Mukta, who hails from Nepal, holds broad-based expertise in research, policy development, and advocacy. His doctoral research at Cornell University centered on Himalayan indigeneity, looking at the Indigenous peoples’ movement that seeks to reform the state for social justice, inclusion and autonomy. His background further spans research, university teaching, and work with the ILO and legislatures, work with the National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NFDIN) and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development. He currently serves as an expert advisor to the Indigenous Nationalities Commission in Nepal to draft a national policy for Indigenous peoples in Nepal.
We had a conversation with Mukta about his career in public policy and his upcoming time with us, including how Nepal’s resilience among turmoil and transformation serves as a pivotal experience driving Mukta’s passion for policy design. Read our Q&A with him here:
What has been a meaningful moment in your career that underscores the need for good public policy?
My involvement in social research, university teaching, and working with the state and its international development partners on policy development over the last 17 years has given me sustained motivation to emphasize the need for good public policy. During this period, I witnessed how Nepal navigated turmoil and transformation. The country went through a decade-long armed political rebellion until 2006 when a peace agreement was signed. An extended period of transition followed from conflict to peace when the task of a new constitution-making also needed to be accomplished. After promulgating a new constitution in 2015, the state was restructured from a monarchy to a republic and unitary to the federal system. Indigenous Peoples’ and other social movements continued to advocate for the end of discrimination and the protection of human rights and social justice during this period. My work involved understanding and facilitating how the people’s aspirations expressed through public demands can be inscribed in the constitution and public policies. I am also interested in the issue of how international human rights instruments such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and ILO Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples can be put into practice through relevant policy measures. I am particularly keen on exploring how the Indigenous Peoples’ right to self-governance, linked to the principle of the right to self-determination, can be operationalized within the existing state framework.
In addition to researching Indigenous Peoples from the Himalaya, I have carried out major national-level studies on social inclusion in Nepal. My research is focused on generating empirical evidence that can help address inequality through various policy measures, including affirmative action. I aim to make my research both academically rigorous and policy-wise relevant to addressing the concerns of Indigenous peoples and other marginalized communities. I find it challenging that research does not automatically feed into policy. My teaching at the university is partly an attempt to explore pathways for translating research findings into policy.
What are you most looking forward to engaging in as an SPPGA Practitioner Fellow?
As an SPPGA Practitioner Fellow, I intend to appraise global Indigenous policy and focus on advancing the agenda for implementing the UNDRIP in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples. I have done some work comparing the policies of Nepal, India and Bolivia. Being located in UBC, I wish to understand how policies related to Indigenous Peoples are formulated and implemented in Canada in greater depth. Learning from Canadian experience will be highly beneficial for my work. I am excited with the possibility of learning from members of SPPGA community and networking with faculty with similar interests. I belong to the Indigenous Tamang people in Nepal. I also seek opportunities to meet and collaborate with Indigenous scholars and leaders in UBC and in the British Columbia province.
I am very excited about this opportunity to learn from high-calibre scholars at UBC and share my experiences with others. I have collaborated with UBC faculty on different projects in the past, and I am keen on strengthening and expanding these research partnerships. I look forward to working with students who are interested in Indigenous peoples in Nepal, the Himalayas, and Asia in general. I am hopeful that my practical experience in this field can benefit those working in this field.