Kathmandu: The ICT Foundation Nepal successfully concluded the “Digital Nepal Conclave 2025 in Association with TingTing and Powered by Raindrop,” held under the theme “Empowering Digital Nepal Together.”
The conclave, held on Friday, August 15 (Shrawan 30) at The Plaza, Pulchowk, centred on the theme “Digital Synergy: Transforming Governance, Economy, and Society.” Discussions explored various dimensions of digital transformation and ecosystem development.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel, Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung, Nepali Congress General Secretary and MP Gagan Thapa, Chief Secretary Eknarayan Aryal, National Planning Commission Member Dr. Prakash Kumar Shrestha, among others, addressed the gathering.
More than 600 senior officials from government and private sectors participated. Over eight sessions covered topics such as digital governance, digital public infrastructure, digital health, digital economy, and the ICT industry.
A special “Power Dialogue” was conducted with Prime Minister Oli, facilitated by Sanjay Silwal Gupta, founder of Vyas Media. The Prime Minister said Nepal’s location and environment could make it a global “Digital Work Centre.” He emphasized that the younger generation excels in ICT and pledged government support to create an enabling environment, aiming to raise ICT’s contribution to GDP to 2 percent this year.
A “Power Panelist Session” featured Finance Minister Paudel and Gagan Thapa, moderated by Kantipur Television’s Deputy News Chief Rupesh Shrestha. Minister Paudel urged people to report irregularities in the tax system, promising immediate action. Thapa stressed adopting a “faceless” system for public service delivery, warning against ambitious planning without execution and calling for greater speed in reforms.
Chief Secretary Aryal noted that true digitalization requires interoperability between systems, saying, “Typing on a computer does not mean digitalization. Without system integration, development won’t happen.” NPC Member Dr. Shrestha emphasized innovation must address real societal problems.
Minister Gurung said Nepal is still at an initial stage in terms of infrastructure, highlighting digital infrastructure as a national necessity rather than a luxury. “Innovation and technology must keep citizens at the centre. Government is advancing legal reforms and infrastructure development, but synergy requires collaboration with the private sector,” he added.
ICT Foundation Chairperson Rijan Lamsal stated that while the private sector is making maximum efforts, the government must also bring policy reforms and improve execution. ICT expert Manohar Bhattarai stressed political commitment for building Digital Nepal, while Dr Kyle Gardner, Google’s Head of Government Affairs & Public Policy for South Asia, said digital synergy requires cooperation among government, private sector, and civil society.
Other notable speakers included CAN Federation President Sunaina Ghimire Pandey, Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce & Industry Co-Chair Saibal Ghosh, KU School of Engineering Dean Prof Dr Manish Pokharel, former Joint Secretary Birendra Mishra, Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Bikash Devkota, and TU IT Innovation Center Director Prof Dr Subarna Shakya.
Thematic sessions also featured papers on digital governance (by Associate Secretary Aadesh Khadka, MoCIT), digital health blueprint (by Dr Madan Kumar Upadhyay, Bir Hospital), digital public infrastructure (by Associate Secretary Subas Dhakal, OPMCM), and ICT industry (by Santosh Koirala, Chair of NAS IT).
Other session speakers included MoCIT Secretary Radhika Aryal, e-Governance Board CEO Dipesh Bista, YCO Managing Director Dipesh Pradhan, KIOCH Chair Prof. Dr. Bhagwan Koirala, Health Ministry IT Director Suraj Prakash Aryal, PATH Programme Manager Diksha Pokharel, GIZ Senior Technical Advisor Nirmal Dhakal, and Shunyaek Co-founder Sanjay Paudel.
Similarly, PM’s IT Advisor Asgar Ali, NIDP Director-General Yuvraj Kattel, Social Security Fund IT Director Dr. Roshan Kozu, NCHL CEO Nileshman Pradhan, WorldLink CEO Keshav Nepal, DoIT Director-General Ramesh Sharma Paudel, NTC Chief Commercial Officer Dilliraj Adhikari, DryIce Solutions Founder Santosh Bhusal, Jens Founder Anjani Phuyal, and Accurate Nepal Operations Director Saluja Acharya also participated as speakers.
On this occasion, Google officially launched its Street View service in Nepal. Nishant Nair, Head of Street View Outsource Operations at Google Maps, announced the rollout.
Research papers and digital initiatives covering eight key areas of the Digital Nepal Framework were also presented and showcased.
The conclave was supported by MoCIT, e-Governance Board, Nepal Telecommunications Authority, Google, Nepal Telecom, Ncell, Nima Education Foundation, Dynamic Technosoft, Siddhartha Bank, Rastriya Banijya Bank, Thakral One, eSewa, Khalti by IME, Mavorion Systems, Sky Broadband, Pick & Drop, e-Group, NICCI, Garima Bikas Bank, CAN Federation, among others.
As pre-events, ICT Foundation had organized a two-day “Digital Karnali Conclave” in Karnali Province, a one-day “Digital Madhesh Conclave” in Madhesh Province, and a nationwide ICT literacy campaign “ICT Gyan.”
The “Digital Nepal Conclave” stands as a meaningful initiative and campaign for digital transformation, aiming to support the execution of plans and programmes shaping Nepal’s digital future.
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