Kathmandu, March 28 -- Khadkaraj Paudel-known by his literary name Ganesh Paudel-has been appointed Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation in the Balendra Shah-led government. Paudel, who has made his mark in literature, education and social activism, now shoulders the responsibility of a ministry tasked with addressing long-standing problems in Nepal's tourism and aviation sectors.

A permanent resident of Majheripatan in ward 14 of Pokhara metropolis, Paudel holds a bachelor's degree in English literature and an MBA from Pokhara University, and has more than 15 years of teaching experience. Through the Random Readers Society, he has actively promoted a reading culture, and through experimental works such as Paitala (sole), he ...