Speakers
Visionaries of Change: Meet Our Esteemed Speakers
p.s.: More Distinguished speakers are lined up and will be announced soon.

Dr. Drona Prakash Rasali
Scholar, Dalit Activist, Professor
Dr. Drona Prakash Rasali is a distinguished Nepalese-Canadian academic and public health professional with a diverse interdisciplinary background spanning veterinary medicine, quantitative genetics, public health, and social justice. His remarkable career is defined by his unwavering commitment to advancing health equity and social reform. Dr. Rasali has significantly empowered marginalized communities, founding nepaldalitinfo in 2003 to connect Dalit intellectuals and highlight underreported issues. He was instrumental in establishing Nepal Open University and co-founded the Emotional Well-Being Institute of Canada to support racialized communities. He also held key roles in NRNA, the Canada-Nepal Friendship Society, and the Nepal Science Foundation Trust. Dr. Rasali began his career as a veterinary doctor and Senior Scientist in Nepal before moving to Canada in 1999. He held prominent roles in public health, including as Provincial Chronic Disease Epidemiologist in Saskatchewan and Director of Population Health Surveillance at BCCDC until his 2023 retirement. A long-time Adjunct Professor, he contributed to academia for over 15 years and led Canadian public health initiatives, earning recognition as a Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology (2014) and the Canadian Public Health Association’s Honorary Life Membership Award (2023).

Dr. Steve Folmar
Associate Professor of Anthropology, Associate Chair of the Department of Cultural/Applied Anthropology Wake Forest University, USA
Steve Folmar is an Anthropologist on faculty at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. He launched his ethnographic research in Nepal in 1979 and continues to do so today. For the past 24 years, he has concentrated on the life experiences of Dalit people, mainly in Lamjung District, but also in Lalitpur, Syangja and Kaski. His work has included investigations of the contribution of Dalit people to Village Tourism, Dalit identity and livelihood, Dalit identity politics, mental health and the effects of the 2015 earthquake on Dalit lives. Most recently he has attempted to illuminate the health seeking challenges facing Dalit and other marginalized people in Lamjung and the barriers to healthcare facing them. That project has evolved into a modest but significant effort to raise funds to support their efforts to improve their health, livelihood and other aspects of life. Folmar's publications include: Identity Politics among Dalits in Nepal; Being, Becoming, Belonging: Revisiting the Effects of Caste and Disaster on the Mental Health of Dalits in Nepal and; Addressing Dalit Wellbeing through Counter Ritual (forthcoming). In 2023, he organized the conference The Quest for Dignity. Dalit Rights and Dignity; Past, Present and Future at Wake Forest University. He is also co-organizer of the Global Dialogue for Dalit Studies in South Asia. Folmar has committed the last 2 1/2 decades of his career to Nepal's Dalit people with the purpose of helping them move forward into a caste-free society.

Durga Sob
Dalit Female Rights Activist, Founder FEDO
As a lifelong advocate for the rights of Dalit and women, She is a founding President of the Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO) and the former president of DNF she was a member secretary of the National Dalit Commission. Board of Directors of the International Movement Against all Forms of Discrimination and Racism- Japan (IMADR), Senior Advisor of Asian Dalit Rights Forum (ADRF)). She is Board member of Global Forum on Communities Discrimination based on work and Descent (CDWD).She served as a Advisor of Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG) for UN Women, Nepal. She was a founder President of Inclusive Women Alliance for Peace, Justice and Democracy (SANKALPA). This wide range of experience has also meant that she have been involved in numerous creative and innovative approaches on social inclusion, participation and human rights of Dalit/women who have been systematically excluded both traditionally, as well as in the new post conflict reality of Nepal. She is actively engaging in UN mechanisms (CEDAW, CERD, UPR, BEIJING +, SDGs …) at National, Regional and UN level.

Carminda Mac Lorin
Ph.D Applied Human Sciences
Carminda Mac Lorin, Ph.D., is an expert in Applied Human Sciences, an activist involved in several transnational networks, and a musician. She co-coordinated the 2016 World Social Forum and serves on its International Council. A driving force behind the upcoming World Social Forum of Intersections, set for May 29 to June 1, 2025, Carminda is also the founder and CEO of the international non-profit organization "Katalizo" (www.katalizo.org)".

