Nepal Infrastructure 
Job seeker to job provider in the US
Until 18 years ago, Purna Kharel’s identity in United States was limited as a student. After working for a company for 12 years, Kharel opened his own business that has been employing a significant number of American professionals for the last six years. He attributed his impressive business progress in the land of opportunity to his foresightedness and able leadership. However, his days of struggle still exist even though years have passed since he left Karnali for Kathmandu and eventually the US.
The dream he saw and the steps he took are also important to drive his business. He is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of K&A Consulting Company, which employs a total of 400 people- 60 based in Nepal and 340 in the United States. Out of 340, only 15 are Nepali in the US and the rest are Americans. He is leading a company that has offered job opportunities to skilled people in the United States. “Most of my staff are skilled workers. I have crafted a plan to increase the number of employees to 600 within the next year,” he said.
Out of 340, only 15 are Nepali and the rest are Americans. He is leading a company that has offered job opportunities to skilled people in the United States. He has put forward a plan to increase the number of employees to 600 within the next year.
His company is specialized in substation, transmission, and distribution engineering.
However, transmission planning and system studies, including power generation service and project management, procurement assistance, contract management, financial services, and technical solutions are also major areas of work of his firm. A study conducted by Inc. Management of the United States on the company’s three-year financial turnover has declared that the fastest growth of the company will make it the best in the field of engineering in the US.
According to the magazine’s study, the company was the first in the engineering sector to grow at 3,166 percent putting itself at 126th out of 5,000 companies in the same field in the United States.
He is among the rare lucky ones who became successful in business after quitting jobs.
” Ninety-seven percent of those who set up a company in the United States fail and are forced to seek for a job. But luckily, I never faced such a situation,” he said with pride.
The company, which started with four people in 2016, now employs a total of 400 people in six places in the United States and one place in Nepal. However, his company is not stopping to grow.
He is planning to expand his business with the target of becoming a well-known company with job opportunities for more than 5000 people.
From Chhinchu in Surkhet to Colorado in the United States
Born in Chhinchu, a small village of Surkhet, Kharel, 46, came to Kathmandu for higher education after passing the SLC from Jeevan Jyoti Higher Secondary School, which was 45- minute walk distance from his home.
He passed I.SC from Amrit Science College in 2049 BS and went to the Institute of Engineering for further studies. “Fifteen hundred people had taken the entrance exam. I was wondering whether I would be among the 96 or not. I was selected. I chose electrical engineering,” he said, recalling the early days of his bachelor’s degree.
After working in Nepal for two years following the completion of his bachelor’s degree, he went to the United States where he completed his master’s degree in electric systems. He started working there after his master’s degree.
6 years journey after becoming owner from job
Kharel’s nature was to do something even while living in Nepal. Shortly after graduating in 2000, he joined a solar company as a part-time worker. He then set up a hydropower company partnering with two other friends. The company, which had set up 10 plants in two years, had already become well-known in Nepal. However, he went to the United States for higher education in 2002.
After graduating, he got a job as a high voltage substation design engineer in 2005 at a company called Black & Witch in the United States. After working there for five years, he worked as a director of operations at CHTUM Hill, which was the number one engineering company with employment opportunities for more than 10,000 people.
A study conducted by Inc. Management of the United States on the company’s three-year financial turnover has declared that the fastest growth of the company will make it the best in the field of engineering in the US.
While working, he often thought of doing something for himself. After working for 12 years, he decided to open a company at any cost. With a capital of USD 1.5 million dollars, he started a K&A consulting company.
5,000 jobs within 5 years
He is planning to open a branch in Chicago in July to add to the already operational seven branches in the USA. He planning to increase employees to 100 in Nepal and bring the number to 800 in USA. ” I have a big dream but want to start from small things. I want to make Nepal the center of my business, from where I can work for the whole world,” he said, adding that he plans to build a vibrant company in the world market within the next five years by expanding branches in many countries and offering jobs to more than 5000 people, with millions of dollars of new investment ” Kharel said.
English alphabet in fourth grade
Unlike in modern English boarding schools, he learned the English alphabet in only grade four. He had to struggle to improve his English proficiency at the intermediate and bachelor level. However, his English language skills significantly enhanced after working in the US for 12 years.
Now, I can communicate in English with foreigners comfortably which has greatly supported my business expansion” he further said adding that he can easily share ideas and provide leadership in the process of business.
A young enthusiast from remote Karnali Province, he became a highflier in his business journey with his leadership skills in the field of power engineering in the US.
“Even though I was born in a gloomy situation, I never felt small, I moved forward with a big ambition. I never give up hope and continued to work,” he said.
In the US, a company with 1,500 to 2,000 employees is considered small. Although now his company is categorized as small, it is going to provide job opportunities to more than 5,000 people in the next three to five years and turn into a big company. “A company that started with one person has already leap frogged. It is not enough. It has yet to grow into a bigger company,” he said.
Dream after reaching America
Many peoples study computers after arriving in the United States, but I opted for electrical engineering. When Kharel reached the United States from Nepal, his plan was to return to Nepal after finishing his studies and work in the field of hydropower. However, he changed his mind and decided to continue his stay in the US. Since there were few people studying electricity in the United States at that time, he got a job immediately.
“After arriving in the United States, the scope of my dreams and plans became wider, and my profile changed a lot. Now I have the courage to take the company to more countries,” he says.
Besides, regular business, he is actively involved in social work through his company. Recently, he had also donated Rs 7 lakh to Samata School. He said that in the future, he wants to support in commissioning research and promoting entrepreneurship.
He said that he has set up a company online without ever seeing a registration body. He is worried about the need to queue up and spend hours for getting the company registered in Nepal. Not satisfied with the existing laws including Public Procurement Act, he suggests that the government simplify the business process by making existing legal provisions friendly for business. “What we want from the government, is to create an investment-friendly environment for business people,” said he.
