Executive Team
Dr. Biswash Gauchan
Executive Director and Director, Center for Economic Policy
Dr. Biswash Gauchan is the Executive Director and Director, Center for Economic Policy at Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS). He served for over a decade with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), undertaking various responsibilities in Nepal and across Africa. Following that, he worked as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a commercial bank in South Sudan for two years.
Dr. Gauchan is the founding Chairperson of Shangri-la Development Bank and the co-founder of Quest International College and Omega International School.
He has been deeply engaged in studying and writing on Nepal’s economic policies and geo-strategic issues related to South Asia. A Fellow Chartered Accountant, Dr. Gauchan holds a Ph.D. in Economics and has also contributed as a member of the High-Level Economic Reform Recommendation Commission.
Professional Staff
Dharmendra P. Lekhak
Program Specialist (Survey and Statistics)
Mr. Lekhak is a seasoned statistician with extensive experience in survey research and data management in Nepal. Holding an MSc in Statistics from Tribhuvan University, he has worked in both academic and professional settings, currently serving as a Program Specialist in Survey and Statistics Unit at the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS). His expertise spans various roles, including lecturer, data analyst, and program officer, with a strong focus on quantitative and qualitative research. He has led and coordinated large-scale surveys at IIDS, managing data collection, supervising enumerators, digitizing survey tools, and ensuring high-quality data analysis.
Mr. Lekhak has demonstrated exceptional capabilities in handling diverse survey methodologies, particularly in evaluating socio-economic impacts, public health initiatives, and agricultural studies. His technical proficiency includes advanced statistical software such as Stata, SPSS, R, Python, and GIS tools, along with mobile-based survey platforms like KOBO Toolkit, Survey CTO, and ODK. He has played a key role in high-impact research, including COVID-19 impact assessments, gender-based studies, and program evaluations, ensuring data integrity and insightful analysis. His extensive field experience and technical acumen make him a valuable asset in survey research and data-driven policy evaluation in Nepal.
Dr. Bijan Bhattrai
Program Specialist (Economics and Finance)
Mr. Bhattarai has more than 7 years of experience in the business consulting and banking sector. He has extensively worked in the areas of Renewal Energy Technology financing, Digital Finance, liability management and research and development. In his role as an independent consultant, he has designed Annual report of a major commercial bank, formed talent acquisition framework for an insurance company, and has reviewed a draft government bill on local level infrastructure modality. His experience also includes teaching marketing management and business to undergraduate students.
He holds a Doctoral Degree in Economics from Peking University, PRC, where he wrote his thesis on the effectiveness of macroprudential policies in mitigating systemic risk in Nepal’s banking sector.
Astha Bhatta
Program Specialist (Economics)
Ms. Astha Bhatta is a program specialist (Economics) with 13 years of experience in Nepal, India and the United States at the intersection of data analytics and consulting. She has seen economics at work through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods in Business Intelligence (BI) and broader policy work. Prior to joining IIDS, she was employed with PwC India as part of the Economic Advisory Services (EAS) team which works in the areas of urban and rural economic services, economics and public policy, government financial sector regulation, and trade. She provided program management support to Financial Sector Stability Program (FSSP) funded by FCDO, UK and implemented by PwC India in Nepal. She has spent a decade with Fractal Analytics, a multinational artificial intelligence company and worked as an on-site consultant for a leading consumer goods corporation in the United States in making important decisions on business issues ranging from branding strategies to supply chain management.
Ms. Astha Bhatta holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Delhi School of Economics, India and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Mathematics from University of Maryland, College Park.
Zaky Khan
Program Specialist (Economics)
Zaky Khan
Program Specialist (Economics)
Zaky Khan is a Program Specialist (Economics) at the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) in Kathmandu. Prior to joining IIDS, he worked as a consultant at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) in New Delhi. He also served as a Research Fellow at the Indian Institute of Public Health-Bhubaneswar (IIPH-B) under the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), where he contributed to the project Diagnostics for Health Systems Transformation in Odisha, focusing on health financing.
He has co-authored several peer-reviewed international publications on diverse topics, including socio-economic disparities in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), impact evaluations of health programs, the effects of food commodity price fluctuations on nutrition and maternal-child health, and public policies for preventing cardiovascular diseases. His expertise includes scientific writing, proposal development, policy briefs, report preparation, copy editing, program impact evaluation, and advanced statistical analysis of large data sets.
He holds a Master's degree in Development Economics from South Asian University (SAU), New Delhi, and a Bachelor's degree in Business Studies (BBS) from Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal.
He has co-authored several peer-reviewed international publications on diverse topics, including socio-economic disparities in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), impact evaluations of health programs, the effects of food commodity price fluctuations on nutrition and maternal-child health, and public policies for preventing cardiovascular diseases. His expertise includes scientific writing, proposal development, policy briefs, report preparation, copy editing, program impact evaluation, and advanced statistical analysis of large data sets.
He holds a Master's degree in Development Economics from South Asian University (SAU), New Delhi, and a Bachelor's degree in Business Studies (BBS) from Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal.
