Mr. Rajendra Khatri
Senior Research Associate / Project Manager
Mr. Rajendra Khatri, is a distinguished Senior Research Associate and Project Manager at the Nepal Development Research Institute. He holds MA, Sociology from Tribhuvan University. With an impressive 15-year career in research, he has excelled in various capacities, demonstrating expertise in project management and leadership roles. Mr. Khatri has played pivotal roles as a Team Leader, Project Manager, Evaluation Coordinator, Project Coordinator, Field Coordinator and Researcher/Data Analyst across numerous projects for esteemed organizations.
Mr. Khatri's expertise spans adeptly across the effective administration of surveys, demonstrating commendable competencies, skills, and knowledge in both field and desk settings. He has already travelled 77 districts of Nepal and well acquainted with the diverse socio-cultural aspects, geographic complexity and lingual aspect of all Nepal. With a proven track record, he has successfully undertaken diverse research projects spanning multiple thematic areas such as public health, education, agriculture, food security and livelihood, gender, enterprise development, economics, social science and disasters. Throughout his career, he has accomplished various evaluations, impact assessments, database research, social research, and project assessments including baseline, midline, and end-line assessments.
Mr. Khatri has forged strong collaborations with governmental agencies in Nepal such as the National Planning Commission, Federal Ministries, Departments, Directorates, Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), provincial ministries, directorates, and various rural and urban municipalities of Nepal. His extensive experience also encompasses successful project delivery with international INGOs and Donors, which include DFID, USAID, UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNRCO, UNOPS, WHO, WFP, ILO, World Bank Groups, ICIMOD, Nepal Red Cross, American Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC), IPAS, Plan International, KOICA and Practical Action, among others.
Moreover, Mr. Khatri has actively contributed to academic research endeavors in collaboration with renowned Universities and organizations such as Yale University (USA), Kansas State university (USA) Cancer Research UK, ICHARM Japan. Likewise, he possesses extensive experience working with international consulting firms, including Japan Economic Research Institute Inc. (JERI), the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI Japan), and The Abdul Latif Jameel Action Lab (J-Pal) under the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His engagement reflects a commitment to advancing research and making substantial contributions to both local and international communities.
Presently, he serves as a Project Manager for the "Promoting Innovation and Inclusion in Growth Potential Enterprises: Evidence from Nepal" project, funded by the International Research Development Center (IDRC) Canada till 2026. The primary aim of this initiative is to discern the prevailing constraints impeding the growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nepal. This experimental research project unfolds across the seven provinces of Nepal, encompassing an extensive sample of 1200 MSMEs, as it endeavors to unravel insights crucial for fostering innovation and inclusivity in the entrepreneurial landscape.
Some of the major research and projects accomplished in recent year.
1. Promoting Innovation and inclusion in Growth Potential Enterprises: Evidence from Nepal (2023 -2026), funded by IDRC Canada, (Project Manager).
2. Quantitative and Qualitative study for the Data Must Speak Positive Deviance Research (April – October 2023), funded by UNICEF Global Innocenti, (Project Coordinator).
3. To conduct Baseline and Endline study on Mental Health in Karnali Province (April – March 2024), funded by UNICEF, (Team leader).
4. Agricultural Economic Survey (March – June 2023), funded by Japan Economic Research Institute (JERI), (Team Leader).
5. Household and Village Survey of Indigenous Groups in South and Southeast Asia. (Sep. 2022 – March 2023), funded by Asian Development Bank Institute, Japan (Team Leader).
6. Ed-Tech Readiness Index (ETRI) (June 2022 – August 2022), World Bank, (Team Leader).
7. Ensuring Business Innovation Fundamentals: Exploring Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) of Nepal. (2021-), funded by IDRC Canada, (Field coordinator).
8. Impact study of Early Warning system in Karnali and Mahakali Basin (March 2022 – May 2022), funded by Practical Action, (Team Leader)
9. Post Distribution Monitoring Survey (Feb 2022 – April 2022), funded by IFRC, (Team Leader)
10. A study on Mental Health of school going children in Nepal. (March 2021 to June 2021), Funded by World Bank, (Team Leader).
11. End line assessment of the project regarding effectiveness of community participation in promoting accountability in health services delivery and increasing abortion related awareness. (Oct 2020 – Dec.2020), funded by IPAS Nepal, (Evaluation Coordinator)
12. Nepal living Standard Survey IV 2021/22 (NLSS - IV) (2019), funded by World Bank and technical support by Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). (Field Coordinator).
Publication:
1. Bhattarai, R. K. et al, (2022). Transforming Indigenous Knowledge and Skills for Achieving Sustainable Business: Evidence from MSMEs in Nepal. Proceedings of the International Research Conference of the SLTC Research University, Sri Lanka 2022. Proceedings of the International Research Conference of the SLTC Research University, Sri Lanka 2022
http://repo.sltc.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/1/268/30%20Bhattarai%20et%20al%20IRC2022%20_%20SLTC_%20Research%20University_Proceedings.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
http://repo.sltc.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/1/268/30%20Bhattarai%20et%20al%20IRC2022%20_%20SLTC_%20Research%20University_Proceedings.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
2. Toward Effective Early Warning System: Impact and Lessons from Nepal and Peru, Project Report. (Acknowledgement)
https://infohub.practicalaction.org/bitstream/handle/11283/622985/EWS_Impact%20and%20lessons%20from%20Nepal%20and%20Peru_07092023.pdf?sequence=9&isAllowed=y&_gl=1*13u4vpv*_gcl_au*NTE4MjgyODU5LjE2OTcwMDU0MTQ.*_ga*MTY5Njc1OTI2NS4xNjk3MDA1NDE0*_ga_KEV5KYD4JS*MTY5NzAwNTQxNC4xLjAuMTY5NzAwNTQxNC42MC4wLjA.*_ga_ZWCVDFFX4W*MTY5NzAwNTQxNC4xLjAuMTY5NzAwNTQxNC42MC4wLjA.
3. Bhattarai R.K., Shrestha N., Bajimaya S., Khatri R., Mulmi R.S. & Shrestha S. (2023). “Ensuring business innovation fundamentals: exploring equity, diversity and inclusion in small and medium sized enterprises (MSMES) of Nepal”. Available on
https://idl-bnc-idrc.dspacedirect.org/bitstream/handle/10625/61869/2023-01-23_IDRC-EI-Report_Jan%2023.pdf?sequence=1
