Researchers and Staffs

RESEARCHERS

Professor Dr. Rijan Bhakta Kayastha

Head of Department - Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Science, Kathmandu University

Coordinator - Himalayan Cryosphere, Climate and Disaster Research Center

rijan@ku.edu.np


Education: D.Sc. Nagyoa University, Japan (Mar 2001, Glaciology; Hydrology, Meteorology)

M.Sc. Nagoya University, Japan (Mar 1994, Glaciology; Hydrology, Meteorology)

Current Research: Assessment of hydrological response and glacier hazard of glacierized river basins of Nepalese Himalaya and Impact on hydropower generation due to glacier variation Cryospheric hazards

Interest: Glacier mass balance, impacts of climate change to cryosphere, glacier variation, glacio-hydrological models, interaction of snow and glacier hydrology of mountain region, water and climate induced disaster risk reduction

Mr. Rakesh Kayastha

PhD Candidate/Research Fellow

rakesh.kayastha@ku.edu.np


Education: MRes Glaciology, Kathmandu University, Nepal

M.Sc Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Current Research: Assessment of hydrological response and glacier hazard of glacierized river basins of Nepalese Himalaya

Interest: Glacio-hydrology, Glacier Hazard, Glacier Dynamics, Modelling

Ms. Reeju Shrestha

Research Assistant

reeju.shrestha@ku.edu.np


Education: MRes Glaciology, Kathmandu University, Nepal

Current Research: Impact on hydropower generation due to glacier variation Cryospheric hazards

Interest: Debris Covered Glaciers and its dynamics, Glacio-hydrology, Cryospheric Hazards, Modelling

FULL BRIGHT RESEARCH FELLOW

Mark Williams (University of Colorado, Boulder, USA)

Ulyana Horodyskyj (University of Colorado, Boulder, USA)

ALUMNI

Past Researchers

Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa

Mohan Bahadur Chand

Bikas Bhattarai

Ahuti Shrestha

Aastha Chettri

Sunil Kumar Pariyar

Research Fellows

Batch of 2017

  1. Dawa Tshering Sherpa (2017-2019, CMP)

Thesis: Spatial distribution of debris thickness from remote-sensing and modeling in Marsyangdi River basin, Nepal

  1. Krishna Sundar Kusi (2017-2019, CMP)

Thesis: Assessment of ROR Hydropower potential in Tamor River basin, Nepal using Glacio-Hydrological Degree-day Model (GDM) and GIS

  1. Mira Khadka (2017-2019, CMP)

Thesis: Future Projection of Cryospheric and Hydrological Regimes in Koshi River Basin, Central Himalaya using Coupled Glacier Dynamics and Glacio-hydrological Models

  1. Sunwi Maskey (2017-2019, CMP)

Thesis: Glacial lakes outburst flood (GLOF) modelling of Thulagi and Lower Barun Glacial Lakes of Nepalese Himalaya


Batch of 2016

  1. Aman Thapa (2016-2018, CMP)

Thesis: Glacier ice thickness estimation of Tamor, Dudhkoshi and Marshyangdi Basins, Nepal using surface velocity

  1. Anushilan Acharya (2016-2018, CMP)

Thesis: Mass and energy balance estimation of Yala Glacier, Langtang Valley, Rasuwa, Nepal

  1. Reeju Shrestha (2016-2018, CMP)

Thesis: Effect of debris on seasonal ice melt (2016-2018) on Ponkar Glacier, Manang, Nepal

Batch of 2015

  1. Ajit Sapkota (2015-2017, CMP)

Thesis: Geomorphological mapping of Ponkar Glacier and sediment load study of its outlet in Manang, Nepal

  1. Aniket Gupta (2015-2017, India, CHARIS)

Thesis: Comparison of hydrological regime of glacierized Marsyangdi and Tamor River basins of Nepal

  1. Mukesh Rai (2015-2017, CMP)

Thesis: Characteristics of black carbon aerosol in the Himalayas: A case stud from Langtang region, Nepal

  1. Saugat Paudel (2015-2017, CMP)

Thesis: Modelling ice thickness distribution of Himalayan glaciers using the principle of shallow ice approximation

  1. Susen Shrestha (2015-2017, CMP)

Thesis: Understanding hydrological dynamics of Langtang River Catchment, Rasuwa, Nepal by using J2000 hydrological model

Batch of 2014

  1. Abhijit Vaidya (2014-2016, CMP)

Thesis: Application of SPHY Model for understanding the hydrological regime of Tamor River, Nepal

