Ever Strive to Thrive: Redefining Public Service and Sustainability (Blog)

As a third generation of a family who are engaged in public service, I always felt I knew what this means and felt the desire to carry this legacy forward. However, it wasn’t until I visited a remote village in western Nepal where my father was serving when I fully understood the true essence of what public service is. My father and I were walking around the place when a local guy approached and offered us tea and started the conservation with my father saying, “Sir, you are not just an officer; you are a force of change, person who has seen development and can steer us towards it; a voice for the people, a bridge between the community and the government.” Hearing this not only made me extremely proud of my father but witnessed what public service should look like. Since then I believe I have a better definition and understanding of the terms. 

For me, engaged citizenship and public service go far beyond merely providing services or fulfilling duties. It is about being the people’s people: their voice, their hope and their agent of positive change. Moreover, it includes listening deeply, engaging inclusively, and acting strategically to solve issues from the local level. With an academic background in meteorology and hydrology, and experience working in nonprofits focused on environmental and climate change issues, I have identified the field where I want to build my expertise: helping communities, both in my nation and the region, where abundant resources are becoming scarce and affecting daily lives due to issues like climate change. My childhood memories of my mother carrying water from distant sources remain vivid, but it’s heartbreaking to witness the same situation now, just a few kilometers from the capital, where children still collect water instead of attending school. This has made me realize how the lack of policy, diplomacy, leadership, and practical solutions shapes a society—a reality no child, parent, or community should face and deserve. 

As a graduate in International Relations, I envision working on these issues through policies and actionable local strategies, not only for my nation’s government but also by helping international organizations. Through evidence-based, transdisciplinary research and approaches, I aspire to be a voice for communities, relaying their needs to governments and institutions to create real change. I believe my greatest asset in helping communities, fighting for equality and diplomacy, and ensuring fair opportunities for all is my passion—something deeper than just dreams. In a world facing interconnected challenges, we may hold different nationalities, but we share the same ecological citizenship of planet Earth, with a collective responsibility to work together for a more just and sustainable future: public service is more than vital. For me, legacy isn’t about what you earn, but what you learn. Through continuous learning and engagement, I aspire to be remembered as someone who made a real difference, embodying the legacy of engaged citizenship and public service by being a true advocate for the people thereby not just following the legacy but adding more values to this legacy to inspire generations to come.