We are thrilled to introduce the yIGF Fellows 2025! This year, we received an overwhelming 113 applications from passionate young leaders across Nepal, and after a rigorous selection process, 6 outstanding fellows have been chosen. These fellows will not only participate in yIGF Nepal 2025 in Kathmandu but will also gain opportunities to engage in complementary events such as Encryption Day and other activities that strengthen their role within the broader Internet Governance ecosystem.
The yIGF Fellowship has been a cornerstone of yIGF Nepal for the past several years, designed to expand the program’s reach and ensure inclusivity among participants. By supporting individuals with a demonstrated interest in Internet Governance, the fellowship enables diverse voices to contribute to dialogue and decision-making. This year’s fellows have been selected not only for their passion and potential but also for their capacity to foster community involvement at the grassroots level, helping yIGF Nepal deepen its impact nationwide.
yIGF Nepal Fellows Cohort 2025
Amrita Adhikari
Amrita Adhikari is an enthusiastic youth from Pokhara who believes that knowledge is one of the strongest tools for empowerment. For her, the Internet is more than just a space to connect—it is a platform where voices can rise, ideas can spark, and communities can thrive. Her journey has always been guided by curiosity, creativity, and a genuine desire to inspire others.
Amrita often reminds herself, “Leadership is not about position, it’s about action.” With this mindset, she has embraced opportunities to mentor, guide, and collaborate, creating spaces where young people feel confident to share their ideas and challenge themselves.
What excites her most is learning from diverse perspectives and turning those lessons into meaningful action. She is deeply passionate about making conversations on digital rights, Internet governance, and online safety more accessible to students and communities across Nepal.
Through yIGF Nepal 2025, Amrita hopes to broaden her knowledge, strengthen her voice, and return with the confidence to empower others. Her dream is simple yet powerful: to see more youth realize their potential and take an active role in shaping a safer, more inclusive, and innovative digital future.
Jharna Sen
Jharana Sen is currently pursuing a BALLB, 6th semester at Kailali Multiple Campus. Their academic background has provided a strong foundation in law, governance, and policy issues, with a growing interest in the intersection of technology, rights, and digital governance. By participating in yIGF Nepal 2025, She hopes to broaden their understanding of internet governance, enhance leadership and networking skills, and engage in meaningful discussions with peers and experts. They expect this fellowship to equip them with practical insights that can later be used to contribute towards raising awareness, promoting digital literacy, and advocating for inclusive digital policies in their community.
Aarati Linkha
Aarati Linkha is a fourth-year BALLB student at Prithvi Narayan Campus, Pokhara, with a strong passion for human rights, community rights, and their intersection with the digital world. She currently serves as Secretary of the Nepal Indigenous Nationalities Students Federation, Prithvi Narayan Campus Committee, and interns at the National Indigenous Disabled Women Association Nepal (NIDWAN), contributing to advancing the voices and rights of indigenous women and persons with disabilities.
Her academic journey and community involvement have strengthened her commitment to inclusivity and social justice, particularly for marginalized communities whose concerns often remain unheard in both physical and digital spaces. She believes the digital world, if guided by principles of rights and equality, can serve as a powerful tool for empowerment and social change. Through yIGF Nepal 2025, Aarati hopes to deepen her knowledge of digital governance, learn from diverse perspectives, and build meaningful networks to advocate for inclusive, rights-based approaches that bridge the gap between grassroots realities and digital opportunities.
Bibek Gaha
Bibek is currently pursuing his Bachelor’s in Education and serving as an LG Data Fellow with Lekbeshi Municipality. In this role, he works on data collection, cleaning, visualization, and storytelling to support evidence-based decision-making at the local level. His fellowship experience has allowed him to manage complex datasets, train municipal staff, and develop interactive dashboards that make public information more accessible. Passionate about technology, data-driven governance, and digital transformation, Bibek is eager to explore how open data and digital tools can strengthen local government services. As a participant in yIGF Nepal 2025, he looks forward to deepening his understanding of internet governance, connecting with like-minded peers, and building practical skills that align with his aspiration of becoming a future technology leader.
Israphil Gadi
Israphil Gadi is a seventh-semester BALLB student at Lumbini Buddhist University, School of Law (Butwal-12, Rupandehi) and a committed youth leader working at the intersection of human rights, civic education, and digital policy. He currently serves as a U.S. Youth Council (USYC) Member for 2025 and previously served as Madhesh & Koshi Province Co-Ambassador for the Language of Liberty Institute (Nepal) in 2024. As a YUWA Youth Champion in Rupandehi, he led community initiatives on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and has spearheaded right to information and civic engagement campaigns with Accountability Lab.
His core focus areas include human-rights education, CSE and SRHR, right-to-information, and digital rights. Israphil brings proven strengths in grassroots organizing, public speaking, policy oriented advocacy, and coalition building. Recognized with awards in youth leadership and moot/oratory competitions, he aims to leverage his participation in yIGF Nepal 2025 to deepen his knowledge of internet governance, build strategic partnerships with youth advocates and policymakers, and return with practical tools to scale digital rights, online safety, and civic education initiatives across his province.
Aashish Panthi
Aashish Panthi is a computer science student passionate about using technology for social good. He was recognized as a Tech Educator by Glocal Teen Hero Nepal in 2024. He is currently working as the president of Coding for Social Good Nepal, an organization that promotes digital literacy and computer science education in schools across Nepal. Through its flagship program Code for Charity, he mentors volunteer developers to deliver pro bono software solutions for national and international nonprofits. Aashish’s drive for digital inclusion began after seeing how limited computer science education and internet access in rural schools restricted students’ opportunities. Under his leadership, Coding for Social Good has organized workshops that have introduced computer science to more than 5000 students in underserved communities. Being part of the youth IGF Nepal Fellowship, he hopes to deepen his understanding of internet governance—who makes key decisions, how policies are enforced, and how young people can influence them. With the knowledge gained, and his continuing interest in digital inclusion, accessibility, and ICT policy, Aashish aims to launch nationwide internet literacy initiatives and advocate for policies that ensure equitable and secure internet access for all Nepali citizens.
