Our Team

Prakash Mani Sharma

Patron

Prakash Mani Sharma

Patron

Mr. Prakash Mani Sharma is a Senior Advocate and is a highly respected Public Interest Litigator, whose unwavering commitment to the cause has been evident since July 20th, 1989 - the day he filed his inaugural case. This case, which focused on the contempt of court by judges themselves, was one of the first and only cases of its kind filed against judges, and the accused judges were subsequently retired by the government of His Majesty. Although the Supreme Court suspended the case, Mr. Sharma made a significant impact on the legal world.
Mr. Sharma has also made a significant impact on the legal framework of Nepal, establishing the Public Trust Doctrine, precautionary, preventive, sustainable development, parens patria principles, and having the court recognize the right of nature. His accomplishments have earned him great recognition, including the "The Distinguished Graduate Environmental Law Award," which he was awarded in 2023 by the prestigious Lewis & Clark College for his commendable and continuous dedication to Public Interest Law. Moreover, he has not only inspired but also mentored many law students and lawyers, instilling in them a Public Interest Spirit and the skills necessary to continue this noble cause.

Ms. Rupa Basnet

Chair

Ms. Rupa Basnet

Chair

Ms. Rupa Basnet is one of the pioneering Nepali women to have pursued a Master of Laws degree in Environmental Law from an overseas institution. Her profound interest in conservation led her to serve at the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) for a significant period. Following her invaluable contribution to the organization, she decided to transition to academia. She began teaching at Nepal Law Campus, Tribhuvan University, with the objective of imparting her skills, knowledge, and ardor to aspiring lawyers. Ms. Basnet believes that the spirit of conservation must be inculcated in young minds, and that it must not remain confined to the periphery of office work. Ms. Basnet has made significant contributions to the academic literature, and her expertise in the field of environmental law has been widely recognized. She is presently the deputy chair of IUCN WCEL-Nepal. In addition, she has served as a petitioner and litigator in numerous environmental law cases, thereby cementing her reputation as a highly respected environment law academician in Nepal.

Mr. Gyanu Gautam

Vice Chair

Mr. Gyanu Gautam

Vice Chair

Mr. Gyanu Gautam is a highly esteemed Associate Professor at Kathmandu School of Law, which is a UGC certified institution of legal education. With over five years of experience, Mr. Gautam is a distinguished Coordinator of the Clinical Law Department. Mr. Gautam's pedagogy is based on the belief that young lawyers need to have not only logical reasoning but also compassion and a sense of responsibility towards the public interest. He provides his students with clinical legal education to nurture these qualities. As a result of his guidance, the students of his department have filed many cases that have received landmark judgments for the protection of public interest. Mr. Gautam is acutely aware that lawyers without ethics pose the biggest threat to society. That is why he insists on nurturing ethical principles within his students, which he considers the cornerstone of legal education.
Mr. Gautam's expertise lies in teaching Constitutional Law, Law on Good Governance, Professional Ethics, and Clinical Works. His passion for the subject has led him to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Legal Education and Ethics.

Mr. Sanjay Adhikari

Secretary

Mr. Sanjay Adhikari

Secretary

Mr. Sanjay Adhikari embarked on a journey into Public Interest Litigation in 2015 as a Ba.llb law student by utilizing the Right to Information Act to challenge the untransparent and unaccountable nature of the Pashupati Area Development Trust. The 2015 earthquake shook not only his community and infrastructure but also his belief system, leading him to transition from an individualistic "I" to a more socially-minded "Me." During his campaign to preserve a 17th-century pond in the heart of the city, he challenged the arbitrary construction of a concrete structure by the Kathmandu Metropolitan Authority and the silence of the Department of Archaeology. Consequently, he filed a police complaint against government officials for their omission of duty, which led to a heritage crime. This perspective of viewing conservation through the lens of criminal law and using the idea of omission of duty sets him apart from other lawyers working in conservation law. It also led him to write a dissertation for his LLM in Criminal Law and Justice System entitled "I DID NOT DO ANYTHING": SAMPADĀ APARĀDHA THROUGH OMISSION OF DUTY. He is the founding secretary of the Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign (NHRC), the first formally registered Nepal-based organization where a group of heritage enthusiasts has come together to support the Nepalese government in recovering lost and stolen heritage. His team was able to reinstall an idol back to its original temple location and restore its dignity as a god, which was an example for the whole world.

Ms. Dikshya Sapkota

Treasurer

Ms. Dikshya Sapkota

Treasurer

Ms Dikshya Sapkota is a forerunner Nepali women to have attained Master of Law Degree in Criminal Law and Justice. For her interest in Law and its knowledge she is an educator at Kathmandu Model College and Xavier international college. Along with Education and teaching, she is inspiring youth to speak out loud regarding public interest litigation issues. She is also involved in public interest litigation cases as a researcher and Lawyer. Ms Sapkota always believes in educating young minds and cultivating ideas about Law and power of public interest litigation. While making substantial offerings to educational literature and her proficiency in Criminal Law, she is also involved in various international clubs in which she holds a reputable position such as the Secretary of Kathmandu Regal Lions Club and past Vice President of Leo Club of Kathmandu Imperial.

Mr. Sudan Man Munikar

Indigenous Right Campaign Director

Mr. Sudan Man Munikar belongs to the indigenous Newā community of the valley. He was born and raised in the core community and developed a passion for indigenous instruments during childhood. As he grew up, he was inspired by his father to learn various indigenous knowledge, dances, and acting.

