Welcome to Martyr Dasharath Chand University of Health Science (MDCUHS)

Vice Chancellor’s Introduction

Prof. Dr. Sunil Kumar Joshi is the founding Vice Chancellor of Martyr Dasharath Chand University of Health Science, the first health sciences university in Nepal. He is a medical doctor with specializations in Occupational Medicine, Diabetology, and a Ph.D. in Public Health (Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion). He has attended several advanced courses in Public Health at Lund University, Sweden; Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, Germany; the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB); and Johns Hopkins University in the USA. He was awarded a prestigious Swedish Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship at the European Centre of Gender Excellence, Linköping University, Sweden.

He is the sole Occupational Physician registered with the Nepal Medical Council and the first Nepali Professor of Community Medicine at Kathmandu University. Prior to his current role, he served as Head of the Department of Community Medicine at Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu University, with extensive experience in teaching, research supervision, and international academic collaboration. He holds visiting or affiliated academic positions at leading institutions in the UK, Sweden, Nepal, and India, including the University of Oxford, UK.

Since 2006, Prof. Dr. Joshi has served as a National Consultant to the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal, contributing to national policies on occupational safety, injury prevention, and road safety. He has led and co-led major national and international research initiatives through the Nepal Injury Research Centre and NIHR-funded global health programmes.

Prof. Joshi has provided academic supervision to 36 Master’s and PhD scholars from Nepal and abroad. He has authored approximately 150 publications in peer-reviewed, indexed scientific journals and has been invited to deliver multiple keynote and plenary addresses at international scientific conferences. He is the Chief Editor and a member of the Editorial Board of several indexed health-related international journals. In recognition of his academic excellence, public health leadership, and significant contributions to occupational safety and health in Nepal and internationally, he has received numerous national and international awards and honors. His leadership at both national and global levels is further reflected through his service as President of the Society of Public Health Physicians Nepal and as a Board Member of the International Commission on Occupational Health.

Dr. Khem Raj Joshi, PhD, the Founder Registrar of Martyr Dasharath Chand University of Health Sciences (MDCUHS) Geta, Kailali, Nepal since January 2026. Dr. Joshi is an Associate Professor at the School of Health and Allied Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Pokhara University, where he has been serving since 2006. Dr. Joshi is a distinguished academic, administrator, and researcher with over two decades of experience in higher education, research, and academic leadership. He is also a Visiting Professor at Chandigarh University, Punjab, contributing to international academic collaboration.

Dr. Joshi is recognized for his expertise in medicinal plants and currently leads the Specialized Research Center of Medicinal Plants in Sudurpaschim Province, Mahendranagar, under the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), Nepal, since September 4, 2022, for a tenure of four years.

Dr. Joshi has played a pivotal role in academic governance and institutional development in Nepal. His leadership experience includes serving as Chairman of the Sudurpaschim Province Province Higher Education Policy and Province University Establishment Committee, Founder Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, First Deputy Controller, Founder Former Coordinator of the BPH Program, Senator (2015–2019 and 2025–present), and Member of the Academic Council (2015–2019) of Pokhara University. These roles reflect his strong commitment to policy formulation, academic planning, and institutional strengthening.

Academically, Dr. Joshi earned his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Japan (2011–2015) under the prestigious MEXT Scholarship of the Government of Japan. He holds a Master’s degree in Organic Chemistry from Tribhuvan University and has completed advanced international training, including MSc in Advanced Spectroscopy from Lille 1 University, France, and executive leadership training at the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, USA, through the program “Leadership for the 21st Century.”

Dr. Joshi has authored and co-authored numerous research articles and a book, participated in over 30 national and international conferences, and served as a keynote speaker at international scientific forums. His academic and leadership contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the Science and Technology Youth Award (2016) from NAST and the Nepal Bidhya Bhusan Padak–Ka (2016). Born in Lakam-2, Darchula, Dr. Joshi continues to contribute significantly to the advancement of higher education, research, and health sciences institutions in Nepal.