Kushal Sundar Shrestha appointed President of NYEF

KATHMANDU: Kushal Sundar Shrestha has been appointed president of the Nepalese Young Entrepreneurs' Forum (NYEF), which is affiliated with the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry. The 20th annual general meeting of NYEF, held in Kathmandu on Friday, appointed him as the former leadership's president .

Nivita Pradhan assumes the position of First Vice President, and Abhushan Jyoti Kansakar becomes the Second Vice President. Reecha Shrestha has been appointed as Vice President for Women. NYEF serves as the youth wing of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI). 

 

The new executive committee includes Sudip Ghimire, Krishna Sapkota, Pavitra Bahadur Gautam, Bilasha Shrestha, Yunesh Raj Shrestha, and Subin Shrestha. Sahara Joshi, Immediate Past President, continues as an Ex Officio member in the new committee.

Selected based on key performance indices (KPIs), the new team will serve a one-year term. The newly appointed leadership and members took their oath of office and secrecy during the inaugural session of the 20th Annual General Meeting held in Kathmandu on Friday evening.

President Shrestha unveiled his ambitious plan titled “Vision 2025,” focusing on the theme “Aspire to share optimal value for NYEF members.” His vision emphasizes excellence, growth, and innovation, aiming to empower every member to achieve their fullest potential.

He commits to ensuring that every NYEF initiative, program, and activity maximizes benefits for its members, supporting personal and professional growth. Priority areas include networking, learning and development, growth, promotion, and branding.

The new committee plans to implement a buddy system, mentorship program, mini-olympics, entrepreneurship meets, sportsmanship events, a motor rally to Manang, and international trips. NYEF will also organize international speaker series, boardroom learning sessions, and experiential learning programs to achieve their goals. Additionally, the new committee aims to expand the number of chapters from 13 to 17 and increase membership to 1,500 members.  

President Shrestha encourages active member participation, stressing their engagement, ideas, and contributions as crucial to NYEF’s success. Despite challenges, he calls for collective aspiration toward achieving optimal value in all endeavors.

In related developments, Damodar Bhandari, Minister of Industries, Commerce, and Supplies (MOICS), addressed the event, urging optimism as the government collaborates with the private sector to address national needs.

Bhandari has also indicated the government’s intention to foster an investment-friendly environment, based on shared conclusions from consultations with the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, former ministers, secretaries, and party manifestos. MOICS is also accessing the depth of problem, he stated. 

Chandra Dhakal, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce (FNCCI), announced a significant development: the FNCCI’s amended statute now mandates representation for NYEF within its executive committee, pending approval at the upcoming FNCCI Annual General Meeting.

Anjan Shrestha, Senior Vice-President of FNCCI, praised NYEF for its contributions to promoting entrepreneurship in Nepal, highlighting its role in nurturing a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem. Founding President Gaurav Agrawal and Immediate Past President Sahara Joshi also emphasized the importance of collaboration between government, private sector, and young entrepreneurs to drive economic growth and sustainable development.

During the ceremony, several NYEF chapters were honored for their exceptional efforts: the Lalitpur chapter was named the "Best Value to Members Chapter" for 2024, Janakpur received recognition as the "Best Reviving Chapter," Rupendehi was awarded the "Best Idea and Innovation Chapter," and the Kathmandu and Janakpur chapters jointly secured the "Best Chapter" award."

NYEF has 13 chapters across different locations in Nepal and more than 850 members. Its members have created around 30,000 job opportunities across the country.