12 young Nepali professionals graduate from Daayitwa Nepal Public Policy Fellowship

LALITPUR: Twelve young Nepali professionals graduated from the Daayitwa Nepal Public Policy Fellowship (DNPPF) on Friday in Lalitpur. Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Governor Prof Dr Biswo Nath Poudel attended the ceremony as chief guest and formally felicitated the cohort.

Selected from more than 300 applicants, the fellows completed a three-month fellowship involving policy research, analysis and parliamentary support across government institutions and parliamentary committees.

The graduation symposium brought together stakeholders from the public, private and social sectors to reflect on youth-government collaboration and evidence-based policymaking for economic reform in Nepal.

The programme featured a panel discussion titled 'Beyond LDC Graduation: What Kind of Economy Should Nepal Build Next, and How?', moderated by development economist Bhojraj Paudel, President of the Institute for Future. Panellists included Baikuntha Aryal, former Chief Secretary of the Government of Nepal; Prabin Man Singh, Director of Prakriti Resource Centre; Manju Gurung, co-founder of Pourakhi Nepal; and a representative from the Policy Research Institute.

The event also included presentations of the fellows' key findings and recommendations, together with reflections from a DNPPF fellow, public and funding partners, and the fellowship mentor.

In his closing speech, NRB Governor Poudel said, "The solution to policy paralysis is a clear legal framework. One law should not cut another law. It should be unequivocal. Just like a truth does not cut another truth, a law should not cut another law."

The DNPPF 2026 graduation marked the completion of the fellows' three-month engagement with public institutions and highlighted the contribution of young Nepali professionals to evidence-based policymaking and Nepal's development and economic reform agenda.