Ajaya Babu Shiwakoti

Ajaya Babu Shiwakoti
अजयबाबु शिवाकोटी
Born
Dolakha, Nepal
NationalityNepali
Alma materPurbanchal University (M.A.)
Political partyNepali Congress

Ajaya Babu Shiwakoti (Nepali: अजयबाबु शिवाकोटी) is a Nepali journalist and politician. He is the editor-in-chief of the online news portal Hamrakura and a Central Committee Member of the Nepali Congress party.[1][2]

Early life and education

Shiwakoti hails from Dolakha District in eastern Nepal.[3] He completed a master's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism (MA-MCJ) from Purbanchal University.[4]

Career

Journalism

Shiwakoti is the founder and editor-in-chief of Hamrakura, an online news outlet established in 2010.[5] In September 2019, Hamrakura published an exclusive report and interview with a Parliament Secretariat employee alleging rape by Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara, following which Mahara resigned and a formal complaint was lodged.[6][7][8]

In February 2020, Hamrakura linked a leaked audio recording to then–communications minister Gokul Prasad Baskota, allegedly negotiating a multimillion-rupee bribe connected to security-printing procurement; Baskota resigned the next day. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reported that Shiwakoti was threatened and placed under surveillance following his reporting.[9]

Shiwakoti has also served as general secretary of the Nepal Press Union, where he advocated for journalists’ safety and media freedom.[10][11]

Politics

Shiwakoti is an active member of the Nepali Congress and serves on its Central Working Committee (CWC) having been elected with 1,811 votes in the 14th General Convention. He has been active in party affairs, calling for timely conventions and stronger internal governance.[12]

In May 2023, Shiwakoti, along with other Congress leaders, pressed the party leadership under Sher Bahadur Deuba to hold a policy convention by mid-September, arguing that the party's credibility required adherence to its internal calendar.[13] Again in August 2024, Shiwakoti joined a faction of Congress leaders demanding that the party leadership organize its General Convention on schedule, warning that delays could weaken both party unity and public trust.[14] He is politically based in Dolakha District, where he has been involved in local party affairs. In the run-up to the 2022 provincial elections, his name was discussed during disputes over the Nepali Congress ticket allocation in Dolakha “Kha” constituency.[15]

Beyond intra-party matters, Shiwakoti has spoken on wider public policy. In January 2025, he called on the government to provide free COVID-19 testing services and criticized barriers to public services tied to vaccination card requirements, arguing that such policies disproportionately harmed ordinary citizens.[16]

Awards

  • Loktantra ra Patrakarita Puraskar (Democracy and Journalism Award), Tej Tirtha Trust (May 2020).[17]
  • Basu Rotary Vocational Good Governance Award (Rotary International District 3292, February 2021) for investigative reporting.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ Pradhan, Tika R. (31 May 2023). "Congress leaders press party to hold policy convention by mid-September". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  2. ^ Post Report (12 August 2024). "Congress' rival faction presses Deuba for timely general convention". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  3. ^ "NC ticket issue in Dolakha Kha unsettled". Nepal News. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Three MA MCJ graduates from KCC has been awarded for their journalistic contributions by Rotary International". Kantipur City College. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  5. ^ "About Hamrakura". Hamrakura.com. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  6. ^ Post Report (4 October 2019). "Journalists' group demands action against those issuing threats to journalist Shiwakoti". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Journo who broke 'rape news' gets threats". The Himalayan Times. 4 October 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  8. ^ "Nepal: Journalist and union leader threatened for reporting". International Federation of Journalists. 4 October 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  9. ^ "Nepal: Journalist threatened for reporting bribe-negotiation". International Federation of Journalists. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  10. ^ "Press freedom at risk with new Criminal Code restrictions". CIVICUS Monitor. 16 October 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Nepal Joint Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review (2020)" (PDF). CIVICUS. 23 July 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  12. ^ "NC ticket issue in Dolakha Kha unsettled". Nepal News. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  13. ^ Pradhan, Tika R. (31 May 2023). "Congress leaders press party to hold policy convention by mid-September". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  14. ^ "Congress' rival faction presses Deuba for timely general convention". The Kathmandu Post. 12 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  15. ^ "NC ticket issue in Dolakha Kha unsettled". Nepal News. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  16. ^ "NC CWC member Siwakoti demands govt provide free of cost COVID-19 test service to people". Republica. 23 January 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  17. ^ ""Democracy and Journalism Award" to Ajaya Babu Siwakoti". Republica. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  18. ^ "Journalists duo Siwakoti and Rijal conferred Basu Rotary Good Governance Award". Republica. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
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