Board of Directors

Megha N. Parajulee, PhD,
President

Professor, Faculty Fellow, and Texas A&M Regents Fellow
Texas A&M University Research Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA
Email: kapashakim@gmail.com

Former faculty member at Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Rampur, Nepal, Dr. Parajulee earned B.Sc. (Agri. Econ.) (1987) from Himachal Pradesh, India, and M.S. (1991) and Ph.D. (1994) in Entomology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Parajulee joined Texas A&M University in 1994 as a cotton entomologist/research scientist and is serving as the Cotton Entomology Program Leader since 2001. Dr. Parajulee is a leader in cropping system research, teaching, and service, with 120 refereed and over 350 non-refereed publications, 160 invited and 300 submitted presentations, and 35 M.S./Ph.D. students mentored during his 28-year tenure at Texas A&M University. He is also active internationally with plenary/keynote roles in 18 countries. Dr. Parajulee has served as an agricultural resource person in Nepal from his home state of Texas for over 25 years, including six months as a Fulbright Senior Scholar. He is regularly engaged in agricultural and higher education policy discussions with National Planning Commission and agricultural universities. Dr. Parajulee received the Texas A&M Vice Chancellor’s Award in Research Excellence, Faculty Fellow Award, Regents Fellow Award, Texas A&M Vice Chancellor’s Award in Team Research, Entomological Society of America Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Excellence Award, and US Department of Agriculture Southern Region IPM Hall of Fame Award. He is a member of Entomological Society of America (ESA), including ESA National Program Chair (2010), Society of Southwestern Entomologists (President, 2010), ESA International Branch, (President, 2017), and Association of Nepalese Agricultural Professionals of Americas (NAPA). Dr. Parajulee served NAPA for two terms as Vice President (2016-2020) before assuming the role of President for the third executive committee (2020-2022). Dr. Parajulee is also the Founding Editor-In-Chief of Global Journal of Agricultural and Allied Sciences (GJAAS).

Dr. Khusi Ram Tiwari, Madison, Mississippi Vice President E-mail: tiwarik@irjr-n.org; tiwarikr@hotmail.com

Dr. Khusi Ram Tiwari, is a Senior Plant Breeder with several years of plant breeding expertise. He has extensive experience working in Agricultural sector of Nepal under Department of Agriculture and Soil conservation. He worked more than 10 years as Agriculture officer in different parts of Nepal during 1982-1992. Dr. Tiwari holds a Ph.D. degree from University of Manitoba, Canada in Genetics and Plant Breeding and has worked more than 10 years in the US as a plant breeder. Currently he is working as a plant breeder for Monsanto Seed Company, Jackson, Mississippi, USA. He has published several research articles in peer reviewed journals and has been granted several patents from the US patent office. Currently, Dr. Tiwari is a member of Crop Science Society (CSSA) of America and American Society of Agronomy (ASA). Born and raised in Lamjung Jita; Dr. Tiwari enjoys working with Nepalese community in the US and served as President of Florida Nepal Association (2004-2006). He is very interested to improve Agriculture and develop new crops and varieties for the farmers of Nepal.

Bishwa_Nath_Oli

Dr. Bishwa Nath Oli, Senior Advisor

Email: bn_oli@yahoo.com 

Dr. Bishwa Nath Oli has completed Ph. D. in Forestry from Copenhagen University, Denmark and Master’s degree in Natural Resources Management from University of Life Sciences, Norway. He has more than three decades long experience in the Biodiversity, Environment and Climate Change sectors working with the Government of Nepal in different capacities. Currently, he is affiliated with Agriculture and Forestry University of Nepal as Adjunct Professor. He has served as secretary at different ministries of Government of Nepal including Ministry of Forests and Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, and Ministry of Population and Environment. During his professional career, he was directly involved in formulating policies and strategies and legislative frameworks covering areas of sustainable management of natural resources including forestry, biodiversity, climate change, environment conservation, and renewable energy. He has also worked as a national consultant and senior advisor with various development partners including Food and Agriculture Organizations, ICIMOD, GGGI, WWF Nepal. He has participated in several international meetings representing Nepal. Dr. Oli has published around three dozens articles in national and international peer reviewed journals. He has also supervised students at Bachelor’s and Master’s level from different universities. He has also served as a national focal person to several multilateral environmental agreements including United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Convention on Biological Diversity. He has also served as a vice chair of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission of the Food and Agriculture Organizations of the UN from 2019-2021. Recently, Dr. Oli has been appointed as a Bureau Member of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

