Fund Providers
Ms. Subhadra Manandhar, a former banker at the central Bank of Nepal (Nepal Rastra Bank) with MA in economics and spouse of Dr. Hira Kaji Manandhar, has always been supportive and instrumental for the initiatives taken by the latter. She assisted her spouse actively during the study and research period in Denmark and became a part of DGISP, KVL and DFC. Ms. Manandhar has also been instrumental for establishing NPDA by supporting the founder team and providing physical space for almost free of charge. Without her generous support directly and indirectly the present state of NPDA would not have been possible. With all these involvements Ms. Manandhar has whole heartedly joined her spouse to provide the above three funds, which aim to contribute to agricultural science and technology in Nepal.
Dr. Hira Kaji Manandhar, former Senior Scientist, Chief of Planning Division, Chief of Plant Pathology Division, and Director for Planning & Coordination at Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Program Leader (Food Crops) at Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (AFACI), sponsored by Rural Development Administration, South Korea, is the Adjunct Professor at Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal; Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Tribhuvan University (TU), Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal. He has a PhD in plant pathology from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL), Copenhagen, Denmark (now University of Copenhagen); Diploma in seed pathology from the Danish Government Institute of Seed Pathology (DGISP). He received both degrees under the Danida fellowship administered by Danida Fellowship Center (DFC). He graduated with a BSc degree in agriculture from IAAS, TU in 1981.
Dr. Manandhar has authored a number of books, research articles, chapters, reviews, factsheets and broadsheet articles on agricultural technologies and contemporary issues and edited books, proceedings and journals, nationally and internationally. He also worked as local consultant for Asian Development Bank and Bioversity International. He along with his colleagues has founded a company, ‘Nepal Plant Disease & Agro Associates’ (NPDA) in Kathmandu for teaching, research and development. He has received a number of awards, including His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Science and Technology Youth Award of the Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST, now NAST) in 1990 and IAAS Golden Jubilee Award in 2007 for his outstanding contribution in agricultural research.
Dr. Manandhar has been proud to be a student of Dr. S. B. Mathur and Prof. Viggo Smedegaard-Petersen with whom he studied seed pathology and plant disease resistance at the Danish Government Institute of Seed Pathology for Developing Countries (DGISP) and the Royal Veterinary and Agriculture University, respectively, both in Copenhagen, Denmark and enjoyed a wonderful learning with them. Dr. Manandhar has also been proud to be a sub-ordinate of Mr. Amatya since he joined the Plant Pathology Division in 1982 from whom he always received encouragement, freedom and support for work, and learned honesty and sincerity in life. He has co-authored and co-edited with them a number of publications and books on plant diseases, both nationally and internationally. And he has been maintaining close association and cooperation with all these three world class supervisors.