Dr. Man Bahadur Bishwakarma
Nepal Former Secretary of Nepal, the first from Dalit Community, Professor
Dr. Man Bahadur Bishwakarma, former Secretary of Nepal and Dean of Madhesh University, is a Fulbright Scholar and Ph.D. in Social Inclusion in Microfinance. With advanced degrees from Nepal, the Netherlands, and Japan, he has worked with global organizations like UNDP and UNICEF, focusing on conflict resolution and development.
Nepal’s first Dalit to be Secretary of Government of Nepal, he introduced third-generation microfinance and initiated the National Microfinance Summit. He chairs the Native Arts and Heritage Academy, advocating for integrating arts and culture into education, and leads efforts to establish a university for native arts. Dr. Bishwakarma is also a Senior Thematic Expert at Nepal's Policy Research Institute and Chief Editor of Voiceless Voices. He has authored numerous books on social inclusion, microfinance, and sustainable development.

Dr. Laurence Simon
Professor of International Development and Sustainability, Director of the Center for Global Development and Sustainability at Brandeis University.
Dr. Laurence Simon is a Professor of International Development and Director of the Center for Global Development and Sustainability at Brandeis University. He was the Founding Director of the Graduate Programs in Sustainable International Development (1993–2014) and served as Associate Dean for Academic Planning at the Heller School (2003–2009). Since 2018, he has been Joint Editor-in-Chief of CASTE: A Global Journal on Social Exclusion. His research focuses on social exclusion, emancipatory development, poverty reduction, and the role of social movements in development.
Dr. Simon has held prominent roles, including senior adviser on global poverty for the Google Foundation and Visiting Scholar at Stanford University. He also contributed to the design of a new university in Sri Lanka. In 2024, Woxsen University in India inaugurated the 'Laurence Simon Department of Economics' in his honor. Additionally, Dr. Simon founded the American Jewish World Service (AJWS) in 1984 and served as its President until 1989.

Advocate, Mr. Moti Lal Nepali
Advocate, Dalit Activist, Writer
Advocate Moti Lal Nepali is a pioneer of the Dalit social movement in Nepal and a leading figure in the fight against caste-based discrimination. As a thinker and leader, he founded several key organizations, including the Dalit NGO Federation (1996) and Dalit Welfare Organization (1994). He launched Nepal’s first Dalit-focused radio program in 1996 and a Dalit-themed television program before 1998. He also wrote Nepal's first Dalit awareness song in 1995. A South Asian leader in Dalit rights, he has been active internationally as Senior Vice-Chair of the Global Forum Against Caste-Based Discrimination. Currently, he serves as an advocate, Chair of the Dalit Welfare Association, and Convener of Dalit Dignity Forum. Moti Lal Nepali has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to Dalit empowerment. Notable accolades include the Dr. Ambedkar Kala Shree Puraskar (2003), the Dr. Ambedkar International Brotherhood Award (2007), and the Samaj Sewa Padak, presented by President Bidya Devi Bhandari in 2017. He has also been honored by various organizations, including the Dalit NGO Federation (DNF) and other regional bodies. In addition to his activism, he is a writer and intellectual.

Dr. Madan Pariyar
Chairperson, Samata Foundation
Dr. Madan Pariyar, a passionate advocate for Dalit inclusion, chaired Nepal’s State Restructuring Commission in 2011, shaping federalism through extensive consultations with diverse stakeholders. Dr. Pariyar was born into a Dalit family in Rajbiraj, Nepal, and earned his Doctorate in Engineering from AIT, Bangkok. With over 40 years of experience across government, NGOs, academia, and industry, Dr. Pariyar specializes in resilience, inclusion, poverty alleviation, and good governance. He has led research on climate change impacts on marginalized communities and founded the Samata Foundation, a think tank promoting a just and inclusive society. His work includes numerous publications and participation in global forums across 30+ countries.

Dr. Anne Murphy
Associate Professor of History, University of British Columbia
Anne Murphy, Ph.D. (Columbia), is a historian at the University of British Columbia specializing in the cultural and intellectual history of Punjab in India and Pakistan. Her research focuses on Punjabi language and literary culture, caste and gender discourses, progressive movements, religious community formations, and material culture. Her work explores the evolution of Punjabi as a literary language from the early modern to modern periods, including its transition to print.
Dr. Murphy has authored two monographs, edited multiple volumes and special journal issues, and published widely in academic journals. Her recent monograph examines political and social imaginaries in Punjabi during late colonial and post-colonial periods. She also translated Zubair Ahmed's Grieving for Pigeons: Twelve Stories of Lahore (2022).
In 2023, she released findings from two significant oral history projects: “Punjabi in BC,” documenting the history of Punjabi language in British Columbia, and “Caste in Canada,” co-led with Dr. Suraj Yengde, addressing caste discrimination in Canada. Her research on caste as a global phenomenon continues.

