Mr. Hari Prasad Odari

Director - Information And Poverty Alleviation (IPA)

Mr. Hari Prasad Odari joined SAARC Secretariat on 15 April 2024 as Director (Information and Poverty Alleviation).

Mr. Odari is a career diplomat who belongs to Nepal’s Foreign Service. He has served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Nepal and Nepali Missions abroad in various capacities. He was Private Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs from April 2023 to March 2024, and managed the secretariat of the Foreign Minister in that capacity. Prior to that, he was Under Secretary responsible for Europe-Americas affairs in the Ministry from March 2021 to March 2023.

Mr. Odari worked as Counsellor (political) at the Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi from January 2017 to February 2021, which was preceded by his assignment as Desk Officer (India) in the Ministry from February 2014 to January 2017. He also served as Second Secretary in Nepal’s Permanent Mission in Geneva from February 2010 to January 2014. In 2013, he coordinated at the expert level the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Consultative Group in the World Trade Organization, when the important ‘Bali Package’ was negotiated.

Prior to joining the Foreign Service in 2009, Mr. Odari was a teacher of English.  

He has Master’s Degrees in English and Public Administration, and Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. He attended different courses and trainings in diplomacy and international affairs that include Comprehensive Security Cooperation Course in the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Hawaii (February/March 2022); Course for South Asian diplomats on contemporary political and security issues in ANU Canberra (August/September 2015); Programme on key world trade issues in Indian Institute of Foreign Trade New Delhi (March 2015); and Course on nuclear non-proliferation regimes in Vienna (February 2012).

Mr. Odari is married to Ms. Chandra Prasai and they have a son Agreem.