Jump to content

Kul Gautam: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m Needs so much work.
some c/e to remove promo
 
(68 intermediate revisions by 50 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Nepalese diplomat}}
{{Orphan|date=January 2008}}
{{COI|date=April 2010}}
{{BLP sources|date=April 2015}}
[[File:Kul Gautam.jpg|thumb|311x311px|Kul Chandra Gautam]]
'''Kul Chandra Gautam''' is a diplomat, development professional, and a former senior official of the [[United Nations]]. Currently, he serves on the boards of several international and national organizations, charitable foundations and public-private partnerships. Previously, he served in senior managerial and leadership positions with the United Nations in several countries, in a career spanning over three decades. He is a former deputy executive director of [[UNICEF]] and [[Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations]].


He served as special adviser to the [[Prime Minister of Nepal]] on international affairs and the peace process from 2010 to 2011.
'''Kul Chandra Gautam''', from [[Nepal]], is currently Assistant Secretary-General of the [[United Nations]] and Deputy Executive Director of the [[UNICEF]], the United Nations Children’s Fund.<ref>[http://www.unicef.org/media/media_20003.html UNICEF - Press centre - Kul Gautam - Deputy Executive Director<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>


A citizen of Nepal, Gautam is active in Nepal's civil society in promoting human rights, socioeconomic development, democracy, and good governance. He writes on, speaks about, and informally advises Nepal's political and civil society leadership as well as the international community on Nepal's peace process, consolidation of democracy, human rights, and socioeconomic development.
As a key senior [[UNICEF]] officer, Gautam was responsible for drafting the Declaration and Plan of Action of the 1990 World Summit for Children, the largest gathering of world leaders in history until that time. In May 2002 he led the organization of another major United Nations conference, the Special Session of the General Assembly on Children attended by 70 world leaders and thousands of child rights activists and civil society leaders, including celebrities and Nobel Prize Laureates.


Internationally, he continues to be active in advocacy of the UN [[Sustainable Development Goals]], particularly in the areas of child rights, global health, basic education, and human development.
Kul Chandra Gautam
Kul Chandra Gautam was born on 1949 in the small village of Amarpur in Gulmi district of western Nepal.
He was the first child of Om Prasad and Heema Gautam, a humble but respected family in Amarpur. Small and frail looking, Kul was known for being a very inquisitive little boy. His relatives and childhood friends remember him as asking endless questions on topics ranging from the origins of the earth and stars to religious faiths and miracles.
When he grew up, Amarpur village had no school, no health post, no running water, and no roads. Even to this day, the village has no electricity, no telephone service.
As a child, Kul learned his alphabets from his barely literate grandfather Kapil Mani Gautam. At the age of 7 he left home to study with a guru in a neighbouring village across the river. Besides Nepali, his native tongue, Kul also studied Sanskrit and some Hindu scriptures.


== Publications ==
At the age of 10 he went to Benaras, the holy Indian city of learning, to continue with his studies in Sanskrit and theology. Initially his parents’ wish had been for Kul to become an educated priest or pundit. But his life took a different turn, when one of his uncles suggested that Kul should switch to modern, “English” education to prepare himself for a government job. Kul was taken to Kathmandu and enrolled in a local school there.
Gautam writes and speaks extensively on international development, human rights, and human development; global health, education, child protection; the role of the United Nations; and on issues related to the peace process, democracy, and good governance in Nepal as well as globally.


Gautam's memoir, ''Global Citizen from Gulmi: My Journey from the Hills of Nepal to the Halls of the United Nations'', was published by Nepalaya Publications in 2018.'''<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9937921252/|title=Global Citizen from Gulmi|last=Gautam|first=Kul|publisher=Nepalaya|year=2018|isbn=978-9937921251|location=Nepal}}</ref>''' Another book, ''Lost in Transition: Rebuilding Nepal from the Maoist Mayhem and Mega Earthquake'',<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9937909015|title=Mr|last=Gautam|first=Kul|publisher=Nepalaya|year=2018|isbn=978-9937909013|location=Nepal}}</ref> was published in 2015.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Lost in transition : rebuilding Nepal from the Maoist mayhem and mega earthquake|last=Chandra|first=Gautam, Kul|isbn=9789937905824|oclc=965139763}}</ref>
But Kathmandu did not suit Kul well. He got sick and became frail. So his parents decided to send him to a school in Tansen, Plapa – a 3 days walk away from his village.


