My family and I moved to the United States from Kathmandu, Nepal, when I was eight years old. Growing up, I rarely met other Nepali students. I was proud of my cultural background, yet I often wished for a stronger sense of community.

When I arrived at Cornell, I did not expect that to change. However, I quickly discovered how connected the Nepali community in Ithaca truly is. I met undergraduate and graduate students, along with residents, who had built strong relationships. What stood out most was the community’s warmth and support.  

Reconnecting Through Language

My connection deepened when I enrolled in Nepali language classes taught by Professor Hom Acharya in the Department of Asian Studies. I initially took the course to fulfill a language requirement, expecting it to be just another academic obligation.

Instead, it became something much more meaningful. Through Professor Acharya’s class, I met other Nepali students and reconnected with the language and traditions I grew up with. The classroom became a space to share experiences and reconnect with a part of our identity that many of us had not fully expressed growing up in the United States.

What began as a requirement ultimately fulfilled something I had hoped for since childhood: finding a Nepali community within my school.

Creating the Nepalese Student Association

Inspired by these experiences, I worked with Aiesha Pradhan ’25, Kritika Oli ’26, Ashutosh Regmi ’28, and Professor Hom Acharya to establish the Nepalese Student Association at Cornell in Fall 2024. Our goal was to create a space where Nepali students and others interested in the culture could come together to celebrate traditions and build community.

We registered the organization through CampusGroups, recruited members, and began planning events. With support from the Student Assembly and collaborations across campus, the association gradually grew into an active cultural community.

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Sharing Nepali Culture on Campus

One of our earliest opportunities came through a Nepal Day event hosted in partnership with the Ithaca Pokhara Sister Cities Committee. The event featured a documentary screening and the honor of welcoming the mayor of Pokhara, Nepal, Dhana Raj Acharya, to Cornell.

Since then, the Nepalese Student Association has organized several events celebrating Nepali culture. One of the most memorable was our Dashain celebration, which brought together more than 150 guests from across Ithaca and New York. The event included presentations, cultural performances, and Nepali food catered from Haveli Restaurant in Rochester. I danced to a Nepali song I first learned in first grade, making the moment especially meaningful.

Recently, we hosted our Nepali New Year 2083 celebration, Naya Barsa, on April 12, 2026. With over 181 attendees, it was our largest event to date. We were honored to welcome Dadhi Ram Bhandari, Consul General of Nepal, along with Kathryn March, Professor Emerita, and Dr. David Holmberg, who presented cords to graduating students. This milestone reflected both the growth of our organization and the strength of the Nepali community at Cornell.

We have collaborated with cultural organizations across campus, including the East Turkestan Association, for a dumpling tasting featuring mantas and momos from Nepal, Tibet, Kashmir, and East Turkestan. We also participated in Masti Mela alongside several South Asian student organizations.

Our community has come together during difficult moments. Following protests in Nepal last September, members gathered at Stewart Park in Ithaca for a vigil to honor those who lost their lives and to support one another, while also organizing a GoFundMe to provide aid to those affected.

Looking Ahead

As I prepare to graduate this May, I feel grateful for the community we have built together. When I first arrived at Cornell, I never imagined that Ithaca would become the place where I would reconnect with my culture and help create a Nepali community on campus.

Through the Nepalese Student Association, I have been able to share my culture while rediscovering it myself. These experiences have shaped not only my time at Cornell, but also the direction I hope to pursue after graduation.

Following graduation, I will travel to Nepal as a Fulbright scholar to conduct research. This opportunity allows me to continue engaging with my community in a meaningful way, and returning with a deeper sense of identity and purpose feels especially full circle. Helping create this community has been one of the most meaningful parts of my time at Cornell, and I hope it continues to give future students the same sense of belonging that I once hoped to find growing up.