Our Partners

Hemanta Dhakal

Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University

Hemanta Dhakal is a dedicated ecologist from Nepal and the focal person for the Nepal IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Specialist Groups, where he plays a critical role in coordinating conservation efforts. With a strong focus on birds and fish, Hemanta has extensive expertise in sampling designs and statistical methods for assessing bird diversity and populations. Over his more than a decade-long career in wildlife conservation, research, and advocacy, he has successfully completed numerous funded projects aimed at bird conservation. For the Nepal Water Initiative (NWI), his work has been key in designing research plans, facilitating communication, and collecting field data from major rivers in Nepal, with active participation in field studies in 2019 and 2023. In 2024, Hemanta expanded his academic contributions by designing and delivering field courses at the Agriculture and Forestry University in Rampur, Nepal.  

Robert Dongol

Associate Professor, Director of Interdisciplinary Water Management Program, Nepal Engineering College

Robert Dongol is an accomplished environmental graduate with over 17 years of extensive experience in academia and research, specializing in the water resources sector. Throughout his career, he has worked on addressing water-related challenges while incorporating sustainability, climate change, and community development into his efforts. Robert Dongol has supervised more than 50 master’s research works. Robert has made notable contributions to research and development organizations, working on innovative water resource management solutions. He has also worked with consulting firms, where he applied research findings to develop practical solutions, promoting sustainable practices.  

Rahul Ranjan

Assistant Professor, Department of Aquatic Resources, Agriculture and Forestry University

Rahul is a fish biologist, with expertise in aquaculture and fish biodiversity of Nepal. He has experience monitoring different water bodies regarding water quality and fish biodiversity. His work is mainly focused on lakes, rivers and wetlands in the lowlands of Nepal. In recent years, Rahul’s research interest has also included the impacts of anthropogenic activity on fish physiology and fish diversity. He has been acting as a bridge between AFU and VIMS for the Nepal Water Initiative. He actively participated in field studies in 2019 and 2023, and co-developed and co-taught a field course on aquatic biodiversity for AFU students in 2024.

Kusumlata Tiwari

Kusumlata Tiwari is a distinguished MPhil/PhD candidate at the Central Department of Anthropology at Tribhuvan University in Nepal. Her research primarily delves into Political Anthropology, focusing on the complex dynamics of Madhesi and Dalit marginalization, gender identities, and disaster risk reduction. For the Nepal Water Initiative, Kusumlata has conducted crucial ethnographic work –participant-observation, focus group discussions, one-on-one interviews– with riparian communities and at major riverside religious sites to explore perceptions and impacts of climate change and development (hydropower, pollution, etc) with regard to Nepalese livelihoods and cultural practices. Kusumlata’s research has been published in several esteemed academic journals, including Contemporary Nepali Society, Cultural Anthropology: A Reader, Madhesh Adhyan, and Barefoot Research-2 by Martin Chautari.