The official website of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers lists 71 secretaries and high-ranking officials in the Nepal government. Among them, Sarita Dawadi is ranked 15th when this article was written.
Dawadi is the youngest secretary among those currently serving. Moreover, she holds the record for becoming the youngest secretary in Nepal’s history from the engineering sector. According to former secretary and current Public Service Commission member Madhav Belbase, “Sarita is the first administrator from the technical field to enter government service as an undersecretary through open competition and become a secretary at such a young age.”
A graduate of Pulchowk Engineering Campus with a master’s degree in civil engineering (environmental engineering), Dawadi became a joint secretary at 31 and a secretary at 42. She joined government service as an undersecretary at 28.
Since March 2024, she has been leading Nepal’s Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, overseeing the Water Resources and Irrigation Department. She manages the ministry’s budget of approximately Rs 30–32 billion.
A career path that took an unexpected turn
Initially, Dawadi had no interest in becoming a civil servant. She planned to pursue an academic career and started as a teaching assistant at Thapathali Engineering Campus in 2004. However, she later had to reconsider her career path when the Public Service Commission exams for permanent university positions were delayed. She took the undersecretary exam, passed on her first attempt, and joined government service.
“I never intended to be a government official—I wanted to build my career in academia,” Dawadi said. “But circumstances led me here.” Interestingly, her name, “Sarita,” which means “river,” aligns with her career in water resource management.
Dawadi started her civil service career at the then Ministry of Irrigation and has remained in the same sector. She has played a key role in policy formulation, planning, and implementation of projects in water resources and irrigation.
Rising through the ranks
Born on July 13, 1981, in Bichaur, Lamjung, Dawadi excelled in academics from an early age. She completed her schooling at Bal Mandir and Narayani Secondary School in Chitwan, passing her SLC with 75% marks.
After high school, she chose to study science, taking both biology and mathematics to keep her career options open. Encouraged by her uncle, a high school English teacher, she pursued her studies at Birendra Multiple Campus in Bharatpur.
Dawadi then cleared the entrance exam for Pulchowk Engineering Campus and opted for civil engineering, defying her father’s suggestion to study architecture. She completed her bachelor’s degree with distinction in 2003 at the age of 22.
Following graduation, she worked at a private consultancy and later taught at Thapathali Engineering Campus for nearly five years while pursuing her master’s degree. In 2007, she completed her postgraduate studies with distinction.
When she sought job stability, she passed the Public Service Commission exam on her first attempt and was appointed undersecretary.
Breaking barriers in civil service
Dawadi’s government career remained centered on the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation. Though she had academic experience, she had no prior exposure to civil service work. Many doubted her capabilities, but she remained determined. Her husband, Suraj Lamichhane, an engineer, supported her throughout her career.
As one of the few female engineers in the irrigation sector, she faced skepticism from senior officials who hesitated to entrust her with responsibilities. However, she proved her abilities by successfully leading environmental studies for the Ranijamara-Kulariya Irrigation Project.
Over time, she took on increasingly significant roles, including project manager of an Asian Development Bank-funded irrigation project, deputy director-general of the Department of Irrigation, and director-general of the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation in 2019—the first woman to hold the post.
After serving as the executive director of the Water Resources Research and Development Center for two years, she was promoted to secretary in December 2023. Initially assigned to the Water and Energy Commission, she later took charge of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation.
For her contributions to civil service, the Nepal Engineers’ Association honoured her with the “Excellence in Public Service Award,” making her the first female engineer to receive the accolade.
Advancing innovation in water resource management
As head of the Water Resources Research and Development Center, Dawadi introduced new technologies in irrigation and river training. She pioneered the use of the “SCADA” system in Nepal’s irrigation projects, enabling automated water distribution based on real-time data.
She also initiated the use of “fabric form concrete mattresses” for river embankments, replacing traditional stone-filled gabion walls. This method was first successfully implemented in Chitwan’s Sauraha and later in the Tinau River.
Under her leadership, Nepal updated its irrigation sector cost estimation norms for the first time since 1984. This was crucial for incorporating advanced technologies, such as tunnel boring machines (TBMs) for water tunnels, into cost assessments.
“As we adopt modern technologies in water resources and irrigation, we need updated estimation norms to ensure smooth implementation,” Dawadi said. “This revision is a significant step forward for the sector.”
