Top 10 Most Influential Nepali People On Forbes

Last updated on 2024-04-25

Forbes is an American media and publishing company most well-known for its ranked lists. Boasting titles such as “The World’s Most Powerful People” and “The Billionaire’s List”, the media house prints its magazine 8 times annually. Nepalese people have been making waves in innovation, commerce, and humanitarian efforts that are getting acknowledged by Forbes for the past 5 years. The top 10 Nepali people listed on Forbes that have the most influence according to their social media presence are as follows:

*The data is ranked on the research of The Everest List team.

10. Nishan Shrestha, Sachet Pandit, and Subash Shrestha

Image Source: Online Khabar

A company formed in response to the devastation of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, Eco Cell Industries provides a means to manufacture environmentally friendly bricks. People in Nepal can provide testaments to the amount of pollution caused by brick kilns but the bricks manufactured by Eco Cell are made up of 90% soil and 10% cement. The company also provides the required machinery and training required for the manufacturing process. For their effort, all three of the founders were listed on Forbes’ 30 under 30 Asian social entrepreneurs in 2018.

Total no. of followers : 1,122
No. of followers in Facebook : 994 | N/A | N/A
No. of followers in Instagram : N/A | 128 | N/A
No. of followers in Twitter : N/A | N/A | N/A

9. Aayushi Kc

Image Source: The Annapurna Express

An Alumni of Kathmandu College of Management (KMC), Kc is the founder and CEO of Khaalisisi, meaning empty bottles. The company provides a platform for individuals to sell or donate their recyclable waste instead of throwing them away to fill garbage dumps and landfills. There are currently more than 13,000 waste collectors connected to the platform. Previously having worked for USAID (United States Agency for International Development), she is hardly active on her socials however Khaalisisi has a considerable reach and is very active in promoting recycling.

Total no. of followers : 1,307
No. of followers in Facebook : N/A
No. of followers in Instagram : 1,307
No. of followers in Twitter : N/A

8. Surya Karki

Image Source: Telegraph UK

Enumerated under the Forbes’ 30 under 30 list for Asian social entrepreneurs (2017), Karki is the former founder of The Diyalo Foundation. The foundation provides free education to children living in rural areas. Continuing his ambition to provide and improve education standards in the country, he also co-founded Bloom Nepal Schools and is currently the country director for United World Schools, Nepal. He is currently promoting his efforts on both Facebook and Twitter.

Total no. of followers : 1,766
No. of followers in Facebook : 1,200
No. of followers in Instagram : N/A
No. of followers in Twitter : 566

7. Romio Bahadur Shrestha

Image Source: Twitter

Born to a Newari family, Shrestha at the age of 5 was greeted by the arrival of Tibetian monks at his doorstep. Being prophesied as the 17ᵗʰ reincarnation of Araniko he began training to become the next thangka master. He was featured in a Forbes article in 2014 for the piece he did with Kobold Watches. Renowned for his thangka paintings, Romio Shrestha, currently living in Ireland shares his culture through his socials and website.

Total no. of followers : 3,815
No. of followers in Facebook : 1,307
No. of followers in Instagram : 2,183
No. of followers in Twitter : 325

6. Rohit Tiwari

Image Source: The Nepali Man

Currently the CEO of Hamrobazzar, Tiwari was originally recognized for being the founder of FoodMario. The trait that sets FoodMario apart from other food delivery services is that the food is homecooked. Listed under the 30 under 30 list for Asian social entrepreneurs. The platform growing to this day, has over a hundred home cooks, from housewives to parents and claims to have delivered more than 1,10,000 dishes. Having leaded multiple companies including Active Technologies and Shree Group of Farms, Tiwari having quite a following on Facebook is up for more ventures to promote tech equity in Nepal.

