‘Ncell Woman ICON ICT Award 2024’ presented to Bandana Sharma

KATHMANDU: This year’s ‘Ncell Woman ICON ICT Award’ has been conferred on Bandana Sharma, recognizing her significant contributions to the field of information technology.

She received this prestigious award at the Grand Finale of the ICT Award 2024 held recently.

The Chief Minister of Karnali Province, Yamlal Kadel, and Ncell’s Corporate Communications and CSR Head, Bishakha Laxmi Khadka, jointly presented the ‘Ncell Woman ICON ICT Award 2024’ to Sharma.

Currently serving as the Head of the Cards and Digital Banking Division at Nepal Bank, Sharma also received a cash prize of Rs 300,000 along with the award.

Every year, this award is presented to a woman who has made remarkable contributions to Nepal’s ICT sector. For the past five years, the ICT Award and Ncell have been collaborating to honor women actively working in ICT and to encourage other women to pursue careers in this field. This year’s winner, Sharma, has been consistently contributing to the ICT sector for 18 years.

“I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Ncell Foundation for this recognition in the field of ICT. This award is not just an honor for my contributions; it is a tribute to every woman working to bring change through ICT and a beacon of hope for young individuals aspiring to join this field,” said Sharma.

Previous recipients of the ‘Ncell Woman ICON ICT Award’ include Sunaina Ghimire Pandey (2023), Sheela Kansakar Karki (2022), Guna Keshari Pradhan (2021), and Timila Yami (2020). In addition to this award, the Ncell Foundation has been actively working in ICT, focusing on education, bridging the digital divide, raising cybersecurity awareness, and promoting digital literacy.

“We are delighted to continue this collaboration to encourage women in ICT and recognize their contributions. Congratulations to Bandana Sharma, the winner of the ‘Ncell Woman ICON ICT Award 2024’, and to all the institutions, startups, and individuals honored with the ICT Award for their work towards digital transformation,” said Bishakha Laxmi Khadka, Head of Corporate Communications and CSR at Ncell.

This year’s winner, Sharma, began her career as an IT Support Officer at Nepal Bank in 2006. She has been instrumental in the bank’s digital transformation, contributing to core banking systems, network security, cybersecurity, and the development of customer-friendly digital services and infrastructure.

A graduate of BCA from Pokhara University, Sharma has also pursued advanced studies in IT, networking, e-business, and an MBA.

She actively shares her expertise through affiliations with the CAN Federation, Women in IT, and the Uni Professional Management Committee. Additionally, she has contributed to financial inclusion and STEAM education initiatives.