Dr. Bhaneshwar Pokharel studied agriculture in Rampur before earning his Master’s and PhD in Denmark. He spent years working in agricultural research there. Driven by a desire to pour his skills and knowledge back into his own soil, he returned to Nepal six years ago. In Madi, Chitwan, Bhaneshwar has built a beautiful and inspiring farm — following the dreams he truly believes in. Come, let’s listen to the story of this PhD farmer.

Perhaps beautiful souls are meant for difficult places. Just as the rhododendron blooms on rugged slopes and wildflowers thrive in the cold meadows, so do people like Tshiring Samdup and Sonam Bhuti—blossoming in the heart of the Himalayas.

Bishnu Bahadur Lama and Harkaman Lama lived in Toplang village near Chitlang. They came from a family of hunters. Both their grandfather and father were hunters for the royal palace. From time to time, they had to hunt birds and deliver them to the palace. Vishnu and Hark grew up watching their father and grandfather handle guns.A man named Kirtiman Tamang, born in Kalimpong, worked for Nepal’s Department of Forests. He was well-educated. After working for some time at Tiger Tops in Chitwan, he went to the United States to pursue a PhD. During his doctoral research, he initiated the “Tiger Ecology Project,” which led to research on tigers in the forests of Chitwan. Around that time, Chitwan National Park was about to be established. Kirtiman began studying the feeding and behavioral patterns of tigers. For this, he needed assistants who could help capture tigers in the jungle. Through an acquaintance with the uncles of Bishnu Bahadur and Harkaman, he found support. In 2029 B.S., the elder brother Hark arrived to assist him, and in 2032 B.S., the younger brother Vishnu joined. From then on, for nearly 45 years, the two brothers spent their lives in the forest, using their guns for conservation.