Kantipur had invited applications for the post after Umesh Chauhan resigned from the role of editor-in-chief, and received 17 applications. Awasthi was selected from the three finalists.
We use Google Cloud Translation Services. Google requires we provide the following disclaimer relating to use of this service:
This service may contain translations powered by Google. Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, expressed or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement.
Gokarna Awasthi has been appointed as the Editor-in-Chief of Kantipur Daily. Awasthi has more than two decades of experience in journalism, political and economic analysis, and teaching.
Awasthi is joining Kantipur Daily for the second time. He worked as the Economic News Editor at Kantipur Daily. At that time, Awasthi played an effective role in refining the debate related to economic journalism and the economy.
Awasthi's most recent association was with the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the largest representative organization of the private sector in Nepal. As the Director General of the Federation, he has taken initiatives in promoting entrepreneurship and the private sector.
Before joining the Federation, Awasthi worked as a Sustainable Development Goals Advisor at the United Nations Office in Nepal. He contributed to the mainstreaming and localization of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Awasthi, who also served as the President of the Society of Economic Journalists Nepal (SEJON), contributed to the promotion of economic journalism and capacity building of journalists. Awasthi, who has also been a member of the Board of Directors of the Nepal Securities Board, also has experience in teaching the business environment of Nepal and international business.
'I have worked on the interrelationship of economy, policy and public life, and journalism has always been a link connecting all of these,' said Awasthi. 'I am very happy to return to Kantipur, where I have spent a long time in journalism. My goal now is to bring the experience and learning from these various fields to the newsroom.'
Awasthi's appointment follows the resignation of Umesh Chauhan, who had been working as the editor-in-chief of Kantipur Daily since May 2023. After Chauhan resigned from the role of editor-in-chief, Kantipur had invited applications for the position, in which 17 applications were received. Awasthi was selected from the three candidates on the final list. Awasthi will formally assume the responsibility of the editor-in-chief of Kantipur Daily from May 5, 2026.
'What excites me about Gokarna Awasthi is his understanding of different sectors of Nepal and how journalism can communicate with those sectors,' said Anup Kafle, Editorial Director of Kantipur Media Group. 'I am confident that Kantipur readers will feel the difference in the coming days from Awasthi's experience in journalism, the private sector, the United Nations and various sectors of the economy.'
Awasthi holds a Masters in Management from Tribhuvan University and a Diploma in Development Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Political Economy at Kathmandu University.
