Mr. Ashish Banjara is an 18 year old Social Activist from Chitwan. He is a dedicated youth striving to improve education in Nepal. As the host of the “Educational Debate” program on Radio Arpan 104.5 MHz, he interviews teachers and students to explore educational challenges and opportunities. He also leads the “Reusing the Book” project, raising awareness among over 3,000 underprivileged students in Chitwan, and volunteered for 60 days at Partnership In Education, teaching underprivileged children at Saint Xavier’s College, Maitighar.

His Work

After graduating from St. Xavier’s College, Maitighar, he returned to Chitwan and has since worked as a radio program host at Radio Arpan 104.5 MHz, where he leads the “Educational Debate” program. This initiative addresses issues in the education system by bridging gaps between teachers and students, with over 70 interviews conducted in the past year. He is currently analyzing data to draft a research paper on educational patterns in Chitwan. Additionally, he revitalized the “Reusing the Book” project, initially started in grade 8, to support economically challenged students. 

With expanded support from the Ministry of Education, he has conducted awareness sessions in 15 public schools, reaching over 3,000 students, and is extending the project to Chepang students in Saktikhor with help from Bips Media and Radio Arpan.

Impact

He interviewed nearly 70 students and teachers, bringing their perspectives into the media for the first time. This qualitative data, analyzed with Prof. Dr. Bishnu Kattel’s help, is used to assess the education system and will be taught to undergraduate sociology students at TU. Seeing students in rural Chitwan use radios, where other technologies are lacking, has been a meaningful experience for him. His second project, “Reusing the Book,” has helped around 500 underprivileged students, especially in the Chepang community. By promoting the reuse of textbooks, he aims to save government resources and support economically challenged students. The gratitude from parents underscores the impact of his work. Although his projects haven’t yet reached a national level, he finds success in every small improvement and remains dedicated to being a voice for the voiceless.