Organizing Committee

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Sunila Rai is a Professor of Aquaculture and Fisheries in the Aquatic Resources Department, Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) in Nepal. Currently, she is working as the Controller of Examinations. She completed her M.Sc. in Aquaculture and Ph.D. in Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management from Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. In addition to teaching, she is also involved in research and extension. Her research interests are Fisheries and Aquaculture with focus on nutrition and women empowerment. She does her extension activities through women fish farmers’ cooperatives at Chitwan and Nawalparasi districts. She is also a present Chairman of Nepal Fisheries Society (NEFIS).

Dr. Md. Akbal Husen has completed his B.Sc. Agriculture in 1998 and M.Sc. Aquaculture in 2011 from Tribhuvan University, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal and Ph.D. in 2016 from Kathmandu University, Nepal. He has been working since last 24 years in Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) and involved in the various research projects for the technology generation in the sector of aquaculture and fisheries to enhance the fish production of the country. His working interest includes: limnology, lake fisheries and environment management, fish diversity conservation, cage and pen aquaculture, safe fish transportation and new frontier in aquaculture such as fresh water pearl farming, Currently, he is working as a Senior Scientist (S4) and Station Chief of Fishery Research Station, Pokhara, Nepal under Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Singhdarbar Plaza, Kathmandu, Nepal. He is life member and Vice president of Nepal Fisheries Society (NEFIS), life member of Nepal Animal Science Association (NASA) and Society of Agricultural Scientist (SAS).

Ms. Sarita Gautam is Joint-secretary under Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. Currently she is working as Chief of Central Fisheries Promotion and Conservation Center, Balaju, Kathmandu. She Completed her Master degree in Agricultural Economics from Institute of Agriculture and Animal science, IAAS/TU. She also worked in Nepal Agriculture Research Council as Technical Officer. She is life member of Nepal Fisheries Society and Nepal Extension Society. Currently she is also working as General secretary of Nepal Fisheries Society (NEFIS).

Ms. Santoshi Shrestha is an assistant professor of Zoology at Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and is working in the Central Department of Zoology, Kirtipur. She completed her Master degree in Fish and Fisheries from TU. She is working in fish systematics, molecular taxonomy, and conservation. She is a life member of the Nepal Fisheries Society, Nepal Zoological Society, and Biotechnology Society of Nepal. Currently, she is also working as Treasurer of Nepal Fisheries Society (NEFIS).

Dr. Swar entered the civil service from Fisheries Officer and then served as Director General of Department of Agriculture and also held the dignified position of the Secretary of the Government of Nepal in the period of 34 years. Following his retirement, since 2007 he has been serving for international agencies viz. FAO, DNIDA, ADB as a consultant. Dr. Deep completed his first M.Sc. Degree in Zoology from Tribhuvan University and second M.Sc. Degree in Biology from the University of Waterloo. He completed his PhD from University of Manitoba, Canada. Dr. Swar has served in the Governing Council of Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia-Pacific (NACA) and Executive Board of Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC). He is the founder president of Nepal Fisheries Society and have published almost three dozens of research papers in national and international journals.

Madhav K. Shrestha is Retried Professor of Aquaculture from Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU), Nepal. Madhav’s field research has largely emphasized small-scale aquaculture technologies for rural poor of Nepal focusing on carps, tilapia and indigenous sahar (Tor putitora). Madhav completed an M.Sc. Zoology degree from Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal in 1979, an M.Sc. in Aquaculture and a Doctor of Technical Science (Ph.D.) from the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand in 1989 and 1994. He has experience as government fisheries officer working in government aquaculture farms. He worked as a faculty member at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), TU from Assistant Lecturer to Professor, then served as Professor in AFU. During his university tenure, he has served as Department Chair, Research Director of IAAS/TU, Coordinator of Post Graduate Studies, AFU, and President of Nepal Fisheries Society. Currently, he is Chairman of Center for Aquaculture-Agriculture Research and Production (CAARP) Pvt. Ltd., Chitwan, Nepal.

