 20 years of experience in information technology (IT) at various levels.
Mr. Pant has a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics Engineering from Motilal Nehru National Institute Of Technology and a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.
In addition to the professional work, Mr. Pant is also actively involved in various community activities in the US as well as in Nepal. He is in the current leadership team of Nepali American Center.
Mr. Pant lives in Chicago, USA with his wife Rummy and their children Niraj and Nisha.
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Lok Mani Paudel, M.Sc.
Lok Mani Paudel is a freelance writer, editor, translator, trainer and an organic farming activist.
Having survived a near-death experience due to an illness many years ago, Mr. Paudel committed himself to educating the public on preventive health. He has published many health-awareness related articles in national and local newspapers and magazines in Nepal. He is also the chairman of a professional farming group in southern Nepal, where he promotes organic farming. Previously, he served as the general secretary of Nepal Association for Drug Abuse Prevention.
Mr. Paudel holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Trichandra College and a Master of Science degree in organic chemistry from Tribhuvan University.
Mr. Paudel lives in Kathamndu, Nepal with his parents, wife Arati and their two sons – Ajay and Abhay.
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Asmita Bhattarai, MPH
Asmita Bhattarai, MPH is a freelance public health professional with a strong academic and professional experience in nursing. She was recently a Senior Program Officer at Nepal Public Health Foundation, where she worked on an interventional research project on skilled birth attendant (SBA) utilization, supported by World Health Organization. She also worked as the Nursing In-charge in the Emergency Department at College of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital in Chitwan, Nepal.
Ms. Bhattarai received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Kathmandu University and is routinely involved in the training of nurses, public health students and health workers, primarily in the areas of integrated management of newborn and childhood illnesses (IMNCI) and safe motherhood
Ms. Bhattarai has a deep sense of community engagement and a passion in promoting health awareness. -
Dr. Bidur Adhikari
Dr. Bidur Adhikari is a physician at the Institute of Medicine in Kathmandu Nepal.
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Dr. Dinesh Dharel, MD
Dr. Dinesh Dharel, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan, Nepal, where he is involved in teaching, clinical service and research. He completed his undergraduate (MBBS) and doctoral (MD) degrees in medicine from Institute of Medicine at Tribhuvan University.
Born and raised in a remote hilly village in Dhading, Nepal, Dr. Dharel is dedicated to providing awareness and health services to the population, particularly in areas outside the reach of the mainstream health systems. He has led several community-based activities and health and awareness camps in Dhading. He founded the Dhading Health Society and has published several health-related articles on local and national newspapers.
Dr. Dharel is a permanent member of the Nepal Medical Council, a life member of Nepal Red Cross Society, Nepal Pediatric Society and Nepal Medical Association. -
Jamuna Laxmi Maharjan, MN
Jamuna Laxmi Maharjan has a M.Sc. in Nursing and is a surgical and critical care nursing professional.
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Poojan Sharma, RN
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Dr. Pranil Man Singh Pradhan
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Reena Mandal, MN