SAF-Nepal Introduction & News

Founder's Prologue

Nepal was under strict security surveillance as we landed at Kathmandu Airport in the last week of September 2000. Nevertheless, Prime Minister G. P. Koirala found time to receive us in spite of the latest Maoist attack and ensuing political crisis. Ambassador Bhek Bahadur Thapa, the first chairman of the Nepalese chapter of the SAF, had briefed the Prime Minister on the SAF’s activities, and the Prime Minister cited several examples of his promotion of regional cooperation through the SAARC programmes and promised full support to the SAF in its future activities.

The Secretary-General of the SAARC, Ambassador Nihal Rodrigo of Sri Lanka, also extended his full cooperation. He received us in his office, on the table of which lay a copy of my publication on Himalayan art.

During discussions, he suggested that the SAF commence its activities in smaller countries, such as Bhutan and the Maldives, whose governments need help, particularly in the field of information technology.

Ambassador Rodrigo expressed his concern that a lack of cooperation between the SAARC member states was holding back South Asia’s cultural, social and economic development, while its sister intergovernmental organizations – ASEAN, NAFTA and APEC – and the Indian Ocean Rim countries had moved closer toward regional cooperation.

He told us that the ball was in India and Pakistan’s court, and hoped that they would soon recognize the damage their confrontational policies were causing to themselves and other South Asian countries, and would turn to cooperative policies that would yield both economic and cultural rewards.

At a meeting arranged by Ambassador Rodrigo, I explained to the seven SAARC directors of their representative countries that the SAF was averse to re-treading the beaten path of funding meetings and conferences, as in the case of many NGOs. The SAF preferred to take an entirely different route to promote regional cooperation through education and other practical, job-creation projects that mobilize youth at grassroots levels.

Madanjeet Singh
SAF Founder

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SAF Nepal Chapter

SAF Chairperson: Dr Nishchal Pandey
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SAF Vice-Chairperson : Dr. Jan Sharma

Mr. Ramesh Timasina
SAF-Nepal, Secretary
Email:- Timasina@safmail.org

News Kathmandu, Nepal - 1st June 2026

Dr Nishchal,SAF Nepal Chair Highlights UMCDSRC Scholarship Programme During Meeting with Mr. Jaco du Toit, UNESCO Representative

Kathmandu, Nepal: Dr. Nishchal N. Pandey, Chairperson of SAF Nepal and Trustee of the Madanjeet Singh Foundation, met with Mr. Jaco Du Toit, UNESCO Representative to Nepal and Head of the UNESCO Office in Nepal, along with senior UNESCO officials and staff, during a cordial and productive interaction in Kathmandu.

News Kathmandu, Nepal - 12th May 2026

Book Launch on Youth Movements in South and Southeast Asia Highlights Regional Dialogue and Youth Leadership

A prestigious Book Launch Programme on “Youth Movements in South and Southeast Asia” was successfully organized by COSATT and the Political Dialogue Asia Programme of the KAS, bringing together distinguished academicians, scholars, and young leaders from across the region.

News UMCDSRC, Kathmandu, Nepal - 16th April 2026

UMCDSRC, National College to Host Special Talk on the 102nd Birth Anniversary of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Madanjeet Singh

UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Centre of Development Studies and Regional Cooperation (UMCDSRC) organized the Annual Madanjeet Singh Memorial Lecture 2026 at National College. An insightful session on "The Climate, Livelihood & Gender-Based Violence Nexus: Advancing Peace" with engaging discussions and valuable perspectives.

News UMCDSRC, National College, Kathmandu, Nepal - 9th April 2026

UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Madanjeet Singh Memorial Lecture 2026 to Spotlight Climate Change and Gender in Kathmandu

On the auspicious occasion of 102th Birthday Anniversary of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Madanjeet Singh the South Asia Foundation is pleased to announce the Amb. Madanjeet Singh Memorial Lecture 2026, to be held on 15 April 2026 at the auditorium of Madanjeet Singh, National College, Kathmandu.

In the media Bangaluru, DHNS-News Paper - 28th March 2026

From Journalism to Governance: UMCSAJ Alumna Ms. Pratibha Rawal Takes Charge as Nepal’s Federal Affairs Minister

In a remarkable journey from media to national leadership, Pratibha Rawal, an alumna of Asian College of Journalism, has been appointed as Nepal’s Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration in the newly formed cabinet.