For nearly ten years, Mr. Ashutosh Sapkota has been working for Everest Bank Ltd., in Kathmandu, Nepal. Prior to participating in this fellowship program, he was a senior manager heading one of the largest branches of the bank, with a focus on developing financing modalities for small and medium enterprises, retail lending, and risk management. Mr. Sapkota has worked in compliance, internal audit, training, and international relationships.

Mr. Sapkota holds a master's degree in science (chemistry) from India and an MBA from Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, Nepal. He is also a part-time lecturer of banking and finance for undergraduate students at the KCC college of Purvanchal University, Nepal.

During his Humphrey fellowship, Mr. Sapkota plans to enhance his knowledge of risk management by banks and non-banking financial institutions, and his knowledge of project financing and mergers/acquisitions of financial institutions.  He will study the role played by the banking and financial sector and international financial institutions in the U.S. in developing and financing small business. He will also study current trends in retail lending.