KATHMANDU, NEPAL — September 23, 2026
The Board of Trustees, leadership, faculty, students, and staff of the Ullens Education Foundation express our profound sorrow on the passing of a visionary mentor and trusted friend of our community, Prof. Dr. Suresh Raj Sharma, at the age of 86.
While the nation remembers him as the founding Vice-Chancellor of Kathmandu University and an architect of higher education in Nepal, to the Ullens family he was a foundational presence. Our institution rests on the wisdom he generously shared during our earliest days.
In 2001, when foundation founder Som Paneru introduced philanthropist Baron Guy Ullens to Prof. Dr. Sharma, a core conviction was set in motion: that education should be approached not as a commercial venture, but as a commitment to social progress. When our founders sought to establish a child-centered, progressive learning institution of global standards, Prof. Dr. Sharma offered crucial counsel. Among his significant contributions was his encouragement and support in bringing the International Baccalaureate (IB) education to Ullens School. Embracing this vision, in 2009, Ullens School became the first school in Nepal to introduce the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and has been offering the program since.
In 2017, in recognition of his contribution and presence in our journey, we named our IBDP facility at Ullens School the Suresh Raj Building, a lasting tribute to a mentor who helped shape the education we strive to deliver.
At this moment of loss, our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. We pray for the peaceful rest of his soul, holding close the values of care, intellectual curiosity, and public service that he helped plant at the heart of our school.
Ullens Education Foundation