  1. Amrit Thapa (2014-2016, CHARIS)

Thesis: Snow-cover modelling of Langtang River catchment, Nepal using seNorge Model

  1. Bishwash Yogi (2014-2016, CMP)

Thesis: Study of supraglacial debris properties and its influence on ice melting of Pangri Glacier, Manang, Nepal

  1. Iram Bano (2014-2016, Pakistan, CHARIS)

Thesis: Estimation of discharge from Gilgit River basin, Karakoram, Pakistan using a glacio-hydrological model

  1. Javed Hassan (2014-2016, Pakistan, CHARIS)

Thesis: Predictions of future hydrological conditions and contribution of snow and ice melt in total discharge of Shigar River basin, central Karakoram, Pakistan

  1. Mingma Yangji Sherpa (2014-2016, CMP)

Thesis: Summer (2013 & 2014) energy and mass balance study of Yala Glacier in Nepal

  1. Syed Hammad Ali (2014-2016, Pakistan, CHARIS)

Thesis: Snow and ice melt contribution to discharge from glacierized Hunza River basin, Karakoram, Pakistan

  1. Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa (2014-2016, CMP)

Thesis: Modelling glacier ice thickness distribution and bed topography of Hidden Valley, Mustang, Nepal using Glabtop Model

Batch of 2013

  1. Gunjan Silwal (2013-2015, CMP)

Thesis: Application of Temperature Index Model in for estimating daily discharge of the Sangda River basin, Mustang, Nepal

  1. Rakesh Kayastha (2013-2015, CHARIS)

Thesis: Application of GlabTop Model for estimating ice thickness and bed topography of the Everest Region, Nepal

  1. Roshan Dahal (2013-2015, CMP)

Thesis: Estimating the spatial distribution of debris thickness using Landsat image and its influence on ice melting of Lirung Glacier, Nepal

  1. Sonam Futi Sherpa (2013-2015, CMP)

Thesis: Mass and energy balance studies of glaciers in Khumbu area

  1. Tika Ram Gurung (2013-2015, CMP)

Thesis: Reconstruction of annual mass balance of Rikha Samba Glacier, Nepal from 1995 to 2013 using Energy-Mass balance Model


Batch of 2012

  1. Achut Parajuli (2012-2014, CMP)

Thesis: Modified temperature index model for estimating the melt water discharge from debris-covered Lirung Glacier, Langtang Valley, Nepal

  1. Hafizullah Rasouli (2012-2014, Afghanistan, CHARIS)

Thesis: Estimation of discharge from the Upper Kabul River basin, Afghanistan using the Snowmelt Runoff Model

  1. Hedayatullah Arian (2012-2014, Afghanistan, CHARIS)

Thesis: Application of the Snowmelt Runoff Model in the Salang River basin, Afghanistan using MODIS Satellite data

  1. Lakshman Lama (2012-2014, CMP)

Thesis: Study on glacier area change of Hidden Valley, Mustang, Nepal from 1980s to 2010 based on remote sensing

  1. Mohan Bahadur Chand (2012-2014, CMP)

Thesis: Seasonal variation of ice melting and debris temperature profile on Lirung Glacier (2013-2014), Langtang Valley, Rasuwa, Nepal

  1. Sanjay Gurung (2012-2014, CMP)

Thesis: Study of mass balance of Rikha Samba Glacier (2011-2013), Hidden Valley, Mustang, Nepal


Batch of 2011

  1. Bikas Chandra Battarai (2011-2013, CMP)

Thesis: Study of mass balance of Rikha Samba Glacier, Hidden Valley, Mustang, Nepal

  1. Niraj Shankar Pradhananga (2011-2013, CMP)

Thesis: Estimation of discharge from Langtang River basin, Rasuwa, Nepal, using a glacio-hydrological model

  1. Prashant Baral (2011-2013, CMP)

Thesis: Preliminary Results of Mass Balance Observations of Yala Glacier and Analysis of Temperature and Precipitation Gradients in Langtang Valley, Nepal

  1. Sonika Sahi (2011-2013, CMP)

Thesis: Influence of a debris layer on the melting of ice on a Himalayan Glacier: A case study on Lirung Glacier, Langtang Valley, Rasuwa, Nepal

Previous students who studied only one semester


  1. Niraj Kumar (2017, India, CHARIS)

  2. Ramesh Kumar (2017, India, CHARIS)

  3. Naveen Kumar (2016, India, CHARIS)

  4. Atar Singh (2016, India, CHARIS)

  5. Abdul Sameeh Obaidy (2018, Afghanistan, CHARIS)