Dr. Bal Gopal Baidya is the Chairperson of New ERA’s Board of Directors. He is an economist by training and has been involved in various kinds of research studies in Nepal. Dr. Baidya is a former member of National Planning Commission of Nepal and has good experience in policy making in Nepal. He has evaluated various programs in Nepal in different field such as agriculture, education, governance, human resources, natural resources, socioeconomic and so on. He has also international experience in evaluating programs. He evaluated an UNICEF program in Mongolia in 2004 and in Laos in 2005. He was involved as a team member of UNDP programs evaluation of 2006 and 2010 and a thematic team member of Nepal Human Development Report 2009. Dr. Baidya is with New ERA since 1972.
Mr. Madhup Dhungana holds M.Sc. degree in Mathematics and Statistics from Tribhuvan University and Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Application from AIT, Bangkok. Mr. Dhungna has lead many national level evaluation studies. He has also involved as an evaluation expert in various monitoring and evaluation studies in different field such as education, drinking water and sanitation, gender issues, health and nutrition and so on. He was with New ERA since 1974 – 2021. During this period he has provided different services in project implementation and technical assistance for various national and international organizations. He has also served for New ERA as an Executive Director from 1988 to 1992.
Mr. Yogendra Prasai is a Senior Research Director of New ERA. Mr. Prasai holds Master degree in Public Health (MPH) from the University of North Carolina, USA, and Master degree in Economics from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Mr. Prasai has lead many national-level studies in health sector like Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2011, 2016 and Nepal Health Facility Survey (NHFS) 2015. He has also carried out a number of health-policy research and evaluation studies in different fields as such health, nutrition, socioeconomic, gender issues, marketing, natural resources, and so on. Mr. Prasai is with New ERA since 1980. He has served for New ERA as an Executive Director from 2003 to 2009.
Mr. Sidhartha Man Tuladhar is Senior Research Officer of New ERA. Mr. Tuladhar holds Masters’ degree in Physics from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. He has lead various monitoring and evaluation research studies in different field such as bio-gas, community forestry, children and women trafficking, HIV/AID, turbine driven agro-processing mills and community-based traditional technologies in Nepal. He has served for New ERA as an Executive Director from 2009 to 2015. Mr. Tuladhar is with New ERA since 1977.
Mr. Jagat Basnet is the Senior Research Officer of New ERA. He served New ERA as the Executive Director from 2015 to 2021. He holds Masters’ Degree in Sociology with specialization on population studies from Tribhuwan University. He has over 38 years of research experience in qualitative and quantitative studies. He has headed a number of surveys and participatory research studies in the field of community health and water & sanitation.
The major reproductive health-related research projects to his credit are: (1) Assessing the Performance of Birthing Centers in Nepal-2014, (2) Barrier and Enabling Factors Influencing the Use of Skilled Birth Attendants among Marginalized Population in Western Nepal-2007, (3) Community Perception about Reproductive Health Issues among Married Adolescents in central Tarai-2006, (4) Update Survey of DACAW Program in Nepal-2003, and (5) Mid-term Evaluation of the School and Community Health Project in Kavrepalanchowk District-2002.
Ms. Pranita Thapa serves as an Executive Director of New ERA. She holds Master’s degree in Social Science from North Bengal University, India. Ms. Thapa has lead a number of studies conducted by New ERA in the capacity of Team Leader. She has carried out various evaluation studies in different fields like reproductive health, media and communication, trafficking of children and women, migration, HIV/AIDS, displaced children, community development, human rights, gender issues and so on. Ms. Thapa is with New ERA since 2005.
Ms. Nira Joshi is Senior Research Director in New ERA. She holds Master degree in public health from the International Institute of Health Studies, University of Toronto, Canada in 2008, and Masters degree in sociology from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu Nepal in 2003. She has lead a number of national-level survey research on nutrition. Her expertise is health and nutrition, M&E, and so on. She is with New ERA since 2008.
Mr. Niranjan Dhungel holds a Master degree in Economics from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. He has led various national-level programs and research studies in different field such as drinking water and sanitation, education, good governance, food security, HIV/AIDS specially among hard to reach people, trafficking and so on. He has also been involved in PRA training and water, sanitation and hygiene training. Mr. Dhungel has been with New ERA since 1979.
Mr. Kiran Acharya is a Deputy Director in New ERA. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) from Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. He is an experienced researcher expertise both quantitative and qualitative research methods including the use of SPSS and STATA for data analysis. He was involved in various research project conducted by New ERA such as midline and endline survey of Kawach- chlorhexidine, 2015 Nepal Health Facility Survey, 2016 NDHS, Futher Analysis of NHFS and NDHS and so on. Mr. Acharya is with New ERA since 2013.
Dr. Bal Gopal Baidya is the Chairperson of New ERA’s Board of Directors. He is an economist by training and has been involved in various kinds of research studies in Nepal. Dr. Baidya is a former member of National Planning Commission of Nepal and has good experience in policy making in Nepal. He has evaluated various programs in Nepal in different field such as agriculture, education, governance, human resources, natural resources, socioeconomic and so on. He has also international experience in evaluating programs. He evaluated an UNICEF program in Mongolia in 2004 and in Laos in 2005. He was involved as a team member of UNDP programs evaluation of 2006 and 2010 and a thematic team member of Nepal Human Development Report 2009. Dr. Baidya is with New ERA since 1972.
