Smrittee Kala Panta

KU-staff
Assistant Professor,
School of Management
Harisiddhi, Lalitpur
9801858148
smrittee.panta@kusom.edu.np
Bio
Research
Honors and Awards
Other Position
Biography

Dr Panta is an Assistant Professor and subject committee member of hospitality management programs at KUSOM. She holds a PhD from the department of Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management at University of Florida, USA and an MS in Development and Sustainability from the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. She has been serving in executive boards of various profit and non-profit organizations in Nepal. With over 15 years of experience in academia, research, and development, she has led hospitality management programs, contributed to various research projects on GESI, women’s empowerment and digital entrepreneurship, and published in reputed journals. Her area of expertise are tourism and the SDGs, tourism and hospitality program curriculum development, agri-entrepreneurship, and participatory action research. She believes in life-long learning and is a strong advocate for applied academic research that can develop inclusive sustainable business ecosystem in Nepal.

Honors and Awards

2025 Best paper presentation award, OTS Academy, Oxford, UK

2017 Tropical Conservation and Development Conference Travel Award, University of Florida

2016 Tropical Conservation and Development Field Research Grant Award, University of Florida

2016 International Honorary for Leaders in University Apartment Communities, Department of Housing & Residence Education, University of Florida

2013 Certificate of outstanding academic achievement, International Center, University of Florida

2013-2017 Graduate School Fellowship, University of Florida

2011 The Alastair M. North Prize, Certificate of outstanding academic achievement, Asian Institute of Technology

2009-2011 Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Scholarship, Asian Institute of Technology

2004-2008 Free ship of Merit, Tribhuvan University

Research

Tourism for inclusive development, Experiential learning, Social entrepreneurship, social-ecological system resilience

Other Position

Subject Committee Member for BHM/BPH/BHTM: Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM), Balkumari, Lalitpur, Nepal

subject expert: Diploma program in hospitality management at CTEVT

Member: National Young Academy Nepal (NaYAN), Kathmandu, Nepal

Board Member: Samriddhi Agriculture Research & Development Pvt. Ltd., Lalitpur, Nepal

Proxy Secretary: 2024-2025, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter, Kathmandu, Nepal

Expert Director, MUNNA Krishi Limited, Lalitpur Nepal: 2023-2024, MUNNA Krishi Limited, Lalitpur Nepal