Mr. Sudan Man Munikar

Indigenous Right Campaign Director

Mr. Munikar uses indigenous art like dance and music to awaken society and showcase the glorious past and future of the community. He has gone beyond the confines of Kathmandu Valley and Nepal to various places where the Newā community had scattered with time. In these places, he teaches the indigenous language, culture, script, musical instruments, and dance forms, connecting the community to their glorious roots. He has taught the Nepal Army to play indigenous instruments, and the troop called Sarduljung Gulma also performed the music in an Indigenous festival for the first time in over two hundred years. Mr. Munikar's skills and knowledge have made him the chair of Lyama Dabu, the nationwide Newā Youth Wing, through which he trains indigenous youth to have public spirit.

Ms. Shraddha Suman Acharya

Gender Justice and Dismantling Patriarchy Campaign Director

Ms . Shraddha Suman Acharya has her LLM in Criminal law and Justice System and is a passionate educator.

Ms. Shraddha Suman Acharya

Gender Justice and Dismantling Patriarchy Campaign Director

Ms . Shraddha Suman Acharya has her LLM in Criminal law and Justice System and is a passionate educator who teaches Ba.llb students at Lumbini Buddhist University. She is committed to imparting her knowledge and experience to the next generation of legal professionals. Ms. Acharya is also an active member of the Gender Justice and Dismantling Patriarchy Group of the Friends of the Earth from the Asia Pacific Region. With her experience, knowledge, and commitment, she is a believer and practitioner of Eco Feminism. She is currently researching on Impact of Climate Change and rise of Gender Inequality in Nepal.

Mr. Ashutosh Bhusal

Eco Tourism and Responsible Tourism Campaign Director

Mr. Ashutosh Bhusal has held a lifelong fascination with the natural and cultural beauty of Nepal. As he matured, he grew increasingly aware of the adverse effects of unbridled development and mass tourism

Mr. Ashutosh Bhusal

Eco Tourism and Responsible Tourism Campaign Director

Mr. Aashutosh Bhusal has held a lifelong fascination with the natural and cultural beauty of Nepal. As he matured, he grew increasingly aware of the adverse effects of unbridled development and mass tourism on the environment and culture of his homeland. Driven by his passion for nature and culture conservation, Mr. Bhusal earned a master's degree in Adventurous Tourism. He has since gained professional experience with the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) and currently serves as a valued member of the Direct Aid Nepal team. In his current role, Bhusal is dedicated to improving the welfare of captive elephants and promoting ecologically sustainable tourism practices. He believes that societies not respecting nature and culture are on a path to selfdestruction.

Ms. Shreena Nepal

Campaign Coordinator

Shreena Nepal is a law student, dynamic content creator, and passionate social advocate, dedicated to empowering Nepalese society through legal, social, and media initiatives.

Ms. Shreena Nepal

Campaign Coordinator

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Ms. Aabritti Paudyal

Fellow, Founding Chair of Nepal Bar Association Senior Advocate Devnath Prasad Verma Memorial Fellowship, 2025

Ms. Aabritti Paudyal

Fellow, Founding Chair of Nepal Bar Association Senior Advocate Devnath Prasad Verma Memorial Fellowship, 2025

Ms. Urbashi Ghimire, is a B.A.LL.B. graduate from Tribhuvan University, Faculty of Law, Nepal Law Campus. Ms. Ghimire is currently practicing law as an advocate. Ms. Ghimire’s practice confines to constitutional law, environmental law, energy law and public interest law. Ms. Ghimire has a interest in policy making, research and lawmaking. Ms. Ghimire is the founding member of an NGO Community for Legal Literacy, Advocacy, and Research (CLAR) and currently holds the position of Vice-President at an organization called JCI Balkot. During 2079, the provincial and federal level election in Nepal, she actively participated as a observer of the voting process.

Ms.Rojina Acharya Chhetri

Fellow, First Chief Justice Hari Prasad Memorial Fellowship, 2025

Ms.Rojina Acharya Chhetri

Fellow, First Chief Justice Hari Prasad Memorial Fellowship, 2025

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Ms. Deepika Paswan

Social Justice Campaign Director

Ms. Deepika Paswan has pursued her B.A.LL.B degree in Kathmandu School of Law. She has been the part of the campaign like “Women Rights Start at Home” and conducted projects on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Child Marriage and Quality Education.

Ms. Deepika Paswan

Social Justice Campaign Director

Deepika Paswan has pursued her B.A.LL.B degree in Kathmandu School of Law. She has been the part of the campaign like “Women Rights Start at Home” and conducted projects on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Child Marriage and Quality Education. She has been actively involved in the various legal literacy programs conducted by Kathmandu School of Law. She had successfully conducted an awareness campaign on Child Sexual Abuse with her team as a fellow through Authentic Leadership Institute Nepal fellowship. She is also actively involved in issues of public interest litigation regarding issues related to conservation of environment, cultural heritage and so on. She believes that the change start from us and everyone is responsible for positive change in the society. Being a youth she believes that it is our responsibility to initiate a change we want to see. She is currently researching on Impact of Climate Change and rise of social inequality in Terai reason of Nepal.

Prakash Mani Sharma (PMS) Academy for Public Interest Law (PIL).

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