Suresh Raj Sharma (born 22 July 1940) is a Nepali educationist and the founder

Vice Chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, the chancellor ...

Kathmandu University Kathmandu University (KU) ( ne, काठमाण्डौ विश्वविद्यालय) is a public autonomous university in Nepal. It is the third oldest university in Nepal, located in Dhulikhel of Kavrepalanchok District, about ...

. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from

London South Bank University London South Bank University (LSBU) is a public university in Elephant and Castle, London. It is based in the London Borough of Southwark, near the South Bank of the River Thames, from which it takes its name. Founded in 1892 as the Borough ...

, London. He was the first executive director of the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training; Member Secretary in National Education Committee; Member of National Commission for UNESCO; National Delegate to the SAARC Technical committee on science and technology etc. Dr Sharma is a well-known educational administrator. He has made significant contribution to the development of education policy in Nepal. He has a number of books, research papers, articles, secondary school curriculum textbook and many more to his credit. At present, Sharma is the life member of the board of trustees of Kathmandu University.

Early life and education

Sharma was born on 22 July 1940 in Khurkot V.D.C,

Sindhuli District Sindhuli District ( ne, सिन्धुली जिल्ला), a part of the Bagmati Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal, a landlocked country of South Asia. The district, with Sindhulimadhi Kamalamai as its district ...

to Bishnu Prasad Upadhyaya and Savitri Devi Dhungel. Bishnu Prasad Upadhyaya was a lawyer who, although born a Dhungel, chose to write Upadhyaya as his surname. Savitri Devi Dhungel was the sister of famous writer Kul Chandra Koirala. Sharma initially received education at home before setting out to study in Sonbarsa, India, in 1953, where he studied for nine months. In 2013 B.S he passed his

School Leaving Certificate A secondary school leaving qualification is a document signifying that the holder has fulfilled any secondary education requirements of their locality, often including the passage of a final qualification examination. For each leaving certifica ...

examinations from Saraswati High School, Janakpur. After completing his Isc. and Bsc. both from Public Science Campus (currently

Amrit Science College Amrit Campus is the first science campus of Nepal, located in Lainchaur, Kathmandu. It was formerly known as Public Science College (PUSCOL.) It was later renamed in the memory of Amrit Prasad Pradhan. Pradhan was born in 1918 at Thamel, Kathman ...

) in the span of five years, Sharma went to study in

Karnatak University Karnatak University is a public state university in Dharwad district of Karnataka state, India. The university is recognized by University Grants Commission and accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). As of 2014, ...

, India under the Colombo Plan Scholarship. After returning, he spent the next ten years of his life in

Tri-Chandra College Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus, more colloquially known as Tri-Chandra College, is a constituent campus of Tribhuvan University located in Ghantaghar, Kathmandu. Found in 1918 by Chandra Shumsher, it is the oldest institute of higher learning in Ne ...

. Sharma then received his PhD in Chemistry from the Polytechnic of the South Bank, London, in 1977 (now London South Bank University).

Career

Even before heading out to London for his PhD, Sharma had gained experience in academic and administrative areas. Sharma worked for twelve years as a professor in Tribhuvan University during which he also taught in Tri-Chandra College, Anandakuti College, Padma Kanya College and Nepal National College (currently Shankar Dev Campus). From 1989 to 1992, he worked as an executive director of the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training. In the year 1991, he along with Sitaram Adhikary and others successfully managed to charter Kathmandu University from Parliament. A month later, he was appointed as the first-ever vice chancellor of the University. In 2014 he was awarded an

honorary doctorate An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hon ...

by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharma, Suresh Raj 1940 births Living people Academic staff of Kathmandu University Nepalese expatriates in the United Kingdom People from Sindhuli District Tri-Chandra College alumni