Sarita Pariyar Profile

Founding Chairperson of JFP Board of Directors. Sarita Pariyar serves as the Founding Chairperson on the Board of Directors at Just Futures Pahal (JFP). In addition to her leadership at JFP, Sarita is a dedicated student, writer, and activist, focusing on exploring the lived experiences and narratives of Dalit women, as well as engaging in broader debates on race, gender, sexuality, and class on a global scale to critically address caste questions in Nepal and beyond. She is also the founding convener of the international Darnal Award for Social Justice and has played a critical role in shaping the core principles and focus of the Just Futures Initiative, which was initially established at the Samata Foundation.

Drawing on her experiences of caste-based indignities and discriminations, both as a Dalit girl in rural setting and as a writer based in urban Kathmandu, Sarita’s writings and public engagements, delivered in both Nepali and English, delve into the intricate intersections of caste, gender, and sexuality. Her work has been featured in respected publications such as the Kathmandu Post, the Record, Guernica magazine, and the peer-reviewed journal Caste -A Journal on Social Exclusion from Brandeis University. In 2022, Sarita authored a children’s book titled “Utsukta,” addressing caste issues with illustrations by Rupak Raj Sunuwar. Published by Srijanalya in collaboration with the Asia Foundation’s Let’s Read Initiative, the book creatively and critically reflects Sarita’s commitment to fostering dialogue and learning on caste and social justice issues.

With a Master’s degree in Sociology and Bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and English Literature from Tribhuvan University, Sarita has enhanced her academic foundation through programs such as the prestigious Draper Hills Summer Fellows on Democracy and Development at Stanford University, as well as specialized courses at Columbia University, Drexel University, and The New School. Currently a Fulbright graduate Fellow in the Asian Studies Program at Cornell University, Ithaca, Sarita is dedicated to exploring the significance of Dalit women’s agency and lived experiences in interrogating the politics of knowledge and power to address equal dignity, justice, equity, democracy, and just futures for all.

In addition to her roles at JFP and the Samata Foundation, Sarita serves on the Boards of the Madhesh Foundation and Accountability Lab in Nepal. Her strategic guidance at JFP and her efforts to address governance challenges at the Samata Foundation demonstrate her commitment to positive change within institutional frameworks and elevating critical debates on caste-related issues.