I was born and raised in Jhapa, a small town in eastern Nepal. From a young age, I was a naturally curious person, always eager to understand the world around me. Even then, I dreamed of becoming a scientist, though that path wasn’t without its challenges, as I look at it in retrospect. Growing up in a place with limited access to English-medium education, I often had to work twice as hard to bridge the gap. I devoured any book I could find. The next challenge was to find somebody who could answer your questions in a logical way. Eventually, it became clear that to pursue the kind of education I wanted in life, I would have to leave my hometown.
I was fortunate enough to study physics and always did well in academics. I also participated in competitions and scientific exhibitions and got opportunities to travel internationally. By the time I completed my undergraduate studies, I had already traveled to a handful of different countries. Each new experience introduced me to ideas that reshaped my worldview. I was also drawn to atheistic philosophies and scientific reasoning, reading books like The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins and other philosophical works that questioned the nature of existence.
In 2017, I had the privilege of co-authoring a book titled The Realist. The book focuses on promoting critical thinking and encourages skepticism, aiming to inspire young students to approach the world through a scientific lens.
To further advance scientific thinking and popularize science in Nepal, I started a nonprofit organization called Reason & Science Projects (REAS). Through this organization, we organized workshops and seminars emphasizing the importance of scientific thinking, engaging students and communities across the country. This initiative not only sparked greater interest in science but also helped create a foundational understanding of its importance in daily life. Beyond that, we partnered with the International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) to secure funding to construct a school in a remote part of Nepal. The school had been initially damaged during the Earthquake that hit Nepal in 2015.
During my Master’s studies, I took on a challenging project focused on the precession of Mercury’s orbit. My aim was to investigate how surface tension corrections could influence this celestial motion, an inquiry that ultimately led to a published research paper. This experience marked a pivotal point in my academic journey, as I became captivated by the realm of pure research and found purpose in tackling fundamental scientific questions. I had always considered mathematics one of my strengths, and I initially leaned toward astrophysics and cosmology, viewing applied sciences as somewhat secondary. However, as I was involved into exploratory questions—such as investigating perturbative corrections in a helium atom due to nonlinear defects—I was drawn toward condensed matter physics. This shift helped me appreciate the richness of applied physics fields like photonics and broadened my understanding of their significance.
Today, my research interests span diverse fields, including nonlinear dynamics, astrophysics, and mathematical physics. I approach each discipline with a sense of openness and curiosity, always eager to uncover new insights and explore unexpected connections. To me, research is more than a series of questions to answer; it is a journey toward understanding the fundamental laws that shape our universe, a journey that I’m committed to, regardless of where it may lead. My work is about contributing to something larger—a lifelong quest to deepen our grasp of the natural world.
Yours Truly,
Raju Sharma Khatiwada