Harka Gurung
| Harka Gurung | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Thula |
| Born | 5 January 1939 Taranche, Lamjung, Nepal |
| Died | 23 September 2006 (aged 67) Gunsha, Taplejung, Nepal |
| Cause of death | MI-17 Chopper Helicopter Crash |
| Residence | Kathmandu |
| Nationality | Nepali |
| Citizenship | Nepali |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh, Patna College, Patna |
| Known for | Geologist, Planner, Anthropologist, author, artist, politician |
Dr. Harka Bahadur Gurung (1939–2006) was a Nepalese geologist, anthropologist, author, artist and politician, known for his conservation work.
Gurung was born in Lamjung on 5 February 1939, in the village of Taranche. His father was an NCO in the British Army. After completing his secondary education at King George Military School, he studied for a B.A. and M.A. in Geography at Patna University, and later received a PhD from Edinburgh University after being offered a scholarship there.
After completing his PhD, Gurung worked as a Research Fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, returning to Nepal in 1966 to take up a lecturing post at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu. In 1984 he was appointed Visiting Fellow at the East–West Center in Hawaii. A prolific scholarly author, Gurung published fifteen books and around 675 academic articles and reports. He also worked as an advisor to the World Wildlife Fund in Nepal.
In 1968 Gurung was appointed Vice-Chairman of Nepal's National Planning Commission. He subsequently held several government posts, including Minister of State for Education, Trade and Industry Minister, and Minister of State for Tourism. He served as Director of the Asia and Pacific Development Centre from 1993–1998, and was a consultant for the World Bank.
Gurung unfortunately died in 2006 along with 23 others in a helicopter crash at Ghunsa in Taplejung, whilst returning from a conservation meeting. The 2011 Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival was dedicated to his memory, and Lamjung F.C. created a memorial football tournament in his honour. In Pokhara, a three-hectare eco-park (the Dr Harka, Chandra & Migma Memorial Laligurans Eco Park) was set up to commemorate Harka and those who died with him in the crash.
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