One Million Leaders Asia (OMLAS) Fellowship program is a flagship program of NELIS – Next Leaders’ Initiative for Sustainability.
Vision
Our vision is to empower one million nexgen leaders and social innovators for a better and more sustainable Asia by 2030.
Mission
This mission is to connect, empower and inspire nextgen leaders in Asia by providing them with a platform and the necessary skills to make a positive impact in their communities and countries.
Advisory Board Members
Basanta Shrestha
Basanta Shrestha, an esteemed professional with 32 years of dedicated service at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), held the distinguished position of Director of Strategic Cooperation. With a solid foundation in engineering and an extensive background in digital technologies, strategic partnership development, resource mobilization, and leadership, Mr. Shrestha has left an indelible mark on sustainable mountain development initiatives in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region and across the globe.
Mr. Shrestha co-founded the Mountain Environment and Resources Information System (MENRIS) program, pioneering the utilization of earth observation and geospatial technologies for sustainable mountain development. His stewardship has resulted in groundbreaking collaborations with NASA and USAID, notably through the SERVIR-Himalaya program, which bridges technology and innovation for reducing climate change impacts and addressing mountain development challenges.
Passionate about environmental conservation, Mr. Shrestha actively engages in promoting green technology for sustainable living. His dedication to fostering collaboration and innovation continues to inspire a new generation of leaders in Nepal and beyond. Inspired by nature, he is currently living in a Hamro Matoghar (mud house) at Godavari, Kathmandu, practicing an eco-conscious living to inspire youth towards future sustainability.
Anil Keshary Shah
After a career in banking spanning 31 years, during which he served as the Chief Executive Officer of two banks for 17 years, Anil Shah established Lead Nepal Inc., an organisation with the vision of 'Crafting Leaders'. In addition to his stellar banking career, Mr. Shah is also a youth icon, mentoring youth across Nepal by sharing his experiences and propagating value-based leadership. He was the first Nepali CEO of Nepal’s first joint venture bank, Nabil Bank, and successfully led the bank to become the no. 1 financial institution in Nepal, successfully realising its vision to be the nation’s ‘Bank of 1st Choice’. He then established and headed Mega Bank with the vision of establishing a bank for all strata of Nepali society with the vision of ‘Being the Bank for Every Nepali for Ploughing to Power’. Today the bank is one of the biggest financial institutions in the nation. Now Mr. Shah provides learning experiences to companies, political parties, bureaucrats, armed forces and students to enable them to be better leaders. He is an prominent figure in Nepal who is looked up to by people of all ages and across all strata of society for his vision, clarity of communication and value-based leadership.
Peter David Pedersen
Peter is a Co-founder and Executive Director of NELIS (Next Leaders' Initiative for Sustainability), and currently a Professor of Sustainability and Innovation at Shizenkan University, Tokyo. He was born in Denmark and has been a resident of Japan for 30+ years. Peter is dedicated to empowering the next generation of sustainability leaders, both in corporations and in the global NELIS community.
Shravan Shankar
Shravan is a Co-founder of Climake, a growth platform for early-stage climate tech startups in India to access markets and innovative financing options. He has over 13 years of experience working in sustainable development with organisations across Asia and Europe, and in developing national policies in India and Sri Lanka.
He is also a Co-founder of AtWorks, an impact entrepreneurship ecosystem builder that has worked with over 400 startups. AtWorks was recognised as a circular economy solution for India by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Shravan has also been recognized with a National Award on Smart City Solutions by the government of India.
Secretariat Team
Ade Damayanti, Indonesia
Ade Damayanti is an Empowerment Leader, podcast producer, and the Co-Founder and Partnership Development Manager of Make Space. She has been advancing sustainability through impactful initiatives in rural Indonesia. Over the past nine years, her work has focused on key areas of the Sustainable Development Goals, including Quality Education (SDG 4), Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).
She has also mentored and trained over 400 young people in leadership and development. She was invited to speak at several events about the SDGs and youth empowerment. One highlight was being a panelist in the ISO Annual Meeting Programme 2022, hosted by the UAE Ministry of Industry & Advanced Technology and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). In 2024, Damay won the United People Global (UPG) Hurricane Island Campaign as the Asia-Pacific representative, enriching her expertise and strengthening her connections with global leaders on Hurricane Island, USA. Currently, she is concentrating on building a documentary film featuring global sustainability leaders.
Oshan Thapa Magar, Nepal
Oshan Thapa Magar, aged 23, is a graduate of Agriculture Science from Paklihawa Campus, Bhairahawa, Nepal. As an OMLAS Fellow 2024, he is passionate about indigenous seeds conservation and empowering small farmers. His goal is to enhance education quality and promote self-sufficiency, contributing to Nepal’s agricultural future. He is engaged in training schools students and farmers on conservation of indigenous seeds, soil health, and organic agriculture. His project on Indigenous Seed Conservation has been successful to establish community seed banks in two districts.
He joined Nelis Nepal from February 2025 as a Capacity Building Officer. He leads capacity building department, and organize trainings online and offline.
Mohima Rahman, Bangladesh
Mohima Rahman, currently studying Disaster Management & Resilience at Bangladesh University of Professionals is known for her dedication. She is passionate about fostering positive relationships and creating a supportive network for youth programs.
Biplop Swarnakar, Nepal
Biplop Swarnakar, aged 22, from Banke, Nepal, belongs to the Dalit (marginalized) community and is currently pursuing a B.Sc. in Agriculture at Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal.
