The Great Nepali Diaspora Newsletter

Founder’s Note 🖋️

Hi everyone,

Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year 2026!

We hope that you get to spend the holiday season with your loved ones and can recharge for the year ahead. 

We’ll be back in January with exciting updates to get the community together. Stay tuned!

Best regards,

Preeti

Diaspora Voting Initiative 🗳️

In October and November, TGND intensified its work on diaspora voting by partnering with SpeakUp Nepal, Nepal Policy Institute, and a growing group of legal, policy, and tech experts to push for inclusive voting rights for Nepalis abroad. Following the Gen Z–led protests and the announcement of elections in March 2026, this effort took on new urgency. TGND helped launch both online and offline petitions, submitted proposals to the Election Commission, the Home Ministry, and the Prime Minister’s advisors, and received encouraging feedback at each step. Alongside this, we conducted a global diaspora survey across 11 countries, which reinforced a clear demand for fair and democratic elections, and supported research pointing to i-Voting as a practical and cost-effective solution.

At this stage, we are awaiting positive updates from the government on enabling voting rights for the diaspora. We remain hopeful that continued dialogue, evidence-based recommendations, and sustained pressure will lead to concrete policy action, allowing Nepalis around the world to finally have a voice in shaping the country’s future.

Diaspora Expert Webinar Series 👩🏻‍💻

TGND Webinar with Imera on Immigration, Dec 15

Imera and The Great Nepali Diaspora hosted an info packed webinar for Nepali students across the US to help you navigate the next few months with clarity and confidence.

This webinar covered:
- What to know before traveling outside the US on F1 or J1 status
- How to avoid common travel issues at the border
- Visa renewals, pending cases, and strategies if your visa is expiring
- CPT, OPT, and STEM OPT rules that impact travel and internships
- Alternative visa pathways for students and recent grads, including O1, H1B alternatives, cap-exempt options, and self-sponsored routes
- How to approach job hunting in a difficult market as an international student
- Graduation planning and how to make strong immigration decisions early
- Live Q&A

Imera is an immigration tech startup helping immigrants navigate life in the U.S., offering personalized AI-driven guidance, streamlined access to essential services, and a welcoming community. 

Here are the presentation slides and additional resources mentioned on the webinar. 

From Public Uprisings to Election Season: Nepal’s Political Shifts Since September

Speakers:-
Rijan Ranamagar, Political Activist & Community Organizer
Aakriti Ghimire, Governance Innovation & Political Comms Strategist
Dr. Aastha Dahal, Lawyer
Nisha, Community Organizer

Hosts: Mira Khadka Aditi Upadhyaya

Moderator: Pratisha Joshi

As Nepal transitions from a season of public uprisings into the heat of upcoming elections, this session explored the evolving landscape of governance, accountability, and leadership. Speakers discussed the challenges facing Nepal’s bureaucratic system, the urgent need for electoral reform, and justice for victims of the Gen Z protests. The conversation also highlighted systemic delays in political processes, work culture challenges, and the struggle for accountability across parties, civic spaces, and public institutions. Importantly, speakers emphasized the role of Nepal’s diaspora, highlighting out-of-country voting and the significance of diaspora communities in sustaining Nepal’s economy. By unpacking these issues in clear and accessible terms, the session offered insights into what meaningful leadership should look like in Nepal today and in the months ahead.

Key Takeaways

1. Accountability in Nepal

• Citizens have increasingly demanded transparency, clear decision-making, and responsibility from those in power.

• Social media and street movements have become crucial platforms for asserting accountability.

• Despite citizen pressure, political and bureaucratic systems remain slow and unresponsive.

2. Leadership Challenges

• Leadership gaps persist across political parties, bureaucracy, and civic spaces.

• Weak intergenerational trust hampers collaboration and long-term vision.

• Effective leadership requires bridging gaps between generations and institutions.

3. Electoral and Governance Reform

• Structural reforms are necessary to streamline decision-making and enhance responsiveness.

• Electoral reform and bureaucratic efficiency are critical to strengthening public trust.

4. Diaspora and Economic Significance

• The Nepalese diaspora plays a vital role in sustaining Nepal’s economy.

• Engaging diaspora communities in governance and elections can strengthen accountability and democratic participation.

5. Social and Work Culture Insights

• Work culture in Nepal’s political and administrative systems slows progress and innovation.

• Modern movements, especially Gen Z activism, challenge traditional hierarchies and demand justice.