Dr. C. Kuruvilla Jacob holds MSc (Agriculture) with First Rank from Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University, Jabalpur and PhD with two Gold Medals for academic and research performances from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. As a Rothamsted International Fellow, he worked at the Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, U.K. (1996). He received various international trainings including Training on Human Capital Management from Asian Institute of Management, Manila, Philippines. Dr. Jacob has published 185 research papers in national and international journals and conferences. He has edited 10 books. His book Natural Rubber: Agro-management and Crop Processing is regarded as the most comprehensive scientific compendium covering all aspects of natural rubber. He also served as the editor of the international scientific journal Journal of Natural Rubber Research (renamed as Rubber Science) (1996-2009). He was a member of the Post Graduate Board of Studies at M. G. University, Kottayam and has guided five PhD students. Dr. Jacob is a Fellow of International Rubber Research and Development Board (IRRDB) since 2015. He was the Director of Rubber Training Institute (renamed as National Institute for Rubber Training, NIRT) (2009-2015), Joint Director of Rubber Research Institute of India (2006-2009), and Secretary of Rubber Board of India (2010-2012). Dr. Jacob is currently a Plantation Consultant for large rubber plantations in India and Africa as well as Curriculum Consultant and External Faculty of NIRT.

Dr. Badri Nath Adhikary, Allen, Texas
Director
E-mail: adhikaryb@irjr-n.org; adhikarybadri@hotmail.com

Dr. Badri Nath Adhikary was born in Duradanda, Lamjung, Nepal, obtained Master and doctor of agriculture degrees from Osaka Prefecture University, Japan. He also has diploma in Japanese Language. After obtaining doctorate degree he worked for about 15 years in Japan as an expert consultant and provided consulting services for agriculture and rural development projects in Japan, several African, South and Southeast Asian and Eastern European countries. His major clients were government agencies, private companies and international non- governmental organizations. He is fluent in Japanese language. He moved to the US in 2005 and operates his own business.

Bhim B. Karki,
CPA, Plano, Texas
Director
E-mail: karkib@irjr-n.org; karkibb@yahoo.com

Bhim B. Karki, CPA- a seasoned Finance/Economics professional, with experience in public and private agencies in Nepal/US, has been working for many years in multinational companies in the US in strategic planning, finance and related fields. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Mr. Karki also serves as tax advisor to small businesses and individuals in US. He has been serving the community, particularly the Nepalese diasporas, through Nepal Society of Texas, the local chapter of NRNA, and the Association of the Nepalese in the Americas (ANA) is the Founder President of the International Nepali Literary Society (INLS) Texas Chapter, currently serves as INLS Central Committee Advisor. He earned his professional credentials in both Nepal and US. Mr. Karki lives in Texas/USA with his wife and three children, and stays informed on social, political and economic developments in Nepal.

Prof. Dr. Naba Raj Devkota,
Gorkha, Nepal
Director
E-mail: devkotan@irjr-n.org; dnaba.iaas@gmail.com

Dr. Naba R. Devkota is a Professor of Animal Science at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences (IAAS), Rampur, Nepal. Native of Chhoprak, Gorkha, Devkota earned his B.Sc. Agriculture (Animal Science) from IAAS-Rampur and joined the same institute as an Assistant Lecturer in 1987. While continuing on IAAS faculty, Devkota earned M.Sc. (Agriculture) from Chiang Mai University, Thailand and Ph.D. (Pasture Science) from Massey University, New Zealand. Dr. Devkota has been actively involved in teaching and forage production research for improved livestock production systems. In addition, Dr. Devkota served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science for six years (2001-2007) and he currently serves as Editor-In-Chief of this journal (2008-current). Dr. Devkota´s research expertise includes ´systems analysis´ of agricultural research from ecological and developmental perspectives. He is also actively involved in promoting participatory research and development through various organizations in Nepal. Dr. Devkota is constantly sought for his expertise in project evaluation and studies related to livestock and natural resource/agriculture for national and international organizations.

