Umanga Pandey- Asia 21 Young Leader by Asia Society


Kathmandu, July 13  Umanga Pandey, Founder of KG Nepal, has been named by Asia Societyas part of the Class of 2015 Asia 21 Young Leaders, the preeminent network of young leaders  from across the Asia Pacific, representing the private, public, and nonprofit sectors.

Umanga Pandey is the founder of KG Nepal, a social initiative that regards individual evolution, not political revolution, as the path for change. KG provides resources for young volunteers to discover and act on their interests. The youth-volunteer activities center around KG’s charity program – that forwards 100% of donations to neglected children from inner-city, government schools in Kathmandu. Before founding KG, Umanga had worked in international finance in over 7 countries, including positions at Salomon Smith Barney, IFC, and Aavishkaar Venture Capital. He holds degrees from the University of Southern California and Brandeis University.He is currently designing a self-learning culture in a high school that he heads in Kathmandu.

Umanga Pandey will attend the special 10th anniversary Asia 21 Summit in Hong Kong, December 1-4. The summit will celebrate the achievements of the first decade, explore innovative ways to leverage the Asia 21 network for greater impact, and form special Asia 21 Task Forces to address critical issues facing the region.

Asia 21 Young Leaders are selected through a highly competitive process based on outstanding achievement, commitment to public service, and a proven ability to make the world a better place.The 32 young leaders who make up the Asia 21 Class of 2015 represent 22 countries and are divided almost evenly between men and women. Fifty percent work in the private sector, 44 percent in the nonprofit sector, and 6 percent in the public sector.

“The new class of Asia 21 Young Leaders is a remarkable group. We are excited to introduce these leaders of the Asia-Pacific region to the Asia 21 Network, where they will find mentors, potential collaborators, and, we hope, new friends,” said Asia Society President and CEO Josette Sheeran. “We welcome this passionate group to the Asia 21 family, and look forward to the contributions they make to the public good in the coming years.”