I started questioning myself on whether whatever I was achieving was for me only or was it for me and my people.

Hempal Shrestha
Co-founder, Nepal Entrepreneurs Hub and ICT Foundation Nepal

Hempal Shrestha, a strong supporter of information technology as a critical component of societal progress, has significantly contributed to technological development in Nepal. “I am a researcher, educator, consultant and lawyer. I provide consulting and advisory services to tech companies and IT projects, both national and international, on legal tech issues. I am more of a social-tech researcher,” he says.

Over the years, Shrestha has been involved in various jobs in his professional journey beginning as Head of Department for Information Management at St Xavier’s College in 2003 and as Programme Officer - Asia region, Bellanet, the International Development and Research Centre (IDRC), Canada.

To diversify the use of free and open source in Nepal, Shrestha along with other open-source enthusiasts initiated a community of practice known as Free/Open-Source Software (FOSS) Nepal, following the open space methodology. Later, he practiced the open space of community building and knowledge sharing in various organisations and communities across South and East Asia.

Intending to bring about positive change in the tech-entrepreneurial ecosystem of Nepal and share learnings from his entrepreneurial endeavours, Shrestha along with key industry leaders co-founded a not-for-profit called Nepal Entrepreneurs’ Hub (NEHUB) in 2015. At NEHUB, Shrestha mentored the ICT Award in Nepal and led the ICT Award as the jury coordinator from its initial phase. He has also been a member of the jury of the Manthan South Asia and mBillionth South Asia Awards multiple times.

Shrestha has developed the system analysis of the Social Security Fund and co-authored the Digital Nepal Framework 2019 for the government. To realise the mission of digital transformation, he initiated Digital Samvad to initiate an open dialogue focusing on the social-economic transformation of the general public. To assist the federal development of Nepal and with a motive to institutionalise digital tools as enablers for policy discourse, he co-initiated ICT Foundation Nepal during the Covid 19 pandemic.

In this edition of Business 360, Shrestha shares with us the five experiences that have impacted his work and life.

Education away from home

After completing my lower secondary education in Tanahun, I was sent to India for further education as good educational facilities were available only in Kathmandu then and they were very expensive. My thought process, the way I perceive things are highly influenced by my learnings in India. Moreover, the fact that my family understood the importance of quality education was a blessing to me.

In India, I not only got my college degree but also acquired the overall societal knowledge in a more holistic approach. While studying there I started questioning myself on whether whatever I was achieving was for me only or was it for me and my people. I realised the distinction between meaningful achievement and an achievement solely for the sake of accomplishment. I understood what land means, which I think I would have never understood if I was in Nepal.

The belief that technology is the only possible enabler

During my graduation, information technology (IT) was gradually picking up. I started believing that IT would do positive to the environment. I wanted to build an ecosystem that could contribute positively. During those times, IT used to be seen from a business perspective only. People had very little information regarding how IT can actually cause a social revolution. I started an initiative called ‘IT Plus’ within the college premises and gained a lot of exposure. I came to know that knowledge is wealth, and independence is what we need. The sense of the need to create a good entrepreneur ecosystem where IT can have its significant role led me to pursue an education in IT and work in this field.

Nepal Entrepreneurs’ Hub is one that was established in order to bring into attention that innovation and technology will be the backbone of the transformation that takes place in local communities. I am glad that I could actually bring a positive to the environment and contribute to the generations of entrepreneurs who want to scale up and build an entrepreneur mindset. Connecting enterprises with technology has really helped us to create prosperity.

International exposure and engagement with community

I was in my late 20’s when I received an opportunity to explore the world. I met so many people, learned from them, learned about international development, culture, society and the entire Nepal and many other countries. During my travels, many of my foreign friends would ask me to live abroad but I have never felt like leaving the country. The realisation of what actually was my purpose of living always used to bring me back to Nepal. Perhaps, I learned through that exposure and did as much work as I could do innovatively in the Nepali ecosystem.

I have experience of working in establishing a good social community of technical people. I learned that if you have trust, clarity of purpose, and good intentions then any work gets easier. If you are not clear about the work you are doing, then conflict arises and it may affect your personal, professional, social and many other aspects of life.

Various communities have taught me every personal, professional and social aspect of life acts differently in different situations. Separating personal, professional and social things has helped me achieve the bigger goals in life. If you are a friend, you will know more about my personal things, a little bit about my professional things, and much more about my social things. If you are my family, you will know everything about my personal things, you might know a little bit about my professional thing, you might know something about my social thing but you might never understand. Therefore, distinguishing my relationship with friends, family and society and the different levels of support from them has helped me grow.

You will meet people who may want to exploit you, you will meet people who want to build you, you will meet people who will break you but never mind them and continue with people who build you and keep an okay relation with the rest.

Sincere commitment and follow through

My attribute to be sincere has helped me achieve a lot. Whatever I have, I sincerely fulfil my responsibilities. We have multiple hats but wear only one at one time. For me, sincerity is more of creating an impact rather than contributing only. In my case, I received exposure because my family had a sincere commitment to educate me. I had a sincere commitment to come back and work. I continued with that commitment and tried to learn and build my knowledge base. I do remember the days when there used to be loadshedding in Nepal. During those times, we had to manage our daily routine accordingly. We used to work during nights to finish the work on time when there was still electricity. That sincere commitment created a platform which gave me exposure. The opportunity and exposure that I received; I gave a sincere follow through. 

Presence of good mentors

I may sound unrealistic but throughout my life, I have been guided by the best of mentors. From school teachers to professors, from colleagues in higher positions to national and international bosses, they have inspired and motivated me so much. I have learnt to be committed. I have learnt to keep a good positive circle around me to stay happy and healthy. They have taught me to be good to everyone but if somebody messes up then develop the capability to set that off. Another thing I have learned is that simplicity should be a quality not an attribute. I have been able to incorporate that in myself.

I would like to mention two poets Kabir Das and Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, the people I admire so much. Kabir says that you must always keep those people close who criticise you so that you can improve further. From him, I have learned to acknowledge the criticism positively and move strongly. On the other hand, Dinkar inspires me to become a capable person first, so that even when you excuse or forgive others for their wrongdoings, it is not considered incapability or weakness.

I have a few bosses who have really grilled me. That’s the learning. At times, we make blunders and get lost but we learn from that. There are good people and I am able to maintain a good relationship with them and keep them close to me.