Internet Governance Forum (IGF) has re-elected Ananda Raj Khanal as a member of the Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) for the third time. Anandaraj Khanal, who has been a member of IGF for the last two consecutive years, will be continuing his tenure as a member of MAG this year too.
Anand Raj Khanal, the senior director of the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), was first appointed by the UN Secretary-General in 2019. Later in 2020, he was again suggested for the same position and got elected for the second time. He is again selected for the same post for the year 2021. Khanal has created history by being the first Nepali to be appointed in IGF and reappointed for the third consecutive time.
Internet Governance Forum in brief
Established in 2006, the Internet Governance Forum provides a platform for stakeholders from developed and developing countries to exchange ideas and share good practices. IGF is a forum for discussing public policy issues related to internet governance under the auspices of the United Nations, where members from various civil society organizations and private sectors are appointed to work together.
This time MAG has a total of 40 members, including 15 new members. Stakeholders in the IT sector from different countries participate in this highly prestigious forum to discuss the policies regarding the internet and exchange ideas to elevate the role of the internet in sustainable development. It focuses on achieving the 2030 agenda for sustainable development by narrowing down the roles of the internet in various aspects of development in a country, such as economic growth, career growth, equal opportunities, income generation, education system, etc.
Do checkout: Telecommunication in Nepal: Current State and Needs.
Ananda Raj Khanal’s Journey
Mr. Khanal is a Bachelors degree holder in Electronics and Communications Engineering and completed his Masters in Optical Communication Engineering. He is also a BA LLB gold medalist.
Khanal entered the world of telecommunication in 2006. Before that, he served as Assistant Professor and Department In-Charge in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Kathmandu University (KU).
He served as a SATRC consultant under APT in 2013-2014, as the Vice Rapporteur for Study Group 2 in 2010-2014, and as the Vice-Chairman of ITU-D Study Group 2 in 2014-2018. He is the founding member of the Internet Society, Nepal Chapter, and a government stakeholder member of Nepal Internet Governance Forum since 2019.
We heartily congratulate Mr. Khanal on his glorious achievement in IGF and wish him success in his future endeavors.
