Nepalese

Gautama Buddha is said to have lived in the 5th to 4th century BC and is revered as the founder of Buddhism. He is said to have spread his teachings for around 45 years based on his insights regarding suffering, nirvana and cycle of birth and rebirth. He had a large following. He obtained ‘enlightenment’ in India’s Bodh Gaya.

Nepali-Indian Sherpa mountaineer, Tenzing Norgay, was one of the first two individuals known to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the other being Edmund Hillary. He was named one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century by Time magazine. In his later years, he became the first Director of Field Training of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.

Also known as Begum of Awadh, Begum Hazrat Mahal was the second wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. She is remembered for rebelling against the British East India Company during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Following her husband’s exile, she took over affairs in the state of Awadh. However, she was forced by the British to abandon Awadh.

Anatoli Boukreev was a Russian Kazakhstani mountaineer best remembered for his efforts that saved the lives of many during the 1996 Mount Everest disaster. The following year, he died in an avalanche in Nepal. In the 2015 historical adventure film Everest, which depicts the 1996 disaster, Anatoli Boukreev is played by actor Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson.

Sandeep Lamichhane is a Nepalese cricketer who plays for the Nepalese national team as a right-arm leg-spin bowler. Besides his national team, he has also played for Twenty20 franchise sides across the world. As a boy, he trained at  Chitwan Cricket Academy and was named in Nepal's under-19 squad. He is also a singer and has a YouTube channel. 

ALRA alumna Amrita Acharia is best known as Dothraki handmaiden Iri from the series Game of Thrones. The Nepalese-Ukrainian actor is also known as Dr. Ruby Walker from The Good Karma Hospital and has appeared in films such as I Am Yours. She also works to rehabilitate trafficked Nepalese children.

Manisha Koirala is a Nepalese actress known for her work in Indian films. One of the most critically acclaimed actresses of the 1990s, Koirala has won several prestigious awards. She is also known for her social activism and is credited with promoting women's rights. Her achievements in films and off-screen work have made her one of the most recognized Nepalis.

Nepali Communist Party leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, better known as Prachanda, or “fierce,” played a major role in the Maoist insurgency that put an end to monarchy in the country and brought about democracy. He thus served as the first Nepali prime minister, and returned to the post later.

Jung Bahadur Rana is credited with founding the famous Rana dynasty in Nepal. One of the most prominent figures in the history of Nepal, Rana took control of the government of Nepal in 1846 and became the country's prime minister. The last few days of his life inspired the 2015 Nepali historical film, Seto Bagh.

Known for ruling the Bollywood playback scene in the 1990s, Udit Narayan has 4 National Awards in his kitty. Initially a singer on a Kathmandu radio station, he later moved to Mumbai. He soared to fame with the track Papa Kehte Hain and later scored many hits with singer Alka Yagnik.

Girija Prasad Koirala was a Nepalese politician who served as the prime minister of the country on four occasions. Although he was accused of institutionalizing corruption in Nepal, Koirala remains one of the most popular politicians in the history of Nepal. In 2015, he was posthumously honored with Nepal's highest honor, Nepal Ratna Man Padavi.

Matthieu Ricard is a French photographer, writer, translator, and Buddhist monk. He serves as a board member of the popular not-for-profit organization Mind and Life Institute. After having received a Ph.D. degree from the Pasteur Institute, Ricard gave up his scientific career to practice Tibetan Buddhism. He is also the co-founder of another international non-profit organization, Karuna-Shechen.

Sushil Koirala was a Nepalese politician who served as the prime minister of Nepal from 1 February 2014 to 10 October 2015. His government was panned for its slow response to the April 2015. Nepal earthquake. After his demise in 2016, the Sushil Koirala Memorial Foundation was established in his honor.

Born in a remote village in Nepal, Baburam Bhattarai completed his education in India on scholarships. The former prime minister of Nepal also boasts of a PhD from JNU. A member of the Maoist faction of the Communist Party of Nepal, he later launched his own party, Naya Shakti.

Maha Maya was the mother of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. Maya is often depicted as a beautiful queen of the Śakya clan. She is revered in Buddhism and is often mentioned in the stories pertaining to the life of Gautama Buddha.