Meet Saroj Baniya: Empowering Young People to Lead Today
For Saroj Baniya, young people are not simply the leaders of tomorrow.
“They are innovators, entrepreneurs, peacebuilders, and decision-makers of today.”
For more than sixteen years, Saroj has dedicated his career to creating opportunities that allow young people to discover their potential and become active contributors to society. Working at the intersection of youth leadership, technology, entrepreneurship, public policy, and social innovation, he has helped thousands of young people across Nepal develop the confidence, skills, and networks needed to drive meaningful change.
His journey began long before he became a nationally recognized youth leader.
As a child, Saroj was actively involved in school clubs and community organizations, where he first discovered the power of volunteerism and civic engagement. Those early experiences inspired a lifelong belief that leadership is not defined by titles, but by a willingness to serve others and create opportunities for communities to grow.
That belief led him to establish the Nepal Youth Council (NYC) in 2012.
What started as a vision to strengthen youth participation has grown into one of Nepal’s largest youth networks, with active engagement across all seven provinces and seventy-seven districts. Under Saroj’s leadership, the organization has empowered more than 10,000 young people through leadership development, entrepreneurship, digital literacy, civic engagement, and personal development programmes.
By bringing together government institutions, United Nations agencies, educational organizations, civil society, and the private sector, the Nepal Youth Council has created platforms where young people are not only heard but are actively shaping solutions for their communities.
Saroj’s commitment to youth leadership extends beyond Nepal.
As Team Leader of MasterPeace Nepal, he has played a key role in strengthening regional collaboration and peacebuilding across Asia. Nepal successfully hosted both the first and second MasterPeace Asian Youth Bootcamps under his leadership, welcoming young changemakers from more than fifteen countries to exchange ideas, build partnerships, and collaborate on issues ranging from peacebuilding and climate action to entrepreneurship, innovation, and digital transformation.
These experiences have reinforced his belief that while cultures and contexts may differ, young people everywhere share a common desire to create positive change within their communities.
One of Saroj’s most significant contributions has been promoting youth participation in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Working alongside development partners, including UNDP, he led the nationwide SDGs Festival across all seven provinces of Nepal. The initiative empowered young people to identify local priorities and develop province-specific Youth Action Plans, which were formally presented to Provincial Governments and Provincial Planning Commissions. Through this work, he has consistently advocated for meaningful youth participation in public policy, local governance, climate action, innovation, and sustainable development.
His commitment to creating impact also extends into the digital world.
With over sixteen years of professional experience in digital marketing, strategic communications, business development, and digital transformation, Saroj has supported businesses, startups, development organizations, and nonprofits in strengthening their digital presence and expanding their social impact. By combining technology with community development, he continues to demonstrate how digital innovation can become a powerful tool for sustainable change.
Saroj has also represented Nepal on international platforms, including the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York and the UN Sendai Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan, ensuring that the voices, ideas, and aspirations of Nepali youth contribute to global conversations on development, resilience, and peace.
Alongside his work as a practitioner, he is also an author and mentor. Through his motivational book सम्भव छ (It Is Possible) and his upcoming publication Youth, Tech and Change, Saroj encourages young people to embrace leadership, innovation, and lifelong learning while believing in their own ability to create change.
The impact of his work is reflected not only in numbers but in the communities and young leaders it has inspired. More than 50,000 young people have participated directly in leadership and development initiatives, over 600,000 have been reached through campaigns and digital outreach, and hundreds of community, national, and international programmes have been implemented through partnerships that continue to strengthen Nepal’s youth ecosystem.
Yet, beyond these achievements lies a simple philosophy.
Saroj believes that every young person deserves the opportunity, confidence, and platform to turn their ideas into action. By connecting grassroots communities with governments, development partners, businesses, and international networks, he continues to champion a future where young people are not waiting for change—they are leading it.
Through his work with the Nepal Youth Council, MasterPeace, and countless national and international initiatives, Saroj Baniya reminds us that empowering young people is one of the most powerful investments we can make in building peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable societies.