Nanda Kumar Maharjan
Program Officer (Agriculture)
Mr. Nanda Kumar Maharjan is an Agricultural Economist with 4 years of experience in project management, fund raising proposal development and specialized in primary and secondary research.
Prior to joining IIDS, he has 4 years of experiences in development sector, demonstrating leadership roles in implementation of livelihood projects in Udayapur, Salyan, Gorkha, Rasuwa and Surkhet districts of Nepal. He has gained vast experience in designing, implementing and monitoring development projects for the improvement of livelihood of the communities while working with WOREC Nepal as Livelihood Officer and Livelihood Coordinator with CARDSN, Nuwakot. He also worked as a consultant for Nepal Coffee Producers Association and developed survey tools for coffee farmers profiling, assess the impact of climate change on coffee producers and central coffee collecting and processing centers infrastructure analysis.
Mr. Nanda Kumar Maharjan has completed his Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from Punjab Agricultural University, India and a Bachelor degree in Agriculture from Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture Technology and Science, India. Currently, he is also a volunteer in Ear Care Nepal and member of Indian Society of Economics and Development.
Prior to joining IIDS, he has 4 years of experiences in development sector, demonstrating leadership roles in implementation of livelihood projects in Udayapur, Salyan, Gorkha, Rasuwa and Surkhet districts of Nepal. He has gained vast experience in designing, implementing and monitoring development projects for the improvement of livelihood of the communities while working with WOREC Nepal as Livelihood Officer and Livelihood Coordinator with CARDSN, Nuwakot. He also worked as a consultant for Nepal Coffee Producers Association and developed survey tools for coffee farmers profiling, assess the impact of climate change on coffee producers and central coffee collecting and processing centers infrastructure analysis.
Mr. Nanda Kumar Maharjan has completed his Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from Punjab Agricultural University, India and a Bachelor degree in Agriculture from Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture Technology and Science, India. Currently, he is also a volunteer in Ear Care Nepal and member of Indian Society of Economics and Development.
Hem Raj Joshi
Senior Program and Finance Assistant
Hem Raj Joshi is the Senior Program and Finance Assistant at the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS), where he plays a pivotal role across survey operations, program management, IT, communications, and digital outreach. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Liberty College, Pokhara University.
At IIDS, Hem supports and coordinates large-scale national surveys across multiple provinces, handling field team mobilization, logistics planning, monitoring, and real-time troubleshooting to ensure high-quality data collection. He works closely with research leads and enumerators to maintain operational efficiency and data integrity throughout fieldwork.
He is also the institute’s IT lead, responsible for managing all hardware, software, internet, and audiovisual infrastructure. Hem plays a key technical role in the successful delivery of in-person, hybrid, and virtual events, trainings, and workshops.
In addition, Hem leads the Movie on the House (MOTH) public engagement initiative and spearheads IIDS's social media outreach and website management. He is also actively involved in communications—supporting Nepali translation, Canva-based design, and event coordination. He contributes to key institutional programs, including the Decade of Nepali Diaspora campaign.
Before joining IIDS, Hem was involved in several development projects supported by Taragaon Bikas Samiti in a voluntary and support capacity.
Shreesh Tripathi
Research Assistant
Shreesh is a graduate from NYU Shanghai and holds a degree in economics. He has previously worked for Hon. Sumana Shrestha, MP in Kathmandu, leading fiscal policy analysis and formulating policy pitches for tech-jobs creation. Shreesh is associated with NYU Shanghai's Centre for Global Asia where he is researching China’s foreign projects in Nepal within the Belt and Road Initiative. At IIDS, Shreesh's work revolves around digital policy, migration, and diaspora studies.
Administrative Staff
Devendra Shrestha
Senior Administrative & Finance Officer
Mr. Shrestha completed Bachelors in Business Administration from Tribhuvan University in 1993. He joined IIDS in May 1999, and since then has been specializing in the preparation of budget and all aspects of financial planning and control within IIDS. Prior to this, he worked for about a decade in Mt. Everest Brewery as an Account Officer.
Nikky Khadgi
Senior Operations Assistant
Ms. Nikky Khadgi, currently serving as a Senior Operations Assistant at the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS). She holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Quest International College, Pokhara University.
She has been actively involved in supporting operational and research activities at IIDS, contributing to studies on the IT industry, investment climate, and rural food systems in Nepal. With prior experience as a data enumerator and intern at IIDS, as well as prior experience in customer service roles at Prabhu Bank Ltd. and Shangri-la Development Bank, and has also served in multiple coordination and leadership roles during her academic journey. Her thesis focused on women’s entrepreneurial empowerment in Kathmandu Valley, reflecting her commitment to gender and development issues.
Ms. Khadgi is known for her strong communication, organizational skills, and proactive work ethic.
Bishnu Kafle
Office Support
Bishnu Kafle
Office Support
Bijay Ghimire
Office Support
Bijay Ghimire
Office Support
Jiban Babu Sedai
Office Support
Jiban Babu Sedai
Office Support
Samjhana Rawal Sedai
Office Support
Samjhana Rawal Sedai
Office Support