May 10, Pokhara – Dr. Dhakar Ram Bhandari has been appointed as the Registrar of Gandaki University. He was selected from among three candidates recommended by a committee chaired by Vice Chancellor Dr. Krishna Adhikari. Chancellor Prof. Indra Prasad Tiwari officially appointed Dr. Bhandari to the position on Wednesday. The committee had also recommended the names of Dr. Srikant Khatriwada and Rajesh Thakurathi.
Dr. Bhandari is the former Executive Director of the Gandaki Province Science and Technology Foundation (GPAST). Currently, he serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Environmental and Sustainable Agricultural Research (CESAR). He has over fifteen years of experience in educational leadership, research management, science and technology policy development, and institutional development, both in Nepal and Germany. He earned his PhD in Natural Sciences from Justus Liebig University in Germany. Additionally, he completed postgraduate studies in Advanced Spectroscopy in Chemistry under the Erasmus Mundus scholarship at universities in Germany, Norway, and France.
A graduate in Pharmacy from Pokhara University, Dr. Bhandari has balanced teaching, research, and administration throughout his career. He was appointed Executive Director of GPAST by former Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung. Subsequently, the government under Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey dissolved GPAST. During his tenure, Dr. Bhandari led the development of administrative structures, improved staff recruitment systems, established scientific laboratories, and contributed to drafting the science and technology policy for Gandaki Province.
Dr. Bhandari is widely recognized as an expert in pharmaceutical sciences, analytical chemistry, food safety, metabolomics, lipidomics, proteomics, and high-level mass spectrometry imaging. He has published over 40 research articles in prestigious international journals. He currently serves as a co-supervisor for doctoral candidates at Tribhuvan University and the Agriculture and Forestry University. With his extensive experience in university administration, research management, resource mobilization, policy formulation, and international academic collaboration, Dr. Bhandari’s appointment is expected to further strengthen Gandaki University’s educational and research capabilities.