== Awards ==
Kul was a bright student, always at the top of his class. Besides his regular studies, he became a voracious reader of Nepali literature. He had read much of the published classics of Nepali literature by the time he was 16 years old. As a student he participated in poetry recitals and was a champion in inter-school antakshari contests in Tansen. He also wrote essays and poems. He was awarded a medal and recognition as a “Bal Kabi” or young poet-laureate by the then district commissioner of Palpa.
* [https://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/articles/nepal-diplomat-receives-npcas-harris-wofford-award The 2018 Harris Wofford Global Citizen Award], conferred by the [[National Peace Corps Association|US National Peace Corps Association.]]
* [https://www.dartmouth.edu/~mlk/awards/sjaarchive.html Martin Luther King, Jr. Social Justice Award for Lifetime Achievement, conferred by] [https://www.dartmouth.edu/~mlk/awards/sjaarchive.html Dartmouth College, USA in 2009].
* [http://audreyhepburn.org/post/152551913776/kul-chandra-gautam The Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award], conferred by [http://audreyhepburn.org/post/152418773736/kul-chandra-gautam UNICEF USA in 2008]
* The Bal-Kavi (Child Poet-Laureate) Award, conferred by District Commissioner of Palpa, Nepal in 1964


== Current positions and activities ==
During his studies at Janata Vidyalaya high school in Tansen, Kul became good friends with several U.S. Peace Corps volunteers who were English language teachers at the school. He learned to play Scrabble with them and surprised them by often beating them – quite a feat for an ordinary Nepali 7th or 8th grader. Impressed by Kul’s English language and academic aptitudes, these Peace Corps volunteers encouraged him to consider pursuing higher education in America when he finished his high school.
* Chair, [[Results (organisation)|RESULTS Inc]] and RESULTS Education Fund (USA)<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2016-06-30/diplomat-kul-chandra-gautam-appointed-results-chairman.html|title=Diplomat Kul Chandra Gautam appointed Results Chairman|access-date=2017-05-28|language=en}}</ref>
* Chair, Arigatou International Council of Prayer and Action for Children (Japan/USA)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://prayerandactionforchildren.org/who-we-are|title=Prayer and Action for Children – World Day of Prayer and Action for Children – Who We Are|last=Mesa|first=Matthew|website=prayerandactionforchildren.org|language=en-gb|access-date=2017-05-28}}</ref>
* Chair, Programme Committee, [[Oxfam GB|OXFAM GB]] Council (UK)<ref name=Oxfam>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/our-trustees|title=Oxfam's CEO, Directors and Trustees |publisher=[[Oxfam GB]]|language=en|access-date=2017-05-28}}</ref>
* Co-Chair, Independent Accountability Panel for Every Woman, Child and Adolescent (UN/WHO)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://iapewec.org/about/members/kul-gautam/|title=Kul Gautam (Co-Chair)|date=2016-09-20|work=Independent Accountability Panel|access-date=2017-05-28|language=en-US}}</ref>
* Vice-Chair, [[GoodWeave International]] (USA)
* Vice Chair, Aarogya (Health) Foundation (Nepal)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aarogyafoundation.org.np/our-team|title=Our Team {{!}}{{!}} Aarogya Foundation::|website=www.aarogyafoundation.org.np|language=en|access-date=2017-05-28}}</ref>
* International Trustee, [[Religions for Peace]] (USA)
* Member, Steering Committee of the Fund to End Violence against Children
* Champion, [[Global Partnership for Education]]
* Advisor, Non-Resident Nepalese Association<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nrna.org.np/article-patron_advisors|title=NRNA|website=nrna.org.np|access-date=2017-05-28}}</ref>
* Advisor, Nepal Public Health Foundation (Nepal)
* Advisor, Rato Bangla Educational Foundation (Nepal)
* Advisor, Retired UN Staff Association, Nepal<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.xunicef.org/2015/06/martin-mogwanja-joins-unicef-former-staff-catagory-after-37-years-2015-june/|title=Martin Mogwanja, joins "unicef former staff" {{Sic|cat|agory|hide=y}} after 37 years, 2015 – June {{!}} …eX-Unicef to become "cf46.net"|website=www.xunicef.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-05-28}}</ref>
* Board Member, Madan Pustakalaya Foundation (Nepal)
* Patron, Hima Gautam Memorial Trust, [[Amarpur, Nepal|Amarpur]]-Gulmi (Nepal)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kulgautam.org/charity/|title=Kul Gautam » Charity|website=www.kulgautam.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-05-28}}</ref>
* Past President, Rotary Club of Kathmandu Mid-town (Nepal)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rotarymidtown.org.np/index.php/members/|title=Members {{!}} The Rotary Club of Kathmandu Mid Town|website=rotarymidtown.org.np|language=en-US|access-date=2017-05-28}}</ref>


