In the spring of 2019, I stood at a crossroads; one chapter closing, another waiting to be written. With a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Tribhuvan University in hand, I was eager to transform knowledge into action. Just a week after graduation, I stepped into Nepal’s construction industry, driven by an unshakable determination to build something meaningful. What followed was a relentless pursuit of growth an odyssey defined by grueling work, unwavering perseverance, and a leap across continents in search of something greater.
The first years in Nepal shaped me in ways I never expected. As a civil engineer at Agam Debuds, and later as a site engineer at Tundi Construction Pvt Ltd, I immersed myself in the heartbeat of construction. At Tundi, I became part of something monumental, the Federal Parliament Building Complex. This was no ordinary project; it demanded everything from me. Days blurred into nights, each hour pushing me further. Seven-day workweeks, ten-hour shifts, coordinating countless moving parts all in the name of progress. Exhaustion became routine, but giving up was never an option. There was something grounding in being part of something that large, something that would outlast all of us.
Yet the hunger to learn never faded. At Asian Concreto, I evolved into a senior civil engineer, taking on the responsibility of estimations, procurement, and cost management. This was more than just work, it was the fulfillment of a dream. Watching blueprints materialize into towering structures, collaborating with teams to bring ideas to life, ensuring that every detail reflected precision and excellence, was exhilarating.
But something still felt incomplete. Nepal, a country sitting on a tectonic fault line, needed engineers who could bridge tradition and technology, experience and innovation. The devastation of the 2015 earthquake remained etched in my mind, a reminder that our built environment needed to be stronger, smarter, and resilient. The realization fueled a new ambition to explore global best practices, embrace innovative construction methodologies, and bring back the expertise Nepal desperately needed.
So, in August 2024, I left behind everything familiar to me; my home, my career and my comfort, to chase a bigger dream. The U.S. promised opportunity, but the transition was anything but easy. At the University of Oklahoma, I embarked on my master’s in construction management. I did not just want a degree, I wanted an experience that would shape me into a leader, someone who could redefine construction for the future. My journey took me beyond the classroom when I joined the Division of Access and Opportunity as a Graduate Research Assistant, mentoring first-generation students and military veterans. That role evaluated my adaptability, pushing me to create spaces where knowledge met inclusivity, where leadership was not just about expertise but about uplifting others.
One of my hardest battles came during my internship search. The U.S. job market was unchartered territory, and as an international student, the obstacles were overwhelming. Countless applications, relentless networking, nerve-wracking interviews, it was a test of endurance. When I finally secured an internship, it was not just an opportunity, it was validation. I celebrated by purchasing my first car a milestone that symbolized independence and a fresh start.
Then came the unexpected. Three weeks into my internship, I found myself in the middle of a five-vehicle pile-up. My car was totaled. The impact was more than physical; it felt like a cruel undoing of my hard-fought victories. It was a moment of pause, not because of the material loss, but because of how easily progress can be interrupted. But adversity has a way of teaching lessons that textbooks never will.
What this journey has taught me, more than anything, is that building something worthwhile, be it a career, a structure, or a new kind of future, takes time. It’s not glamorous, and it doesn’t follow a clean arc. But it is meaningful. I still carry the desire that brought me here: to return home with the kind of knowledge that strengthens what we build, both physically and structurally.
I didn’t write this to say “I’ve made it.” I wrote it because I’m still figuring it out, learning what it means to build well, to lead thoughtfully, and to return home with something worth offering. The vision I carry has changed shape over the years. But it’s still clear, still steady, and still mine to follow. Maybe that’s all any of us can do; keep building, even when the plan changes.