The Himalaya Centre for Asian Studies (HiCAS) was established on the 27th of December, 2019 by the 591st Executive Council (EC) meeting of Kathmandu University (KU).  In the initial days and months after its establishment, when it was under the School of Arts, the Centre became virtually inactive due to the sudden advent of Covid-19 virus and the impact it had on the whole University. Because of the lockdowns, travel restrictions and safety concerns, the initial months of the establishment were spent mostly discussing future plans and building networks. However, once the University came into normalization, HiCAS was turned into a Central Research Centre after the 1st amendment of its directive in 2023. The amended directive clearly outlines the aims, goals, structure and planned activities of HiCAS.

The founding members of HiCAS Professor Dr. Sagar Raj Sharma (Kathmandu University), Professor Dr Diwakar Acharya (Oxford University, UK), and Mr Mukunda Upadhyay (Nepal). Professor Sharma is also the Founding Director of the Centre. The Steering Committee of HiCAS is chaired by the Registrar of Kathmandu University, and its Advisory Body is headed by the Founding Vice Chancellor of KU consisting of prominent national and international scholars. 

Fields of Study

  • Asian languages. cultures, and civilizations across the Himalayas
  • Histories, religions, philosophies, and knowledge systems of Asian countries
  • Ayurveda and other traditional medicines
  • Traditional art, architecture, city planning, and other technologies
  • The Vedas, Tripitaka, and other canonical texts in Sanskrit and other ancient languages of Asia
  • Classical literature of major languages of Indian Sub-continent
  • Search and preservation of handwritten manuscripts and edition of ancient texts
  • Theories and practices of all religious and cultural traditions of Asia
  • Identification of Archaeological sites, excavation, and analysis

Methods and Plans

  • Adopt traditional and modern, comparative and multidisciplinary methods of study and research as per the need
  • Design and run short and long, formal and informal courses in related fields in collaboration with the concerned Schools
  • Translation of canonical and classical texts in modern languages
  • Develop courses on priority basis in the fields of Ethics, Yoga, Religious Studies, Eastern and Comparative Philosophy, Heritage management, Archival Studies, Cultural Tourism, etc.
  • Develop appropriate means and medium for the dissemination of research findings, such as journals, book series, lectures, and workshops

Mission

  • Evolve as an autonomous and non-profit world-ranking research centre for Asian Studies under the umbrella of Kathmandu University
  • Facilitate connections and collaborations between the East and the West

Objectives

  • To serve as a platform for global academicians for interaction and sharing of research concepts and findings
  • To develop and implement research projects and collaborations at national and international levels
  • To promote Nepalese and other Asian scholars to take a more prominent part in elucidating the documents and traditions of their culture

Leadership and Governance

Steering Committee

A steering committee of seven members, headed by the Registrar of KU is responsible for the academic, administrative and financial management of the Centre. 

The Director of HiCAS is responsible for the the day-to-day activities, conducting research and building networks.  

Advisory Committee

A committee headed by the founder VC of KU including national and international scholars from relevant fields acts as the Advisory Body of the Centre.

HiCAS Members

Prof. Dr. Sagar Raj Sharma (Founding Member)

Prof. Dr. Diwakar Acharya (Founding Member)

Mr. Mukunda Upadhyay (Founding Member)

Dean, School of Arts (Member)

Mr. Ananta Risal (Member)

Registrar, KU (Chair)

Contact

Himalaya Centre for Asian Studies (HiCAS)

P.B. No. 6250, Kathmandu University, Balkumari, Lalitpur, Nepal.

Phone: 0977-1-591307

Website: https://ku.edu.np/hicas

Email: hicas@ku.edu.np

Director: Prof Dr. Sagar Raj Sharma

Email: sagar@ku.edu.np