Born in a lower middle-class farmer family, my earliest memories are those of simplicity, resilience, and silent sacrifice. Our home was sustained through subsistence farming, with only meager earnings from seasonal agricultural produce. My father, a diligent farmer, often worked as a part-time skilled laborer to make ends meet — every rupee he earned, every drop of his sweat, went towards feeding our family and supporting my dream of education.

Among five sons, I was the youngest — and the only one who walked through the gates of formal education. Yet even that path was not smooth. After Grade 3, my father, strained by finances, wanted to halt my schooling. It was only through the gentle persuasion of my teachers and elder brothers that he gave in. I still remember the long nights of studying under borrowed lamplight at my friend’s house, our own home too poor to afford a lantern. But with sheer perseverance, I graduated high school as the top student.

Determined to carve a new path, I enrolled in a forestry college — not for passion alone, but for survival. The modest monthly stipend of 200 rupees allowed me to live, save, and even contribute small items to our household. Elected as a hostel monitor, I lived rent-free. I spent less time in lectures and more time leading students as a Union Secretary, raising voices for their rights and well-being. Ironically, the less I attended classes, the better I performed. My peers were always surprised — how could someone so devoted to others still score so well?

After receiving a diploma, I worked in one of Nepal’s remotest areas as an Assistant Ranger. But the fire of ambition burned bright — and within 2.5 years, I resigned to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Forestry. Again, I earned a scholarship and served as a hostel monitor. I was once more elected Union Secretary, spending days serving others and nights buried in textbooks. I barely appeared for classes but passed with distinction, while many who studied daily did not.

I married a passionate women's rights activist. Our agreement was simple — she would fight for justice, and I would support our family. I worked again in the wilderness as a Forest Officer before shifting to the NGO world — more aligned with my calling. I served the environment for six years before winning the prestigious MONBUSHO Scholarship to pursue my Master’s in Japan. Leaving my wife and two young children behind, I spent two transformative years in Hokkaido, excelling in research and later earning the rare honor of a Ph.D. in the same institution.

But home called. I returned to Nepal, tried to serve again, but the Maoist insurgency made it impossible. So I left once more — this time as a Post-Doctoral Associate in Hokkaido. I published multiple peer-reviewed papers and then worked for 6 more golden years at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Iowa State University. During that time, my wife was elected to Nepal's Constituent Assembly, and I brought our children to the U.S. for a brighter future.

But life has its own course — often unpredictable, sometimes cruel. Our son fell into bad company, fell into addiction, and later into the darkness of bipolar disorder. Despite four years of support and treatment, we lost him. That grief carved a hollow in our hearts that time may never fill. Our daughter, now married in the U.S., has a beautiful family. I have become a grandfather — a role that brings me quiet joy and hopeful continuity.

Today, my life is shaped by the philosophy of IKIGAI. It’s no longer about success alone — it’s about meaning, contribution, and peace. With help from artificial intelligence, I’m mapping my remaining years into a legacy of health, happiness, purpose, and service — a 100-year life filled with light, even amidst shadows.

This is not just my biography — it is my testimony. A story of how a boy with no lantern lit the world with his will. A journey from scarcity to global scholarship, from activism to wisdom, from unspeakable loss to quiet renewal. My story has no titles, but if it did — it would be called: "A Life of Purpose, Lit by Grace."