Dr. Laxman Joshi,
Lalitpur, Nepal
Senior Advisor
E-mail: joshil@irjr-n.org; LxJoshi@gmail.com

Dr. Laxman Joshi is currently working as Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) Specialist at ICIMOD, Kathmandu. He earned a B.Sc. (First Division), Tribhuvan University, Nepal, majoring in microbiology, Zoology, and Chemistry (1986), an M.Sc. (with distinction) in Applied Entomology, University of London, UK (1987), and a Ph.D. in Agroforestry, University of Wales, Bangor, UK (1998). Dr. Joshi possesses vast understanding of local ecological knowledge, farmer adaptations, innovations, and farmer decisions related to agroforestry and natural resource management. His professional career includes over a decade of research and development on smallholder natural rubber production in Indonesia and Thailand. He has managed numerous natural rubber research and development projects for smallholder farmers. His experience on rubber enterprise includes production of high quality planting materials (clones) of Hevea brasiliensis, mixing rubber with other valuable plant species, rubber garden management, rubber harvesting, processing, marketing and economics. He advocates promoting smallholder rubber agroforestry that can be both economically and ecologically sustainable if properly managed.

Dr. DHURJATI CHAUDHURI Senior Advisor Email: dhurjati.chaudhuri@gmail.com

Dr. Dhurjati Chaudhuri, a retired project coordinator of Rubber Research Institute of India, Rubber Board, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. He was born in Dibrugarh, Assam and currently lives in Kolkata, West Bengal India. He has earned a B.Sc. (honors) degree from Scottish Church College, University of Calcutta (1969), M.Sc. in Agriculture from Faculty of Agriculture, University of Calcutta (1975), and a Ph.D. in Botany from Gauhati University (2005). With doctoral research on Hevea brasiliensis, Dr. Chaudhuri attended various training courses on Hevea at several institutions in India, USA, and Italy. Dr. Chaudhuri possesses 37 years of professional experience, including as a rubber research leader at the Rubber Research Institute of India (2008-2013). On this role, Dr. Chaudhuri monitored research and developmental activities in all four Regional Research Stations of Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal. Dr. Chaudhuri was involved in various activities for the development and extension of rubber in the north east region of India since 1995, serving on different positions in RRII, Rubber Board, and farm superintendent in Silk Board, India. He was also a Senior Research Fellow of Calcutta University. Dr. Chaudhuri was also a professional society member for 6 associations in India. He jointly published 45 articles and journal papers on natural rubber and related disciplines and presented more than 30 papers in national seminars and symposia. Dr. Dhurjati genuinely wishes to support the research and development of Rubber Plantation Industry in Nepal.

Gitanjali Nanda Kafle, Brookings, South Dakota Director E-mail: kafleg@irjr-n.org; gitanandakafle@yahoo.com

Gitanjali Nanda Kafle is currently pursuing her Master degree in Biological Science from South Dakota State University and achieved her first Master Degree in Environmental Science from Pune University, Bachelor Degree in Science, Zoology (Hons) with distinction from Sambalpur University at Orissa in India. She is currently working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at South Dakota University. Gita served as a Lecturer (Adjunct) of the Department of Plant Science at Tribhuvan University, Lamjung Campus, Nepal from February 2007 to July 2009. She had involved in teaching Sciences at different schools in Nepal and Defense Research Development Organization Project at Lokmanya Medical Research Center Pune, India.

Tilak Bhandari, McKinney, Texas Founder/Executive Director E-mail: bhandarit@irjr-n.org; tilakbhandari89@gmail.com; tilakbhandari89@hotmail.com

Tilak B. Bhandari is a pioneer, scholar, successful researcher in rubber plantation and has over 27 years of extensive work experience in the field of agronomic/industrial crops with industries like CARE International, and Gorakhali Rubber Industry Ltd, Nepal. He has also served as a Member Secretary with Rubber Board, Government of Nepal. Mr. Bhandari holds a B.Sc. (Agriculture) degree from the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal (1986) and various trainings on natural rubber research and estate management. He has published numerous articles on natural rubber from Nepal and USA. His service interests include sustainable community development and promoting natural rubber and jatropha commercial cultivation in Nepal and create awareness of global warming issues in developing countries. Currently, Mr. Bhandari is working in multinational company in USA, is a member of American Society of Horticultural Science and the Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops in United States. Mr. Bhandari is recently honored by Nepal Felicitation 2011 Award and Jewels of Nepal 2011 Award as a Pioneer Rubber Expert of Nepal. He is also the recipient of the prestigious Mohan Dhwoj Basnet Technology Academy Award (2011) bestowed by the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology for his contribution to the promotion of rubber cultivation in Nepal as a senior rubber expert.