Navensanchar correspondent

SURKHET, Nepal, October 27, 2026 — Pratikshya Bhandari, associate manager of the Futures Program at Kopila Valley School in Surkhet, has won the 2026 Herizon Award in the Emerging Leader category for her work expanding career guidance and educational opportunities for students in rural Nepal.

Presented by the Business Intelligence Group, the award recognizes women whose leadership is transforming workplaces, industries and communities.

Bhandari and her team help students identify their strengths, pursue higher education and develop skills through community service-learning projects, a collaborative Maker Space, internships and scholarships. The initiatives aim to prepare young people to build successful futures and lead positive change in their communities.

“Pratikshya is giving students in rural Nepal a real path forward,” said Russ Fordyce, chief recognition officer at the Business Intelligence Group. He praised the Futures Program for helping young people recognize their potential and become leaders in their communities.

Bhandari credited the teams at Kopila Valley and BlinkNow for supporting the work, saying the recognition would motivate them to do more for their community.

“I am truly grateful for the opportunity to share our work with the world,” she said.

The 2026 Herizon Awards recognized 57 winners across five nominee roles and four countries, highlighting women whose leadership has made an impact at local and global levels.

Bhandari’s award highlights efforts to expand career guidance and educational opportunities for young people in rural Nepal.