Mr. Mishra is the first fisheries graduate from Nepal and has a post graduate degree in Aquaculture. He has significantly contributed to the fisheries and aquaculture sector of Nepal for over forty years and has been felicitated by Pillay Aquaculture Foundation for his remarkable contribution. As the Director at Directorate of Fisheries Development, he was the national focal point for fisheries development, overseeing strategy, management, and quality assurance of the projects and designing policies, priorities and introducing innovative initiatives. His expertise includes operations and establishment of hatcheries, quality seed production, capacity building on good aquaculture practices, value chain mapping and needs assessment, and production and productivity enhancement.

He is currently the Executive Member of Nepal Agriculture Federation and actively involved in aquaculture development in the country, working as an expert consultant for several organizations and private enterprises.

Dr. Gurung is involved as Adjunct Professor teaching Fisheries Program in Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal, and TU Department of Fisheries. He also involved as Consultant on Climate Smart Aquaculture to Corus International, a humanitarian INGO.  Dr Gurung has also served as the Executive Director of Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Government of Nepal. He has received International Kasumigaura Lake Prize from Japan for successfully implementing a new concept of large-scale cooperative approach to restore the degraded Lake Rupa. Recently, he received NABIL award in 2019 from Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) for outstanding research achievements on introducing and innovating technologies of rainbow trout farming industry in Nepal.  Dr. Gurung has been appointed as FAO aquaculture consultant to Sri Lanka to promote fish farming. He has also worked as occasional consultant to FAO several occasions. He has been a Fulbright Scholar to complete his Post-doc from Department of Fisheries and Wildlife in Missouri-Columbia University (2005-2006) USA.  He has obtained a bonafide Doctor of Science degree from Kyoto University, Japan (1995-2000). He is a skilled research scientist on aquatic biology having knowledge of nutrient recycling, planktonic food dynamics and carp based aquaculture. Dr. Gurung has authored more than 100 peer reviewed international and national publications.

Pramod Kumar Rijal is Retried Chief Fisheries Development Officer (Gazetted I) of Central Fisheries Promotion and Conservation Centre (CFPCC), Nepal. Pramod has a comprehensive understanding of the various aspects of aquaculture and fisheries management. His experience includes working with a variety of responsibilities in the field of aquaculture. Pramod completed his M.Sc. Aquaculture degree from Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal in 2008. During his tenure, he has served as Training officer, Planning Officer, Farm Manager, District Agriculture Development Officer and President of Nepal Fisheries Society. Currently, he is member of Animal Health and Livestock Professionals Council, Nepal and Chief advisor of Nepal Fisheries Society (NEFIS).

Ram completed BSc (Animal Science) from Agriculture and Fisheries (formerly Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Tribhuvan University) in 1992. Then he joined Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) for MSc (1994) & PhD (1999) studies. He did post-docs from the University of Stirling, Scotland in 2000 & 2001 and the University of Montpellier III, France in 2012. He started his career at AIT as a Research Scientist and Affiliated Faculty in 2005 taking responsibilities of teaching and supervising post-graduate students. He has authored two books “A Manual for Tilapia Business Management” and “Statistics for Aquaculture”. He has also written several book chapters, >100 papers and presented many keynote/invited speeches worldwide. Since 2005, he has been leading EU funded curriculum development programs for aquaculture/fisheries in Asia (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, Vietnam etc.) collaborating with European Universities. He has been awarded GOLD MEDAL by Asian Fisheries Society (AFS) in 2009 recognizing his contribution to aquaculture education. He serves as a member of World Aquaculture Society, Asian Fisheries Society, Nepal Fisheries Society and also an advisor to Seafood Watch Program of Monterey Bay Aquarium of California, USA.

Rahul Ranjan is an Assistant Professor and Head of the Department at Aquatic Resources Department, Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal. He has completed his M.Sc. Fisheries from the AFU after the completion M.Sc. Zoology from Tribhuvan University. He has a dozen of publications along with co-authorship in two books related to aquaculture and fisheries. He had served as Executive Member and Executive Secretary for two consecutive terms in Nepal Fisheries Society.