Our Team
Get to know the people behind Open Knowledge Nepal.
Sagar Ghimire
Chairperson
Sagar Ghimire, Chairperson of Open Knowledge Nepal (OKN), is a software engineer with 7+ years experience in data & tech. He is also Co-founder of OKN, he drives change through open-source & data technology. As former CTO of OKN, Sagar brings expertise in tech strategy & product development. He is dedicated to promoting open knowledge, using tech for social good, & increasing access to information & tech for all. Sagar continues to play a vital role in shaping the future of open-source technology & data-driven solutions in Nepal.
Nikesh Balami
Chief Executive Officer
Nikesh is a civic entrepreneur, open data advocate and tech researcher. He is the co-founder and CEO of Open Knowledge Nepal – a non-profit civic tech organization comprised of openness aficionados. He is a strong supporter of open source software and believes in the vision of Open Knowledge to empower citizens regarding technology usage and open data. He loves coffee chat, tweeting, hackathons, blogging, traveling and open data. Nikesh is a Shuttleworth Flash Grantee 2016 and U.S. Embassy Youth Council member 2017/18. In parallel with his activities at Open Knowledge Nepal, he is also engaged with Artificial Intelligence for Development as a founding member and Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) Nepal community as an executive member. Previously, Nikesh also worked with Code for Nepal as a program coordinator. In his daily work schedule, he coordinates diverse projects related to tech & data, writes research & report, scrapes & harvest government data and sometimes codes. He has a long experience of working with private, nonprofit and government organizations.
Kshitiz Khanal
Co-founder and Board Member
Kshitiz Khanal is the founding Chairperson of Open Knowledge Nepal. He is currently pursuing a PhD in City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research focuses on the applications of machine learning and spatial analysis in energy and water utility planning. He has a background in engineering and energy planning. He has been involved in open data research, training, and advocacy for over 10 years.
Shubham Ghimire
Co-founder and Board Member
Shubham Ghimire is the co-founder of Open Knowledge Nepal. He is a strong advocate for the open data movement along with overall open programs campaign in Nepal. He considers himself as an Open Knowledge Activist who is also committed towards the Open source, open data awareness programs, and campaign. In fact, he oversees the project management for Open Knowledge Nepal while also being involved with various other open communities of Nepal. His efforts are dedicated to empowering the people by bringing accountability and transparency in governance. He also dedicates his time in various researches and is a competent programmer.
Prakash Neupane
Strategic Officer
Prakash Neupane is the strategic leader of the organization. His role is to make plans, buildup strategy and implement, evaluate and adjust them as per the requirement. He started his journey of open knowledge by taking the role of Ambassador at an early stage. The team will be able to fulfill the core objectives with his visionary guidelines.
James Shrestha
Chief Operating Officer
James Shrestha is the COO at Open Knowledge Nepal and a skilled web developer. With a strong passion for open knowledge and open source, James thrives on developing solutions using web technology and open data. At OKN he continues to tackle challenges, constantly pushing himself in collaborative interdisciplinary work. James's expertise and hands-on approach contribute to OKN's mission, driving both technical and strategic initiatives towards the advancement of open knowledge and positive change in diverse domains.