Yogendra Shakya
Ph.D Professor, Researcher, Activist, Policy Maker
Yogendra is an advocate scholar focused on advancing equity and social justice grounded on
decolonial anti-capitalist praxis. He has over 15 years of applied research and advocacy experience on critical intersecting determinants of inequalities including systemic racism, casteism, labor market discrimination, low wages, poverty, precarious work, precarious Immigration status, food insecurity, language barriers, social isolation, and more. His current work is centered on mobilizing liberatory knowledge, cross-movement solidarities (between
feminist, socialist, Dalit justice, Indigenous Justice, Disability/Crip Justice, Queer/Trans Justice, migrant justice and more), and shared internationalist advocacy to jointly free ourselves from the violent global legacies of colonialism/imperialism and capitalism. He is a recognized champion in community based participatory action research (CBPAR) methods geared at meaningfully training and engaging under-represented communities as co-producers of knowledge and civic agents of progressive change. He was born in Kathmandu but is now based in Toronto. When he is not doing research and advocacy work, he dabbles in composing songs (including children’s
songs), international fusion instrumental music, and poetry.

Dr. Saleem Dhobi
Professor TU, Career Motivator, Author
Dr. Saleem is an accomplished Assistant Professor of English at Tribhuvan University. A career motivator since 2010, he has trained professionals, political leaders, and jobholders, earning recognition for his dynamic approach to teaching and coaching.
With over 30 books and numerous research papers on diverse topics, his scholarly contributions span course textbooks, reference materials, and digital publications. Dr. Saleem's expertise extends to project management, conflict resolution, multiculturalism, and network marketing. Holding advanced degrees including an MA in Sociology and English, an MPhil in Conflict Management and Postcolonial Studies, and a PhD in Multiculturalism and Ethnicity, Dr. Saleem is celebrated as one of Nepal's leading young academicians and writers. His ability to connect with people from all walks of life underscores his reputation as a genuine professional with a winning personality.

Dr. Chinnaiah Jangam
Associate Professor Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
Chinnaiah Jangam is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Carleton University Ottawa, Canada. He writes on Dalits' social and intellectual history and anti-caste movements in modern South Asia. Oxford University Press published his book Dalits and the Making of Modern India in 2017. It presents the critical role of Dalits in the imagination and making of modern India. His translation of the seminal Dalit text Gabbilam (Bat) by Gurram Jashuva, father of Dalit literature in Telugu, was published as Gabbilam (Bat): A Dalit Epic by Yoda Press in 2022 and winner of Association for Asian Studies A. K Ramanujan Prize for Traslation, 2024.

Dr. Karun Karki
Associate Professor, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Dr. Karun Karki is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia and a Founding Director of the Emotional Well-being Institute (EWBI). His research focuses on critical social justice issues, including anti-racism, anti-castism, and the well-being of marginalized groups such as immigrants, refugees, and LGBTQ+ communities. Dr. Karki explores how state power and exclusionary practices affect these groups, particularly in relation to migration, displacement, and discrimination. He has received multiple research grants and published over 30 works, including a study on the socio-economic challenges of Dalit communities in Nepal. His social work approach emphasizes equity, inclusivity, and social justice.

Dr. Resham Thapa
Associate Professor, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
Resham Thapa is an Associate Professor at Tribhuvan University's Central Department of Economics, where he teaches various economics courses and supervises graduate and doctoral students. He is also a Research Fellow at the Global Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies in Kathmandu. His ongoing research focuses on fiscal capacity, leadership effectiveness in local governments, fiscal indiscipline, elite capture, and the impact of conservation areas on poverty and the environment. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Hull and has completed professional certifications in trade, econometrics, and risk management.
Thapa has contributed to policy research on fiscal management, COVID-19’s economic impact, and local government revenue potential. He served on the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council from 2011 to 2013. He has published over 30 journal articles on topics like energy consumption, tourism, climate change, and economic policy and is currently working on research about gender wage gaps, migration, and the effects of informal employment on children’s education.
He is a member of several professional organizations, including the Royal Economic Society and the American Economic Association, and teaches at various academic institutions in Nepal.