A profile of Dr. Chandra Gurung.

A profile of Dr. Chandra Prasad Gurung.

Dr. Chandra Gurung.

Namaste, I'm a freelance writer choga DB Gurung. Today, I'm with a profile of Dr. Chandra Gurung through the Gurung School's blog. I hope, all readers shall enjoy this article. Please like, comment, and share if you like it.

1. Outline:

Dr. Chandra Prasad Gurung was an outstanding person. He experienced the reality of life and value of education while traveling from London to Nepal by land with a Hippies group. He received Ph.D. Degree from Hawaii University, USA, and back home, and joined ACAP. It became a global model for its innovative blend of environmental conservation and community-based development. He coordinated several sustainable projects to empower the life of Nepalese community. He served as a country representative of Nepal in WWF.

2. Birth:

Dr. Chandra Prasad Gurung was born at the Sikklis Gurung village of Kaski District, Gandaki Zone, Nepal on Dec 01, 1949. His parent Ratan Sing Gurung and mother Krishna Kumari Gurung were a first-class farming family in the village. Mr. Ratan Sing Gurung was a renowned figure in the region.

3. Primary education:

He grew up at the Sikklis village with his parent. There wasn't a school where he grew up. He learned the Nepali alphabet and basic education from the Pandit Arba. At the same time, a primary school was established and an Indian ex-jamadar appointed as a teacher but there was no grade system. All the students had the same classroom. Dr. Chandra was smart at the class. He was worry about the classroom, why all the students are in the same room? However, he studied there grade I to IV and moved to Pokhara city. He enrolled at Soldier board High School (now known as Amar Sigh High School) on the grade V at the age of nine. He graduated SLC 'School Leaving Certificate' in 1965.

4. Higher education:

1. S.L.C. from Soldier board High School, Pokhara, 1965.

2. I.A. from Prithibi Narayan Campus, Pokhara, 1967.

3. B.A. from Prithibi Narayan Campus, Pokhara, 1972.

4. Culture and Anthropology 2 semester, Colorado Collage, USA, 1974.

5. M.A. Tribhuban University, Kirtipur, Nepal, 1979.

6. M.Sc. in Rural Development, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, 1981.

7. Ph.D. in Geography, University of Hawaii, USA, 1988.

5. Professional experience:

1. Mukhiya, Gandaki Cooperative, Office Pokhara, 1966.

2. Kharidar, Gandaki Cooperative Office, Pokhara, 1972.

3. Subba, Hydro Office, Pokhara, 1973.

4. Librarian, Prithibi Narayan Campus, Pokhara, 1973.

5. Superintendent, Prithibi Narayan Campus, Pokhara, 1974.

6. Protect Director, ACAP, 1989.

7. Executive Officer, the king Mahendra Trust, Nepal, 1990.

8. Member Secretary, the king Mahendra Trust, Nepal, 1994.

9. Project Coordinator, UNDP, Nepal, 1994.

10. Research Fellow, International Christian University, Japan, 1996.

11. Deputy Project Coordinator, Council on Sustainable Development, Japan, 1997.

12. Director, the resources Nepal, 1996.

13. Visiting Professor, The world conservation union, Switzerland, 1998.

14. Country Representative of Nepal, WWF, 1999 to 2006.

6. Geographical Experience:

1. Asia (14 countries), Europe (16 countries), Middle East (6 countries), Australia, Kenya, Costa Rica, Brazil, Canada, UK, and USA.

7. Scholarships:

1. 'Graduate Teaching Assistantship,' University of Hawaii, USA, 1986-87.

2. 'Scholarship for Master of Science,' CIDA, Thailand, 1979-81.

