Prakash Koirala

Being the first ever Nepali youth to be awarded with ‘Global Award Winner 2015’ in Youth Financial Awareness Award, Prakash Koirala has made the entire nation proud. As an activist in financial literacy, Koirala has been conducting financial awareness campaign since 2012. In 2016, Government of Nepal honored him with ‘National Youth Talent Award 2016’ for his unparalleled contribution on creating financial awareness.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORK IN BRIEF.
As I have been working on creating financial awareness, I have to go to different villages since personal interaction is must to make people understand anything related to finance. I have conducted a number of financial awareness programs in several villages in Nepal.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE FREE?
I usually wake up at 4:30 am, so it gives me enough time to meditate and plan my day. I read until 8:30 before going to office. I reach home at 6 then spend time with my family. I also read until 10:30 PM before going to sleep.

HOW DO YOU HANDLE CRITICISM?
If they are positive criticism, I always welcome them. If not, I don’t waste my time. Thank god, I didn’t listen to them or I would not have progressed at all.

YOU HAVE ALSO PUBLISHED A BOOK CALLED ‘FINLICO’. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK?
When I went to villages to conduct campaigns it was difficult to make people understand through power point whereas teaching them using pictorials were much easier. So, I thought why not publish a comic book and came up with an idea of penning
a book ‘FinLiCo’ short form of Financial Literacy Comics.

IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE THE POSSIBILITIES OF E-BANKING IN NEPAL?
In Nepal, 85% of people have mobile phones yet very few are using mobile banking and the number of people using e-Banking is even less. Nepali are still unaware about the electronic payment or digital payment system. We need to aware people about it and its endless possibilities from an early age.

YOU HAVE QUITE A BUSY SCHEDULE. DO YOU ATTEND COLLEGE IN A REGULAR BASIS?
No, I don’t get to attend college regularly but I try to stay updated with the courses taught in the college. In Master’s level, we are not bound to attend college in regular basis.

AND WHAT ABOUT YOUR FUTURE PLANS AND PROJECTS?
I am thinking about publishing another book.
Recently I registered a social enterprise: Profit not Distributing, Nepal prospect Institute. It will
work in the field of accountability, financial literacy, economic policy and free market. I’m also a council member of US embassy and we are trying to build a model village. This year’s global money week is nearing and I will be working on that too. I’m also working on a five-year strategic plan which I will be executing soon.

YOUR ADVICE TO ASPIRING BANKERS AND ENTREPRENEURS?
Have faith and dare to start something new. If you have good intentions and work hard enough, you will succeed.