== Previous positions and activities ==
Kul completed the last year of his high school from the J.P. High School in Kathmandu. He scored first division and was among the top students in the nationwide SLC exams.
* Chair, Programme Committee, [[Oxfam GB|OXFAM GB]] Council, (2014- 2018) (UK)<ref name=Oxfam/>
* Special Advisor to [[Prime Minister of Nepal]] on International Affairs and Peace Process (2010–11)
* Nepal's candidate for President of 66th session of UN General Assembly (2010–11)
* Chair, Gautam Buddha International Peace Award Committee, Nepal (2010–11)
* Chair of the Board, Citizens Bank International, Nepal (2010–11)
* Patron, Rollback Violence Campaign (Himsa Antya Abhiyan), Nepal (2009-2011)
* Champion, Global Partnership for Education (GPE)
* Chair/Member, Micronutrient Initiative, Canada (2001-2009)
* Chair, Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund (USA 2008-09)
* Chair, Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Geneva, (2005-2007)
* Member, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) Board (2004-2007)
* Member, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Board (2005–07)
* Member, Inter-faith Council for Ethics Education (2003–10)
* Member, Board of Governors of University of the World (USA), 2013–15
* Patron, Chance for Change: Inspiring Young Futures (Nepal/UK)
* Advisor, South Asia Food and Nutrition Security Initiative (World Bank)


== Positions held at UNICEF and the United Nations ==
Right after completing high school, Kul took the TOEFL, the SAT and college entrance exams for U.S. colleges in Kathmandu and secured excellent results. He had applied and gotten admission with full scholarship at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, USA. But because he had obtained the scholarship directly through his own efforts, rather than going through His Majesty’s Government of Nepal, and perhaps because he was an ordinary village boy, not related to any prominent Kathmandu families or senior government officials, he could not obtain a Nepali passport to travel abroad.
*[[Assistant-Secretary-General of the United Nations|Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.unicef.org/about/who/index_24852.html|title=Interview with Deputy Executive Director Kul Gautam|work=UNICEF|access-date=2017-05-28|language=en-US}}</ref> Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF (2000–2007)
* Regional Director, UNICEF, for East Asia and the Pacific (1998–2000)
* Special Representative, UNICEF, India (1997)
* Director, UNICEF Programme Division, New York (1993–1996)
* Director, Planning and Coordination, UNICEF, New York (1989–1992)
* Chief, Latin America and the Caribbean, UNICEF, New York (1986–88)
* UNICEF Representative, Haiti (1983–86), and Laos (1979–82)
* UNICEF Programme Officer, Indonesia (1975–79), and Cambodia (1973–75)


Disappointed but not discouraged, Kul persevered and obtained his passport 2 years later. Meanwhile, he had enrolled himself at Tri-Chandra College in Kathmandu and obtained the I.A. diploma in first division ranking among the top students in the nation. To earn his living, he worked as a part-time translator at the USAID mission in Kathmandu. And although he was only a high school graduate he gave private tutoring lessons to college students to supplement his income.

At Dartmouth College in the US, Kul majored in International Relations. He was in the Dean’s List and graduated cum laude. He was active in the 1960s student movement against US war in Vietnam. He was one of the founders and the first President of the International Students Association at Dartmouth. As another extra-curricular activity, he was active in the student Model United Nations project. This planted in him tremendous respect for the ideals of the United Nations, and a desire to eventually work for this international organization.

