Civil Insight: A Technical Magazine Volume 3 | Page 77

AN INTERVIEW WITH
ER. KUMAR PANDEY
Source: facebook.com/kumar.pandey.79
Q) You are an Electrical Engineering
graduate from USA, but you chose Business
studies for your Masters later. How did that
transition take place? Would you like to
share the story with us?
Er. Kumar Pandey is currently the Vice
President of Independent Power Producers’
Association, Nepal (IPPAN). He is also the
Chairman of the National Hydropower
Company Limited. He has worked as a
Manager in the Lamjung Electricity
Development Committee and Butwal Power
Company. Besides, he is a Board Director at
Millennium Challenge Account – Nepal
Investment Board.
Er. Pandey has been working in hydropower
sectors since 1991 AD and is still actively
working for the prosperity of the country
through hydropower development. He was
also the Vice President for Business
Development at Hydro Solutions. Among his
experiences abroad, Er. Pandey served as the
Chief Executive Officer at Flatburger Inc., New
York, from June 2006 to June 2007.
This is a matter of personal interest.
Management and engineering complement
each other in the real world. Engineering is a
great subject for it gives you many skills. It
teaches you to think logically and
responsibly. It also allows you to learn and
adapt to real-life conditions. Management,
on the other hand, is perhaps the most
critical component for success. Therefore, for
engineering projects to succeed they require
managers with sound technical knowledge.
As an engineer, too, I’ve managed a lot of
work. Therefore, for me, the choice to move
on to management was quite simple, it fits
with my personality and interests.
The Civil Insight team got to explore more
about hydropower sector, particularly from the
independent power producers’ perspectives,
through conversation with Er. Kumar Pandey.
Q) You have devoted your life working in
the hydropower sector. What is the future
of hydropower in Nepal? Will Nepal be able
to sell its surplus electricity to the
international market? Please elaborate.
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