Total no. of followers : 4,876
No. of followers in Facebook : 2,593
No. of followers in Instagram : 1,568
No. of followers in Twitter : 715

5. Shubhangi Rana and Jesselina Rana

Image Source: Women From Nepal

Menstruating practices in rural Nepal still fall in line with outdated taboos such as equating menstruation to impurity. Teens facing such archaic traditions also don’t have access to proper sanitary products. Both women sharing such experiences founded Pad2Go in 2018 with the mission to educate the public and ease the hardship faced by young girls. The company has set up vending machines that dispense sanitary pads throughout the country along with raising awareness and funding campaigns. Shubhangi Rana is a civil engineer while Jesselina Rana is currently pursuing her Master of Law (LLM) from Harvard Law School and was also elected as one of five Youth Leaders advancing Social Cohesion and Reducing Harmful Practices through Innovations by UN Women, Nepal.

Total no. of followers : 7,688
No. of followers in Facebook : 1,299 | N/A
No. of followers in Instagram : 2,623 | 3,692
No. of followers in Twitter : 74 | 811

4. Nikita Acharya, Kiran Timsina

Image Source: Facebook

Co-founding Urban Girl in 2012, Nikita Acharya and Kiran Timsina were one of the first startups in Nepal. The site started by selling fashion items but now has expanded to an online portal offering a wide range of products including automobiles and cakes. Combining UG cakes and Urban Girl the site has been rebranded to UG Bazaar. The bakery trains and employs deaf women working alongside Nepal’s Gandaki Deaf Association. Acknowledged by Forbes, on the 30 under 30 list for Asia’s Retail and Commerce, both of them are quite active on their socials.

Total no. of followers : 17,805
No. of followers in Facebook : 6,023 | 1,407
No. of followers in Instagram : 4,980 | 4,635
No. of followers in Twitter : 760 | N/A

3. Kanchan Amatya

Image Source: The Himalayan Times

Featured in the 30 under 30 list for Asian entrepreneurs in 2018, Kanchan Amatya was recognized for her efforts to solve hunger and poverty through her organization, ‘Sustainable Fish Farming Initiative' (SFFI). The organization aims to achieve it by providing rural Nepalese farmers especially women with access to aquaculture training, finance, tech, and legal help. She has a ton of other considerable achievements under her belt including being a Global Champion for Women’s Empowerment and Ambassador of Women Protection Center, matching her social media following.

Total no. of followers : 30,265
No. of followers in Facebook : 11,991
No. of followers in Instagram : 12,602
No. of followers in Twitter : 5,672

2. Gaurika Singh

Image Source: Online Khabar

Swimming since the young age of 9, Singh has been representing Nepal in the sport since she was 12. She has been listed for the 30 under 30 Forbes’ Asian entertainment and sports, 2021, Gaurika holds a record for winning four golds, three silvers, and two bronze medals in the 2019ᵗʰ South Asian Games. Currently enrolled at Tufts University Massachusetts, Singh was the youngest Olympic athlete in the Rio Olympic Games, in 2016. Also a goodwill ambassador for Maiti Nepal and Shanti Education Initiative, she possesses a mass following on her socials.

Total no. of followers : 5,66,368
No. of followers in Facebook : 481,798
No. of followers in Instagram : 81020
No. of followers in Twitter : 3,550

1. Prabal Gurung

Image Source: Global Fashion Agenda

Emerging into the American Fashion industry in 2009, the Nepali-American fashion designer came into the limelight in 2013 with his fall-winter mainline collection. The collection inspired by a Time magazine article regarding body armor for women highlighted his desire for having a brand that speaks for diversity and inclusivity. Gurung is featured in multiple Forbes articles for both his fashion achievements and humanitarian efforts. Having designed for some of the most distinguished women in the world including Kamala Harris, Kate Middleton, and Oprah Winfrey he is also known for establishing Sikshya Foundation Nepal.

No. of followers in Facebook : 160,353
No. of followers in Instagram : 908,181
No. of followers in Twitter : 215,500