I was born in 1980 at Amppipal Hospital in the Gorkha district. This hospital was established in 1969 by the United Mission to Nepal. My father worked for the National Commercial Bank and was posted to the Gorkha headquarters as part of his job. After his retirement, my mother started working in the same bank. She was illiterate at the time but later learned to read, write, and sign her name. Back then, even those without formal education could secure jobs.
During my childhood, my mother was transferred to a bank in Arughat Bazar, Gorkha district, which is now part of Arughat Rural Municipality. To the east of this municipality lies Dhading district. A short crossing over the Budhigandaki River takes you to another district. This river not only separates districts but also divides zones and provinces.
I began my education at Shree Bhimodaya Secondary School. According to my mother, I failed first grade because I lost my books. However, as far back as I can remember, I was a bright student until seventh grade. Things changed in eighth grade, and I failed again. This time, the reason wasn’t lost books—it was my growing addiction to playing cards. I became a ‘champion’ in card games and enjoyed chess as well. Socially, playing cards was frowned upon except during festivals, so we often played in secret.
Beyond card games, I was involved in gambling, carom board, marbles, and Jhandi Munda. Although I occasionally indulged in alcohol and cigarettes, I am grateful that these never became habits. Looking back, from a social perspective, I was considered a ‘spoiled’ youth.
During that time, Nepal had transitioned from the Panchayat system to a multi-party democracy. It was also around then that the gospel of Jesus was first introduced to our town by evangelist Dhansur Gurung. The first person to accept Christ was Ram Bahadur Dhakal—who would later become my father-in-law. Eventually, three members of my family—my father, Man Bahadur; my mother, Dhanmaya; and my younger brother, Surendra—also became believers, leaving me as the only one resisting the faith.
I had many misconceptions about Christianity. Common accusations like “It’s a foreign religion,” “It disrespects sisters,” and “It destroys our culture” misled me. My mother, however, was deeply concerned about my unbelief. While she constantly prayed for my salvation, she also asked the church to pray for me.
Ultimately, the prayers of my mother and fellow believers proved powerful. My stubborn resistance weakened, and a few years after my family’s conversion, I too accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. Though I was born and raised in a Hindu household, I experienced a ‘new birth’ in Christ during my youth. Spiritually, I transitioned from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. I was baptized in the Budhigandaki River by Pastor Gopal Regmi and his team.
After completing the 10th grade, I got married at the age of 19 to my wife, Janaki, who was 18 at the time. Shortly after, I enrolled at Emmanuel Bible Institute. One of the reasons my family encouraged me to attend Bible school was to reform me; in their eyes, I was a wayward son, and in my in-laws’ eyes, an irresponsible husband.
Bible school felt like a prison at first. At home, no one questioned me if I slept until 8 AM, but at Bible school, I had to wake up at 5:30 AM and follow strict rules. The unfamiliar environment and discipline made me want to escape. However, when running away didn’t seem like an option, I gradually shifted my focus to my studies.
A turning point in my faith journey was meeting Babu Varghese, an Indian guest teacher. He taught a month-long course on the second coming of Christ, which left a deep impression on me. As a new student of the Bible, I struggled to grasp his teachings, but something inside me stirred, and I thought, “If I ever pursue further studies, I want to study at his college.”
After completing two years of Bible training in Kathmandu (1999–2000), I fulfilled my desire to study further by enrolling in a Bible college in Tamil Nadu, India. After four years of study (2001–2005), I graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity in Theology. Upon returning to Nepal in 2005, I became a full-time teacher at the same Bible school where I was once a student. Later, in 2016, I completed my Master’s in Leadership.
Though I spend my time teaching, writing, translating, and editing, I consider myself primarily an apologist. Over the years, I have translated around 80 books and booklets and edited more than 200 books and booklets. In addition to publishing 12 books, I have written numerous articles for Christian newspapers. I have traveled to moe than 50 districts in Nepal to train pastors, leaders, and youth in biblical studies. Additionally, I host the radio program Life of Hope every Wednesday on Radio Paryabaran Chakra 104.2 MHz. Currently, I reside in Lalitpur with my family.
I often wonder: What would my life be like if I weren’t a Christian? Where would I be if I had never entered Bible school? While I will never know the answers, one thing is certain—becoming a Christian and studying the Bible transformed my life. Without Christ, would I have continued as a gambler? Would I have been known as a ‘spoiled’ man in society? Would I have become a neglectful father?
Because of Christ, I was given a new life. When Jesus walked this earth, He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). I am eternally grateful to Him because, through Him, I have experienced an abundant life.