Mr. Madhup Dhungana holds M.Sc. degree in Mathematics and Statistics from Tribhuvan University and Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Application from AIT, Bangkok. Mr. Dhungna has lead many national level evaluation studies. He has also involved as an evaluation expert in various monitoring and evaluation studies in different field such as education, drinking water and sanitation, gender issues, health and nutrition and so on. He was with New ERA since 1974 – 2021. During this period he has provided different services in project implementation and technical assistance for various national international organizations. He has also served for New ERA as an Executive Director from 1988 to 1992.
Ms. Pranita Thapa serves as an Executive Director of New ERA. She holds Master’s degree in Social Science from North Bengal University, India. Ms. Thapa has lead a number of studies conducted by New ERA in the capacity of Team Leader. She has carried out various evaluation studies in different fields like reproductive health, media and communication, trafficking of children and women, migration, HIV/AIDS, displaced children, community development, human rights, gender issues and so on. Ms. Thapa is with New ERA since 2005.
Ms. Nira Joshi is Senior Research Officer in New ERA. She holds Master degree in public health from the International Institute of Health Studies, University of Toronto, Canada in 2008, and Masters degree in sociology from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu Nepal in 2003. She has lead a number of national-level survey research on nutrition. Her expertise is health and nutrition, M&E, and so on. She is with New ERA since 2008.
Mr. Niranjan Dhungel holds a Master degree in Economics from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. He has led various national-level programs and research studies in different field such as drinking water and sanitation, education, good governance, food security, HIV/AIDS specially among hard to reach people, trafficking and so on. He has also been involved in PRA training and water, sanitation and hygiene training. Mr. Dhungel has been with New ERA since 1979.
Mr. Kiran Acharya is a Deputy Director in New ERA. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) from Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. He is an experienced researcher expertise both quantitative and qualitative research methods including the use of SPSS and STATA for data analysis. He was involved in various research project conducted by New ERA such as midline and endline survey of Kawach- chlorhexidine, 2015 Nepal Health Facility Survey, 2016 NDHS, Futher Analysis of NHFS and NDHS and so on. Mr. Acharya is with New ERA since 2013.
Coordinator
Ms. Pranita Thapa serves as an Executive Director of New ERA. She holds Master’s degree in Social Science from North Bengal University, India. Ms. Thapa has lead a number of studies conducted by New ERA in the capacity of Team Leader. She has carried out various evaluation studies in different fields like reproductive health, media and communication, trafficking of children and women, migration, HIV/AIDS, displaced children, community development, human rights, gender issues and so on. Ms. Thapa is with New ERA since 2005.
Mr. Kiran Acharya is a Deputy Director in New ERA. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) from Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. He is an experienced researcher expertise both quantitative and qualitative research methods including the use of SPSS and STATA for data analysis. He was involved in various research project conducted by New ERA such as midline and endline survey of Kawach- chlorhexidine, 2015 Nepal Health Facility Survey, 2016 NDHS, Futher Analysis of NHFS and NDHS and so on. Mr. Acharya is with New ERA since 2013.
Mr. Niranjan Dhungel holds a Master degree in Economics from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. He has led various national-level programs and research studies in different field such as drinking water and sanitation, education, good governance, food security, HIV/AIDS specially among hard to reach people, trafficking and so on. He has also been involved in PRA training and water, sanitation and hygiene training. Mr. Dhungel has been with New ERA since 1979.
Ms. Pranita Thapa serves as an Executive Director of New ERA. She holds Master’s degree in Social Science from North Bengal University, India. Ms. Thapa has lead a number of studies conducted by New ERA in the capacity of Team Leader. She has carried out various evaluation studies in different fields like reproductive health, media and communication, trafficking of children and women, migration, HIV/AIDS, displaced children, community development, human rights, gender issues and so on. Ms. Thapa is with New ERA since 2005.
Mr. Kiran Acharya is a Deputy Director in New ERA. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) from Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. He is an experienced researcher expertise both quantitative and qualitative research methods including the use of SPSS and STATA for data analysis. He was involved in various research project conducted by New ERA such as midline and endline survey of Kawach- chlorhexidine, 2015 Nepal Health Facility Survey, 2016 NDHS, Futher Analysis of NHFS and NDHS and so on. Mr. Acharya is with New ERA since 2013.
Ms. Nira Joshi is Senior Research Director in New ERA. She holds Master degree in public health from the International Institute of Health Studies, University of Toronto, Canada in 2008, and Masters degree in sociology from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu Nepal in 2003. She has lead a number of national-level survey research on nutrition. Her expertise is health and nutrition, M&E, and so on. She is with New ERA since 2008.