His interest and activism in the anti-war movement had led him to learn more about the history and politics of Vietnam and Indo-China. Fascinated by the epic struggle of the Vietnamese against great odds, he developed a desire to one-day visit and possibly work in Indochina. With that in mind, he studied and became proficient in the French language, which served him well in his future assignments with the United Nations.

Kul completed his graduate studies at Princeton University, earning a Master of Public Affairs (MPA) degree in economic development. In 1973 he was recruited by UNICEF to serve in war-torn Cambodia, a fulfillment of his dream to work for the United Nations in Indo-China.

Kul progressed rapidly in his career with the United Nations, taking on challenging assignments and demonstrating good managerial and leadership skills. After serving as Programme officer for UNICEF in Indonesia, Kul became the youngest UNICEF country Representative in Laos. He was the first UNICEF Representative to Haiti during the politically turbulent times in the early 1980s.

Kul later became Chief for Latin America and the Caribbean at UNICEF headquarters in New York – an unusual honour and a challenge for an Asian who rapidly acquired proficiency in the Spanish language and on the development dynamics of a new continent.

Kul became UNICEF’s Director of Planning and Coordination in 1988. In that capacity he was given prime responsibility for master-minding the largest gathering of world leaders at the 1990 World Summit for Children at the United Nations in New York. The Declaration and Plan of Action of the Summit which Kul had a hand in crafting has become one of the best known and most effective instrument of international advocacy and action for the well-being of the world’s children today.

Kul also served as UNICEF’s Director of Programmes overseeing the policy-making and priority-setting of this billion dollars a year international organization working in over 160 countries. For brief periods he also served as UNICEF’s Special Representative for India and Regional Director for the Asia Pacific region.

Currently Kul is a Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF, holding the rank of Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations. He is the highest-ranking Nepali in the United Nations.


Kul has traveled all over the world, met many leaders and has been a passionate advocate for the cause of child rights and human development.

In recognition of his accomplishments, the Himal magazine listed him as one of the 101 eminent national personalities of Nepal of the past 100 years.
==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist|2}}


==External links==
== External links ==
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.kulgautam.org kulgautam.org]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Gautam, Kul}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gautam, Kul}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
⚫
[[Category:Nepalese diplomats]]
[[Category:UNICEF people]]
[[Category:UNICEF people]]
⚫
[[Category:Nepalese officials of the United Nations]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:People from Gulmi District]]

Latest revision as of 17:05, 21 December 2024

Kul Chandra Gautam

Kul Chandra Gautam is a diplomat, development professional, and a former senior official of the United Nations. Currently, he serves on the boards of several international and national organizations, charitable foundations and public-private partnerships. Previously, he served in senior managerial and leadership positions with the United Nations in several countries, in a career spanning over three decades. He is a former deputy executive director of UNICEF and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations.

He served as special adviser to the Prime Minister of Nepal on international affairs and the peace process from 2010 to 2011.

A citizen of Nepal, Gautam is active in Nepal's civil society in promoting human rights, socioeconomic development, democracy, and good governance. He writes on, speaks about, and informally advises Nepal's political and civil society leadership as well as the international community on Nepal's peace process, consolidation of democracy, human rights, and socioeconomic development.

Internationally, he continues to be active in advocacy of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in the areas of child rights, global health, basic education, and human development.

Publications

[edit]

Gautam writes and speaks extensively on international development, human rights, and human development; global health, education, child protection; the role of the United Nations; and on issues related to the peace process, democracy, and good governance in Nepal as well as globally.

Gautam's memoir, Global Citizen from Gulmi: My Journey from the Hills of Nepal to the Halls of the United Nations, was published by Nepalaya Publications in 2018.[1] Another book, Lost in Transition: Rebuilding Nepal from the Maoist Mayhem and Mega Earthquake,[2] was published in 2015.[3]

Awards

[edit]