8. Professional Association:

1. Life member: Nepal Heritage Society, 1994.

2. Founder President: KEEP, Nepal, 1992.

3. Member: EPC nominated by His Majesty Government of Nepal, 1994.

4. Advisor: The Ecotourism Society, Vermont, USA, 1996.

5. Member: The World Commission on Protected area, Switzerland, 1997.

9. Awards and Decorations:

1. DRV Environmental Award, 1989.

2. Tourism for Tomorrow Award, Regional level, 1989.

3. Mahendra Bidhya Bhusan Medal, 1989.

4. Tourism for Tomorrow Award, Global level, 1992.

5. J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Award, 1992.

6. Global 500 Roll of Honor Award, 1993.

7. Order of the Golden Ark, 1993.

8. Prabal Gorkha Dachhin Bahu Medal, 1993.

9. Recognized by the Institute of Peace, 1994.

10. First experience of traveling:

Chandra Prasad Gurung met an American while he was working as a librarian in Pokhara. She was the wife of 'President of Boston University.' She invited him to come to America for further study. He received a traveling visa on her American mother's invitation and reached at America on May 10, 1994. He applied for a scholarship but not approved due to the new policy. He lived there for 6 months with her and met his 'Peace Corps' friends. Then he flew to London and met again old friends but he became out of pocket. So he went to RNAC office and refund his Kathmandu return ticket.

The 1980 and 90's decade was a Hippies era. He joined with them to survive at the moment. He traveled more than 6 months with them visiting Norway, Sweden, Munich, Istanbul, Turkey, Kabul, Pakistan, India and reached Nepal on May 10, 1975. He experienced the reality of life. He realized the motherland and the value of education in his life from this painful journey.

11. A new life with different experience:

He joined Tribhuban University, Kirtipur, Nepal for Master Degree in geography. He completed his master degree at the top of the first division in 1979. Then he worked three months at the Manag district as a geographical consultant in CEDA. Recently, he got the scholarship program for M.Sc. in Rural Development at the 'Asian Institute of Technology,' in Bangkok, Thailand. He completed his study in 1981. He applied the scholarship program for Ph.D. on 'medical geography' at various universities. Finally, he registered at Hawaii University, Hawaii, USA.

His Ph.D. research was based on the 'ratio of child death,' in Nepal between Gurung and Brahman community. So, he choosed his research area in the Annapurna slop ranging north from Pokhara city and south from Sikklis village. There were four Village Development Committee in this targeted area.

ECO museum, Sikkles.

The research project of Dr. Gurung was ongoing. At the same time, His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shaha Dev had the Royal visit in western Nepal. He briefed King Birendra about the 'proposed project to promote tourism in the Annapurna region.' The Majesty was impressed by his briefing. So a research committee has formed including Dr. Gurung. It approved by the HMG of Nepal. ACAP 'Annapurna Conservation Area Project' has formed to work with the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation of Nepal.

Community awareness by Dr. Gurung.

Dr. Hemanta Mishra was a member secretary of King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation of Nepal. He invited to Dr. Chandra Gurung to work at MTNC after his Ph.D. research. Accordingly, Dr. Gurung visited his office at Kathmandu and appointed as a Conservation Education Chief in 1988. It was his first appointment at the ACAP.

He was a hard-working researcher in Nepal with mission and vision. So, he was promoted as Project Director in 1989. Executive Officer in 1990 and Member Secretary at the MTNC in 1994. He coordinated with UNDP to achieve the goal of the ACAP. It became a global model for its innovative blend of environmental conservation and community-based development. He coordinated several sustainable project to empower the life of Nepalese community. Finally, he served as a Country Representative of Nepal in WWF from 1999 to 2006.

Dr. Chandra loves wildlife.

12. His private life with families:

Dr. Gurung has fall on the love with Miss. Dr. Sumitra Manandhar while he was on master degree at Tribhuban University, Kathmandu. He did inter cast marriage and has a son Adish Manandhar Gurung and daughter Amanda Manandhar Gurung. After son and daughter, they lived separately. He married again with Japanese Dr. Tokiko Satho in Japan and has a son in Japan.

13. Tragic accident:

Dr. Chandra Prasad Gurung was a brilliant and hardworking researcher in his time. Who knows what happens tomorrow? A tragic helicopter accident happened at Dunsa in the shadow of Mt. Kanchanjunga northeast of Nepal on September 23, 2006. Dr. Chandra Gurung, a shining star and visionary hero lost his life with 23 high levels personal in this crash.

14. Biography sources:

1. 'A boy from Sikklis,' by Manjushree Thapa.

2. 'Gurung Jatika Shirsastha Pragik Byaktiharu,' by Lalbahadur Gurung, 2004.

3. Visit www.chandragurungtrust.org

4. Dr. Jagaman Gurung, his friends, and relatives.

Prepared choga DB Gurung, USA.

4/29/2020

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