MEET THE AUTHOR

Hi there! I’m a young author from the Kathmandu valley in Nepal. My passion for writing grew out of my passion for books. I was a voracious reader as a young child and wrote my first “book”—a fairy tale—in kindergarten.

I’ve grown up with a cousin who I’m very close to (it’s customary in Nepal to refer to your cousin as brother or sister, so I call him my brother). When we were little kids, I wanted him to love reading as much as I did. At age seven I wrote The Animal Adventure with my brother in mind, hoping a story about wild animals who encounter danger would motivate him to read. It worked! He read the book and liked it.

In each of my books I start with experiences from my childhood and write stories grounded in Nepali culture and history, told from the perspective of an inquisitive child. The characters are manifestations of different people in my life. What began with a lighthearted story about animals traveling from the south of Nepal to the country’s largest city shaped my determination to create tales that I would have enjoyed reading as a child.

I hope to instill my passion for writing in little kids all over Nepal. I firmly believe that if given the chance, and a supportive environment, anyone who enjoys writing can write a book!

I’ve grown up in a home surrounded by people who are committed to the health and safety of children and families, especially those who are marginalized due to poverty and a lack of education. My parents along with Olga Mamu, my “forever grandmother” featured in The Tale of Yaya, modeled how to live your life in service to others. I donated the proceeds from the book sales of The Animal Adventure to the Nepal Youth Foundation and learned that I can write a book, sell copies, and help others.

I’m an outdoor girl who loves walking in the woods and hiking in the Himalayan foothills. I’ve traveled abroad and love it, and I like to draw. I take photographs of artifacts and objects that catch my eye, then draw them on my iPad. It’s another way to express myself creatively.

I attended Ullens School in Kathmandu through grade ten. I’m finishing my secondary education at St. Andrew’s International School in Bangkok, Thailand, graduating in June 2027. I will attend university and possibly pursue a career in public policy. I’m passionate about defending the legal rights of children and adolescents, and I’m passionate about writing. I especially love writing stories for children.