He is a proud One Million Leaders Fellow in the OMLAS Fellowship Program from 2024, an experience that has been both inspiring and transformative, contributing significantly to his personal and professional growth. During this fellowship, he initiated a project called “Integrated Sustainable Initiative” aimed at producing eco-friendly paper from agricultural by-products. This initiative not only addresses agricultural waste management but also promotes sustainable alternatives to conventional paper production, reducing reliance on deforestation.
Since January 2025, Biplop has joined Nelis Nepal as Program Officer, further strengthening his commitment to youth empowerment for sustainability. He manages online training rooms and communication.
Diya Shrestha, Nepal
Diya Shrestha, aged 20, belongs to Newar Indigenous community, and is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree in Computer Science. She is passionate about technology and creativity, she constantly explores new ways to enhance her skills.
As a Design and Documentation officer at Nelis Nepal, she leads social outreach department. She designs contents for social media post, flyers, posters, and documentation layouts, ensuring they are visually compelling and effectively communicate key messages. Besides this, she also gives technical support in online training sessions. This has connected her to youth from the Asia and Pacific region.
Diya takes pride in her Newari heritage, which is rich in art, culture, and traditions. Growing up in the Newar community, she has been influenced by its vibrant festivals, and unique cultural identity. Beyond her professional work, Diya enjoys expressing her creativity through art in her free time. Whether sketching, painting, or crafting, she finds joy in creating visually captivating pieces. Her love for art further fuels her passion for design.
Bindu Gurung, Nepal
Bindu Gurung, aged 22 belongs to Gurung indigenous community. Her indigenous heritage shapes her perspective, and she is deeply committed to elevating the educational opportunities and living standards within her community.
Professionally, she serves as an Accounts and Admin officer at NELIS Nepal. In this role, she leads account and admin department. Working at NELIS Nepal has provided her with valuable insights into sustainability and the importance of empowering young leaders.
Rashmi Kiran Shrestha, Nepal
Rashmi Kiran Shrestha is an executive chairperson/board member of Nelis Nepal. She is trained in water resource management from UNESCO –IHE Delft, the Netherlands, and Anthropology from Nepal. She has been researcher for more than a decade in water-food-energy space. She has shared her research outcome and learnings in national and international forums.
After COVID 19, she made a career shift, and joined the One Million Sustainability Leaders movement. In 2022, she started the One Million Leaders Fellowship Asia (OMLAS) Program with the support of her team. Since 2022, she is leading OMLAS Fellowship Program.
In February 2023, she co-founded Next Emerging Leaders Initiative for Sustainability (NELIS) Nepal to provide opportunities for youth. Through NELIS Nepal and OMLAS Fellowship Program, she is dedicated to empower one million next generation sustainability leaders across Asia and the Pacific region. She believes that if next generation are provided opportunities, empowerment and inspiration, there is a hope for future of this planet.
Founding Members
Peter David Pedersen
Peter David Pedersen is a Co-founder and Executive Director of NELIS - Next Leaders Initiative for Sustainability and is currently a Professor at Shizenkan University, Tokyo. Originally from Denmark, he has been a resident of Japan for 33 years. Peter David is committed to empowering the next generation of sustainability leaders, both within corporations and the global NELIS community. Additionally, he serves as independent director at Mitsubishi Electric, Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd. and Marui Group Co., Ltd.
Harshana Shrestha
Harshana Shrestha has co-founded the One Million Leaders Asia (OMLAS) Fellowship Program. She is an engineer by profession graduated from Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. In her leadership, she has led water supply and irrigation projects in Nepal and Bhutan. She is also board member of Nelis Nepal. She is an advocate for nature based solutions. Through NELIS Nepal and OMLAS Fellowship Program, she is dedicated to empower and inspire next generation leaders in Asia.
Boon Liang Loh
Boon is co-founder of the One Million Leaders Asia (OMLAS) Fellowship Program. Boon is one of the directors for the Singapore chapter of NELIS and has managed social media marketing campaigns for NELIS over the past few years, across platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Quora, and LinkedIn. Boon has been actively involved in the digital marketing arena since 2008, focusing on search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM). His professional experience includes affiliate marketing, SEO consulting, and managing Google Ads for his own enterprises.
Boon's diverse business ventures include the security camera sector and the medical devices industry. Presently, he is the managing editor of Boon Editing, a company he founded, where he leads a team of editors. Boon comes from a strong academic background. He was a former English language lecturer at National University of Singapore and co-authored a paper, published in the Astrophysical Journal, on the dynamics of galaxy clusters.
Rashmi Kiran Shrestha, Nepal
Rashmi Kiran Shrestha is an executive chairperson/board member of Nelis Nepal. She is trained in water resource management from UNESCO –IHE Delft, the Netherlands, and Anthropology from Nepal. She has been researcher for more than a decade in water-food-energy space. She has shared her research outcome and learnings in national and international forums.
After COVID 19, she made a career shift, and joined the One Million Sustainability Leaders movement. In 2022, she started the One Million Leaders Fellowship Asia (OMLAS) Program with the support of her team. Since 2022, she is leading OMLAS Fellowship Program.
In February 2023, she co-founded Next Emerging Leaders Initiative for Sustainability (NELIS) Nepal to provide opportunities for youth. Through NELIS Nepal and OMLAS Fellowship Program, she is dedicated to empower one million next generation sustainability leaders across Asia and the Pacific region. She believes that if next generation are provided opportunities, empowerment and inspiration, there is a hope for future of this planet.