Green energy needs to be adopted and promoted simply because we have no choice left.

Itnuma Subba has acquired double master’s degree in Environmental Science and Environmental Management. She holds the position of CEO of the Energy Development Council (EDC) which is an umbrella organisation representing the entire energy sector of Nepal. Subba is responsible for driving the EDC Secretariat which includes exploring and executing projects, developing and expanding partnerships, creating strategy for revenue generation and channelisation, strengthening EDC’s national and international reach, liaisoning with national and international government non- governmental institution, among others. She has been associated with the Council for the past seven years. Besides, she is also the Director of Nimbuzz since the past two years. “Nimbuzz is a digital lifestyle platform comprising of secure chat and public chatrooms, a social media zone where we can share pictures, videos and stories and also buy or sell items with escrow feature, an entertainment area to play fun games and quizzes, a ShowTime where you can watch thousands of movies and only Nepali original web series, a networking area to meet people nearby, a connect area for exploring jobs and learning courses and degree programs from the world’s top universities, a secure wallet to send and receive funds with supersonic speed and pay utility bills,” informs Subba. It will soon include shopping, ride hailing features, offers and coupons. “It is one of the world’s first true superapps,” she claims. In this edition of Business 360, the dynamic leader guided by a spiritual conscience talks about the five things that make her who she is and the guiding principles to her work.

Karmayogi vs Karmabhogi

Business has lots of ups and downs and to attach oneself to either of these is to get on a daily emotional roller coaster which forces us to make illogical decisions. So I try to be a Karmayogi, that is, to work sincerely without any attachment to the results and not a Karmabhogi who is always doing everything to show results. Karmabhogis are haunted by greed, anger, and many other feelings of insatiable desires which is the key reason for people in today’s society to lose their moral and spiritual grounds. This business advice I got from Lord Sri Krishna via eternal knowledge he has passed onto all of us via the Bhagavad Gita.

Return to Nepal

The most important life decision I took was to return to Nepal after I finished my second master’s degree in the UK. Moreover, I took up the Executive Manager role in the Energy Development Council and held onto it in critical periods while I had other options available. At EDC, I led two international power summits in Nepal resulting into a huge success. This very experience allowed me the first glimpse into my own potential. My best decision is also to give birth to my two beautiful kids along my professional journey. And, I have recently invested in Nimbuzz. It is going to be an unlimited adventure.

Sources of Inspiration

I get inspired by the amazing creation of God and the consequent vast opportunities human kind can do and rejoice. I also get inspired by success stories of tireless and continuous effort that people bring out of their work.

Green Energy

Currently, the world consumes approximately 33% electricity, 33% gas and 33% petroleum fuels. Soon the entire world will operate 100% on electricity. So the word ‘energy’ in the near future will be a synonym for electricity. If this energy or electricity is not generated from clean and sustainable sources, we won’t have a habitable planet. Climate change and its adverse effects on planet and humans are all because of non-green energy. So green energy needs to be adopted and promoted simply because we have no choice left. There are other reasons but I don’t think it is as important as the formula, sustainable energy = sustainable human life.

Taming the Ego

Covid 19 has taught me that what we are doing is not at all as important as we think it is. Of course, this is clearly explained in the Bhagavad Gita but we have unfortunately looked at it only as a religious book. The world is illusory and we are covered by the sensory mind and body that are tricked us to perceiving this world as the reality and our ego that tricks us to thinking that we are important beings doing important things. We reside approximately 100 years with our mind, body and ego. Covid 19 puts this into perspective and the virus lifts the veils of illusion (maya).