Opening Plenary: Towards Himalayan Connectivity
The Himalayan region has been connected for centuries through social customs and traditions, geographic factors, geopolitics, natural resource management, and trade and economy. Previously, this connection transcended current national boundaries, and its land-locked nature made road connectivity its sole mode of transportation. Currently, however, national borders have disengaged certain connections and isolated each country to resolve its crisis on its own. Taking this into account, this session will discuss feasible options to improve regional connectivity.
Debapriya Bhattacharya
Member, CPD Board of Trustees and Distinguished Fellow
Centre for Policy Dialogue
Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, a macro-economist and public policy analyst, is a Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) in Dhaka. He was the first Executive Director at CPD and is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Center for Global Development (CGD) in Washington DC.
Mahendra P. Lama
Senior Professor
Jawaharlal Nehru University
A noted development economist, Professor Lama has been a senior Professor in the School of International Studies in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He is the current Chief Economic Adviser in the Government of Sikkim and was also a Member of the National Security Advisory Board of Government of India.
Nyema Zam
Founder and CEO
Samuh Mediatech
Nyema Zam, CEO of Samuh, Bhutan's top OTT Platform, merges 20+ years of media and communication experience with art, entertainment, and technology. Passionate about showcasing Bhutanese and Himalayan creativity globally, she has received numerous accolades, including the UK RISE Business Awards 2022 and Ngultrum Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2022.
Puspa Sharma
Visiting Senior Research Fellow
National University of SIngapore - Institute of South Asian Studies (NUS-ISAS)
Dr. Puspa Sharma, a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, possesses nearly 19 years of experience in policy research on trade and development. He has provided expert services to the government of Nepal, ADB, UNESCAP, and UNOHRLLS.
MODERATOR
Sujeev Shakya
Chair
Nepal Economic Forum
Nepal
Sujeev Shakya is a Himalayan Citizen, a phrase that forms the anchor chapter in the compendium Himalayan Arc. He is Chair of Nepal Economic Forum and Convenor of the Himalayan Future Forum. He is Senior Fellow at the National University of Singapore – Institute of South Asian Studies. An author of six books, he writes extensively on issues on business, economy and development.