6. Moving Forward

• Understanding these systemic issues can empower citizens to engage meaningfully in governance.

• Building accountable, transparent, and collaborative leadership is key to navigating Nepal’s rapidly changing political landscape.

Podcast🎙️

We haven’t released any new episodes this month, but you can check out past ones for both our podcasts below. 

TGND Beats (hosted by Preeti Adhikary)

Humanizing AI (hosted by Cesar Koirala)

TGND’s Podcast Manager is Subigya Basnet. 

Events 🗓️

Past Events:
BrandFest 2025 (organized by the Himalayan Times), Kathmandu, Nepal - Dec 4

Preeti Adhikary (Founder of TGND) spoke on a panel related to the branding of Nepal, especially in terms of tourism. It was moderated by Professor Dr Sushil Awale with other panelists pashupati Nyaupane & Rohini Prasad Khanal. Preeti stressed the importance of the diaspora to be a part of the branding and narrative of the country, as well as to become unofficial ambassadors and active consumers.

National Governance Symposium 2025 (Organized by Governance Lab in collaboration with 𝐍𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 (𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐂), 𝐃𝐚𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐭𝐰𝐚 and 𝐍𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐲), Nepal - Dec 12

Preeti Adhikary (Founder, TGND and General Partner, Momo VC) spoke on a policy studio panel titled “Money” or Rethinking Financial Mobilization for a Self-Reliant Nepal” at the National Governance Symposium in Kathmandu. The other speakers were 𝐌𝐫. Baikuntha Aryal, Former Chief Secretary, Government of Nepal; 𝐌𝐫. Mahesh Bhattarai, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance; and 𝐌𝐫. 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚, Executive Director, Deurali-Janta Pharmaceuticals. 

Before investment comes community and trust. TGND has been able to create a non-political and transparent network for global professionals with roots in Nepal. This has led to a high degree of trust and soft power of the community. Accordingly, the trust has helped leverage the expertise and investment of the diaspora in startups, SMEs, and Momo VC fund as a result. 

TGND x Momo VC Networking Event in Kathmandu, Nepal - Dec 15

50+ people from all career fields attended the networking event co-hosted by TGND and Momo VC. There were about 15 people from the diaspora.

TGND x Momo VC Interaction Program with the Consulate of Nepal in New York - Dec 19

On Dec 19, TGND hosted an informal interaction program at the Consulate General of Nepal in New York. The topic of discussion was to discuss the role of the diaspora in branding and promoting Nepal as an investment destination. Professionals from various fields came to learn more about the origin stories of the Great Nepali Diaspora and Momo VC and how they are leveraging the diaspora. community. 

Upcoming Events:

TGND x Second Chance: Inside the 2018 Scholarship Scandal That Launched a Global Movement (Jan 14, 8 pm EST) - virtual

In this webinar, hosted by The Great Nepali Diaspora, Krishna Sharma and Shashwat Maharjan will describe their journey from a scholarship revocation to full rides at two new universities. Joan Liu, Founder of Second Chance, will share how she and others helped these incredible Nepali students find last minute scholarships, after the US cycle has finished – and how Second Chance is creating a new category of admissions.

Join us to learn how Nepali students overcame the odds, and how Second Chance is not only changing the lives of students, but changing Higher Education globally. Join us in the Movement to create opportunities for more deserving students in Nepal and around the world to access higher education.

Register here!

The Brown Room, Brooklyn, New York (Jan 16, 7-9.30 pm EST) - in person

Sign up here for a 2000s cozy and nostalgic Bollywood acoustic night! You’ll also run into Imera, supporting immigrants navigating life in the U.S., and NE Nepal, the featured vendor bringing beautiful pieces rooted in Nepali craft and culture.

Book signing of "The Joyous Fort, Our Homeland in Thini," a captivating memoir, Woodside, NY (Jan 18, 6-8 pm EST) - in person

Discover 45 years of life in the hidden Himalayan village of Thini, from ancient traditions to personal stories of resilience beneath the Nilgiri peaks. Meet the authors on January 18, 2026, at Ngatso Cafe in Woodside, New York. 

Join our LinkedIn group! 👩🏻‍🏫🧑🏻‍🏫

We finally have a private group on LinkedIn to connect with students and professionals with roots in Nepal (who are studying/working outside Nepal). If this is you, do join our group and engage with diaspora members from all over the globe.