Dr. Udbodh Rijal holds a PhD degree in Economics from Wayne State University, USA. He is health and labor economist by training and he has contributed in several studies conducted by New ERA in the capacity of Team Leader, Research Associate, Statistician and Sampling Expert in diverse areas including food security and nutrition, maternal and child health, school meal program, agriculture, water supply and sanitation and others. Besides, he has many years of teaching experience both in Nepal and USA, where he taught several economics courses including micro and macro economics, business economics, natural resource economics, quantitative techniques, statistics and econometrics. He is a regular staff of New ERA since 2017.
Mr. Nirakar Kumar Acharya holds a Master degree in Human Ecology from Vrije University of Brussels, Belgium and Master Degree in Science from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He has received a number of international trainings and actively participated in several international seminars and workshops. Mr. Acharya has led a number of large scale National Survey covering more than 5000 samples and participatory research projects in various sectors in socioeconomic fields. He has also carried out a number of researches and evaluation studies in different field as such health, nutrition, socioeconomic, gender and Dalit issues, agriculture, Environmental Impact Assessment, rural poverty, natural resources, and other Community Development Projects. Mr. Acharya has been with New ERA since 1996.
Ms. Sajani Manandhar holds a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) from Mahidol University, Bangkok, 2013. Also, she has her bachelor’s degree in Nursing (B.Sc. Nursing) from BPKIHS, Dharan. Some of the key research projects to her credits are i) Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022, ii) Food and Nutrition Security Enhancement Project (FANSEP) (including follow-up phone survey), iii) Further analysis of DHS data regarding trends and factors affecting zero-vaccination status of children for measles containing vaccine in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Timor-Leste and South East Asian Region, iv) Baseline Palika Survey of UNICEF-2018-19, v) SHOPS PLUS Nepal Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) Survey-2017, vi) Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016, and vii) Nepal Health Facility Survey 2015. She has been working in the capacity of team lead for different surveys. Ms. Manandhar has been working in New ERA since 2015.
Ms. Jyoti Manandhar is working as Research Officer in New ERA. She holds Masters degree in Sociology from Punjab University, Chandigarh, India. She has developed her expertise in gender issues, program sustainability, Conflict Management and Peace Building, Monitoring and Evaluation of the program, and so on. Ms. Manandhar is with New ERA since 2005.
Ms. Sharmila Prasai holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science. She has been working as a Data Processor/Analyst with New ERA since 1982. She has participated in various national and international training programs. Ms. Prasai’s major responsibilities are to develop a data entry/editing program and analyze data.
Dr. Prearna Khadka is a medical doctor and completed her MBBS from Kathmandu University with Master of Public Health (MPH) from Mahidol University, Bangkok. She has holds about eight years of working experience in various areas of public health and prior working as a medical officer in Tribhuwan University teaching Hospital. She has been involved with New ERA since 2015 and has been working in the capacity of Research Officer/Team Leader for several projects. She contributed as technical coordinator/Health Expert for Nepal Health Facility survey 2015 and 2020. She has sound understanding of tools and instrument design, facilitating training to enumerators and master trainers, managing and monitoring field team during data collection, assisting data collection team in editing and checking data inconsistency. She has both quantitative and qualitative research skills and analysis. Dr Khadka recently led the Post campaign coverage survey of Measles Rubella Supplementary Immunization Activity (MR SIA 2020) in Nepal conducted by New ERA for WHO.
Mr. Manik Ram Maharjan holds a master’s degree in Sociology (specialization in rural sociology and demography) from the Tribhuwan University of Nepal. He has twenty-five years’ experience of working in various surveys and qualitative studies in health and nutrition, education, WASH, HIV/AIDS, livelihood, food security, community forestry, governance, and gender and inclusion, etc. Mr. Maharjan has worked in action research and implementation projects. He is also a professional PRA trainer.
Mr. Naveen Kumar Lama holds a Master Degree in Anthropology from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He has been involved in field management of various research studies related to agriculture, livestock, livelihood improvement, nutrition, food security, health, HIV/AIDS, education, child labour and political conflict conducted by New ERA. He has been with New ERA since 2001.
Ms. Usha Singh holds a Master’s degree in Research Methodology from Prince of Songkla University with specialization in Epidemiology and Statistics. She obtained her bachelor degree in Nursing from Purbanchal University. As a part of MSc, she has carried out research work on factors contributing to low birth weight in Nepal which resulted in two manuscripts. Ms. Singh has worked in various research projects such as Assessment of Community Based Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness, Facility Based Assessment for Reproductive Health Commodities and Services, Endline Survey of Effectiveness of Intervention in Improving Institutional Delivery and Care Seeking Practice among Poor and Marginalized in Mahottari District, Nepal, Post Campaign Coverage Survey of Measles Rubella Supplementary Immunization Activity (MR SIA 2020) in Nepal with the technical support of WHO.She is proficient in using data collection tool such as KOBO and data analysis tools such as SPSS and R. She joined New ERA in 2021.
Mr. Babu Raja Dangol holds I.A. in Social Science. He has been working as a data entry/checking/editing personnel with New ERA since 1996. Besides management of logistics for fieldwork, he also trains field staff in anthropometric measurement.
