Executive Board
Ghan Bahadur Thapa, MD
President
Dr. Thapa is currently working as a General Practitioner and Emergency Medicine Physician at Grande Hospital, Kathmandu. He completed his Nepalese Diploma in Mountain Medicine in 2012 and his International Diploma in Mountain Emergency Medicine in 2014. Dr. Thapa served as the Treasurer of this society for 4 years (2016-2020). His areas of interest include emergency medicine, high-altitude medicine, and research.
Santosh Baniya, MD
Vice-President
Dr. Baniya is an Emergency medicine physician at the Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences, Pokhara. He trained in General Practice and Emergency Medicine at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, IOM, Kathmandu from where he also completed his medical school. He got his Diploma in Mountain Medicine in 2016 from Nepal and his Diploma in Global Health in 2016 from the Institute of Medicine, Nepal. He has already served as the joint secretary for 4 years (2016-2020). Dr. Baniya worked as the local organizing chairperson for the XII ISMM World Congress on Mountain Medicine in 2018. Currently, he is also serving as the vice president of the International Society for Mountain Medicine for the 2021-2025 term.
Suman Acharya, MD
Secretary
Dr. Acharya is currently working as consultant physician at Lumbini Provincial Hospital. He completed his post-graduate training in internal medicine at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, IOM. He graduated from the same institution in 2017. He previously served as an executive body member at the society for the 2016-2020 term. He also completed his Diploma in Mountain Medicine in 2017 from Nepal. He has worked as an expedition and trail race doctor across various expeditions and races in the country. His areas of interest include emergency medicine, critical care medicine, high-altitude medicine, and medical education.
Suvash Dawadi, MD
Treasurer
I am a general practitioner currently working at CIWEC Hospital and Travel Medicine Center. I completed my entire medical training including a residency program in General practice and Emergency Medicine from the Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, Nepal. I have special interest in travel medicine, sports medicine, expedition medicine and high- altitude medicine and completed the Diploma in Mountain Medicine in Nepal in 2014 and currently serve as a faculty in the same course. I have been a member of the Mountian Medicine Society of Nepal from the first year of Medical School initially joining in the Journal Clubs. Since then, I have had the privilege of working as a volunteer doctor for Everest ER, a tent aid post at the Everest Base Camp for the spring climbing season of 2018. I have also worked as an expedition doctor on Lobuche East, Kilimanjaro as well as for multiple high- altitude trail races including the Manaslu and Mustang Trail races. My work at CIWEC provides me a unique position to be able to practice travel health issues including and not limited to high altitude travel. I have had the pleasure of presenting in few national and international conferences including the ISMM World Congress on Mountain Medicine 2018, 2021 as well as the World Extreme Medicine Conference 2021. I have also contributed to few publications in international peer reviewed journals.
Rajesh Sharma, MBBS
Joint Secretary
Dr. Sharma is Lead Specialists in Poison Information and research co-investigator at Nepal's first Institution based poison information center (PIC), Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital where he completed his med school. He volunteered as a medical student in the high-altitude health camp in Gosainkunda in 2018. He was also a part of the organizing committee member of the XII International Society for Mountain Medicine (ISMM) World Congress in 2018. He has presented his high-altitude research ISMM/WMS world congresses where he earned best oral presentation award for his research done at Everest region. He has worked as outdoor activity and case scenario instructor for MMSN activities. He has been working as mountain medicine trainer to mountain guides, medical students. He has worked as trail/trekking/research doctor at Everest region. His interests include mountain medicine, wilderness medicine, emergency medicine, medical toxicology and global health.
Subarna Adhikari, MBBS
Member
An orthopedics and mountain medicine trained physician from Nepal who is undergoing a new residency in Emergency Medicine in the US. Improvement of Emergency healthcare and consolidation of Emergency Medicine training in Nepal are two of my ongoing life goals. Hiking is a hobby and you will find me walking a trail whenever I am not home reading a book or working in a hospital.
Prasanna Karki, MBBS
Member
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Shreyashi Karki, MBBS
Member
Dr Shreyasi Karki has volunteered in high-altitude health camp in Gosainkunda in 2023. She has then worked at Everest ER as a volunteer doctor in 2024. MMSN has opened her to realms of opportunities to serve in the mountains and has fueled her passion for mountain medicine. She wishes to contribute more to the mountains and it’s people in future.
Sanjeev Kharel, MBBS
Member
I am Sanjeev Kharel, a graduate of Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, with over 72 publications to my credit. I also serve as the Editor-in-Chief of the 2024 Mountain Medicine Society of Nepal (MMSN) Newsletter and as a member of its editorial board. My primary research interests are in high-altitude and pilgrimage medicine, addressing health challenges faced by travelers in remote and extreme environments. My recent study on travelers’ diarrhea in high-altitude clinics has provided valuable insights into the healthcare needs of individuals in these settings.
Aakash Sherpali, MBBS
Member
Dr. Aakash Sherpali is an intern doctor at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital with a keen interest in Wilderness, Austere, and Travel Medicine. Passionate about raising awareness on travel health and high-altitude illnesses, he is dedicated to educating the general public and medical students. An outdoor enthusiast, he loves trekking, hiking, running, and swimming. As a long-standing member of the Mountain Medicine Society of Nepal (MMSN), he serves as the academic coordinator and a member-at-large of the 6th Executive Body. Dr. Sherpali combines his medical expertise with his love for adventure to improve travel health awareness and education across Nepal.
Ashika Aryal, MBBS
Member
Hello and Namaste! I am Ashika Aryal, a third year MBBS student at Maharajgunj Medical Campus. I am a committed, caring and friendly person with a great passion for helping people. My aim is to contribute to the improvement in the health services in Nepal, mainly in remote areas. Besides studying medicine I love traveling especially trekking. I am honored to be a part of the Mountain Medicine Society of Nepal and excited to work towards a healthier and stronger Nepal.