Current positions and activities

[edit]
  • Chair, RESULTS Inc and RESULTS Education Fund (USA)[4]
  • Chair, Arigatou International Council of Prayer and Action for Children (Japan/USA)[5]
  • Chair, Programme Committee, OXFAM GB Council (UK)[6]
  • Co-Chair, Independent Accountability Panel for Every Woman, Child and Adolescent (UN/WHO)[7]
  • Vice-Chair, GoodWeave International (USA)
  • Vice Chair, Aarogya (Health) Foundation (Nepal)[8]
  • International Trustee, Religions for Peace (USA)
  • Member, Steering Committee of the Fund to End Violence against Children
  • Champion, Global Partnership for Education
  • Advisor, Non-Resident Nepalese Association[9]
  • Advisor, Nepal Public Health Foundation (Nepal)
  • Advisor, Rato Bangla Educational Foundation (Nepal)
  • Advisor, Retired UN Staff Association, Nepal[10]
  • Board Member, Madan Pustakalaya Foundation (Nepal)
  • Patron, Hima Gautam Memorial Trust, Amarpur-Gulmi (Nepal)[11]
  • Past President, Rotary Club of Kathmandu Mid-town (Nepal)[12]

Previous positions and activities

[edit]
  • Chair, Programme Committee, OXFAM GB Council, (2014- 2018) (UK)[6]
  • Special Advisor to Prime Minister of Nepal on International Affairs and Peace Process (2010–11)
  • Nepal's candidate for President of 66th session of UN General Assembly (2010–11)
  • Chair, Gautam Buddha International Peace Award Committee, Nepal (2010–11)
  • Chair of the Board, Citizens Bank International, Nepal (2010–11)
  • Patron, Rollback Violence Campaign (Himsa Antya Abhiyan), Nepal (2009-2011)
  • Champion, Global Partnership for Education (GPE)
  • Chair/Member, Micronutrient Initiative, Canada (2001-2009)
  • Chair, Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund (USA 2008-09)
  • Chair, Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Geneva, (2005-2007)
  • Member, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) Board (2004-2007)
  • Member, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Board (2005–07)
  • Member, Inter-faith Council for Ethics Education (2003–10)
  • Member, Board of Governors of University of the World (USA), 2013–15
  • Patron, Chance for Change: Inspiring Young Futures (Nepal/UK)
  • Advisor, South Asia Food and Nutrition Security Initiative (World Bank)

Positions held at UNICEF and the United Nations

[edit]
  • Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations,[13] Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF (2000–2007)
  • Regional Director, UNICEF, for East Asia and the Pacific (1998–2000)
  • Special Representative, UNICEF, India (1997)
  • Director, UNICEF Programme Division, New York (1993–1996)
  • Director, Planning and Coordination, UNICEF, New York (1989–1992)
  • Chief, Latin America and the Caribbean, UNICEF, New York (1986–88)
  • UNICEF Representative, Haiti (1983–86), and Laos (1979–82)
  • UNICEF Programme Officer, Indonesia (1975–79), and Cambodia (1973–75)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Gautam, Kul (2018). Global Citizen from Gulmi. Nepal: Nepalaya. ISBN 978-9937921251.
  2. ^ Gautam, Kul (2018). Mr. Nepal: Nepalaya. ISBN 978-9937909013.
  3. ^ Chandra, Gautam, Kul. Lost in transition : rebuilding Nepal from the Maoist mayhem and mega earthquake. ISBN 9789937905824. OCLC 965139763.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Diplomat Kul Chandra Gautam appointed Results Chairman". Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  5. ^ Mesa, Matthew. "Prayer and Action for Children – World Day of Prayer and Action for Children – Who We Are". prayerandactionforchildren.org. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  6. ^ a b "Oxfam's CEO, Directors and Trustees". Oxfam GB. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  7. ^ "Kul Gautam (Co-Chair)". Independent Accountability Panel. 2016-09-20. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  8. ^ "Our Team || Aarogya Foundation::". www.aarogyafoundation.org.np. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  9. ^ "NRNA". nrna.org.np. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  10. ^ "Martin Mogwanja, joins "unicef former staff" catagory after 37 years, 2015 – June | …eX-Unicef to become "cf46.net"". www.xunicef.org. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  11. ^ "Kul Gautam » Charity". www.kulgautam.org. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  12. ^ "Members | The Rotary Club of Kathmandu Mid Town". rotarymidtown.org.np. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
  13. ^ "Interview with Deputy Executive Director Kul Gautam". UNICEF. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Kul_Gautam&oldid=1264343880"