Sarita Pariyar Profile

Sarita Pariyar serves as the Founding Chairperson of the Board of Directors at Just Futures Pahal (JFP). In addition to her leadership at JFP, Sarita is a dedicated student, writer, and activist. Her work focuses on exploring the lived experiences and narratives of Dalit women while also engaging in broader global debates on race, gender, sexuality, and class 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 pivotal 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 indignities and discrimination—both as a Dalit girl in a 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 appeared in respected publications such as The Kathmandu Post, The Record, Guernica magazine, and Caste: A Global Journal on Social Exclusion, published by Brandeis University. In 2022, Sarita authored a children’s book titled Utsukta, which addresses caste issues with illustrations by Rupak Raj Sunuwar. Published by Srijanalaya 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, focusing on young adults. 

Sarita holds a master’s degree in Sociology and bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and English Literature from Tribhuvan University. She has further strengthened her academic foundation through programs such as the prestigious Draper Hills Summer Fellows on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at Stanford University, as well as specialized courses at Columbia University, Drexel University, and The New School. As a Fulbright graduate fellow, she successfully completed a two-year master’s program in Asian Studies at Cornell University and has been admitted to the prestigious Ph.D. program in Asian Literature, Religion, and Culture (ALRC) at Cornell for Fall 2025. She is committed to exploring the significance of Dalit women’s capabilities and lived experiences in interrogating the politics of knowledge and power to promote 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 Nepal. Her strategic guidance at JFP and her efforts to address governance challenges at the Samata Foundation reflect her deep commitment to driving positive institutional change and elevating critical debates on caste-related issues.