Mahabir Pun

Chairperson
, Annapurna Dhaulagiri Community Eco-trekking Development and Promotion Organization
Profile / Bio: 

Dr. Mahabir Pun is a well-known social entrepreneur. He has been involved for 27 years in rural community development projects covering many fields such as education, health, nature conservation, income generation, and tourism. He is widely known for introducing broadband Internet using WiFi technology and computer education in the remote Himalayan region. He has received many international awards including the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership. He chairs several organizations including Annapurna Dhaulagiri Community Eco-trekking Development and Promotion Organization (ADCEPD). Through ADCEPD, he worked with 10 mountain communities and built community Eco-trails to promote Eco-tourism including a 50 kW Dhostekhor Micro Hydro Project with the partial funding from ADB. The goal of the micro-hydro project is to create a model of "Zero Carbon Emission Lodges" to minimize the impact of tourism in the fragile Himalayan region. At the same time, the goal is to keep the maximum amount of income from the tourists for community development and to create highly needed job opportunities for local people.

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