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Karvika Thapa
Kathmandu College of Management
Regional Academy
Academy Established 1/01
Karvika Thapa, 20, was born Kathmandu. She moved to Delhi, India for the last two years of high school, where she studied business information systems. She now lives with her parents and sister in Kathmandu: none of her immediate family is involved with Information Technology (IT) but they are all supportive of her pursuit, financially and emotionally. Her father served as the Home Minister of Nepal for five years, while her mother holds a graduate degree in law. Though her younger sister, Kirti, studies social science at an army college, she is particularly curious and excited about Karvika's experience in IT. In her free time, Karvika surfs the web, spends time with family and friends, and enjoys traveling, particularly throughout Nepal. She says: "God has gifted [Nepal]. It is very beautiful."
While working toward her major in programming at the Kathmandu College of Management, Karvika heard about the Cisco Networking Academy Program from her principal. From this, she understood that networking could help her achieve her goal of becoming a systems analyst. When she began the Networking Academy program, she expected to pursue practical endeavors, to gain more hands-on experience. After finishing the first semester of the Cisco Networking Academy Program in two months, she was satisfied that her expectations were being met.
In her Networking Academy class, which is over one-third female, Karvika enjoys the teamwork and camaraderie she shares with all the students. "Everybody is close. Guys and girls work together." She says girls don't traditionally show much interest in the IT field, but with the help of females in programs like the Cisco Academy program, girls can and should be encouraged to believe in themselves.
With her background in management, Karvika seeks to work as a networking administrator someday. She feels confident that the Networking Academy Program will help her build a career and does not limit her to a certain country or region. Ultimately, however, she prefers to work in the governmental sector of Nepal, like her father. She explains: "All technology is centered in the capital city. My interest would be to extend that technology through the mountain region, as technology is faster than any other means of communication… Right now, the government is not able to manage properly. I would like to help make it more efficient." In the health, education, and defense sectors, Karvika sees technology as potentially playing a vital role, by improving communication through networking. She believes: "I can really do something for this country." 
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