Bridging Business and Social Work

  5 min 19 sec to read

 
“Following your passion, knowing both your strengths and weaknesses and having patience is the key to success,” says Rajan Lamsal, Managing Director of Aayam Intercontinental, Authorized Distributor of Force Motors for Nepal. Lamsal, who is also the past Council Chairperson of Lions Club, has lived his life making a perfect balance between his career and social service. 
 
--By Sujan tiwari
 
Rajan Lamsal established Aayam Intercontinental in September this year after working for years in tourism sector and holding many jobs. He started his career by working as an accountant in Island Jungle Resort of Chitwan after finishing his graduation. “I liked working in the tourism industry. I worked there for 15 years, and later became Finance and Admin Manager. He left the job in 2001, and opened a travel agency in partnership with a friend.  Lamsal also ran a manpower company once, and later sold it. Just a few years ago, he made a friend in Lions Club who was into automobile business, and with his help, he entered into the business of automobile.  Lamsal is also the Director of Bridgewater College. 
 
Early Life
Lamsal was born in 2026 BS in Jyagdikhola of Syangja to Padam Lamsal and Pushpa Lamsal. He went to Janaypriya Secondary School of Syangja till 7th grade. His father was a construction contractor and used to work in Butwal. He stayed in Butwal after that, and came to Kathmandu after his SLC. He did his Intermediate from Peoples Campus and Bachelors in Commerce from Shankar Dev Campus. “I was a diligent student and did very well in school. I was the topper in second year of my Intermediate too,” recalls Lamsal. His father wanted him to be an engineer, but Lamsal didn’t have any concrete aim as a youth. 
 
 
Philanthropy
“I always wanted to work for social causes, and in the process, I got associated with Lions Club in 1997. I was a passive member for the first few years, but later I was actively involved in the activities of Lions Club,” says Lamsal. Lamsal became the Vice Governor in 2009, District Governor in 2010 and finally Council Chairperson of Lions Club in 2011. 
 
Lamsal says he very much enjoyed his association with Lions Club. “Apart from helping the society, I got the opportunity to travel to almost all the places of Nepal. The greatest thing that I received from social work is the satisfaction,” says he. Lamsal was actively involved in Lions Clubs Blindness Prevention Programme. Under his leadership, Lions Club conducted free cataract operation of 25,000 people in a year throughout Nepal. Lamsal was the Chairman of many such programmes. Lamsal says he constructed a retirement home for senior citizens in Lamjung under his leadership.
 
According to Lamsal, his association with Lions Club has also helped him in his personal and professional life. “Before being associated with Lions Club, I was very much scared of speaking in Public. While in Lions Club, I had to publicly speak at many occasions, so I slowly started to feel comfortable,” recalls Lamsal. In 2005, he was selected for an Advanced Leadership Training in Tunisia. “After attending that training, I was looking for occasions to speak publicly. I felt more confident and easy. This is just an instance where Lions Club has helped me in my life,” says he. Lamsal has also given numerous trainings on public speaking. He says that apart from leadership, he learnt skills like team formation, communication, coordination and other skills from his time in Lions Club.  
 
 
Personal side
Lamsal is married to Indu Lamsal, and the couple has two sons Roshan and Rupak. Despite his busy schedule, Lamsal says he can still manage to find time for his family. “I like to travel whenever free, and have been to about 18 countries. I usually go to a foreign country once a year,” says he.  
 
On a normal day, Lamsal gets up at 5:30 and goes for morning walk. Then he drinks his tea and reads newspapers. After breakfast, he arrives to his office at around 9:45. He works in office all day, and his evenings are spent in meetings of Lions Club and other social associations. Lamsal is also the Founder President and Advisor of a social organization named ‘Helping Hands for Social Development’ for supporting the place where he was born. Through the organization, Lamsal and his friends have constructed roads, a library and other infrastructures in Syangja. The organization is also constructing a hospital in the area which will be operational very soon.   
 
Philosophies 
“I can say that I have spent more wealth in social work than I have accumulated for myself, and it gives me immense pleasure. I believe we all have a responsibility to uplift out society and country,” says Lamsal. According to him, people always go around saying what the country, society and family has given them. “On the contrary, I look at what I have given to my family, community and to the country. The greatest satisfaction comes to me by fulfilling my responsibility in all areas,” says he.  
 
According to Lamsal, the most important thing for him is his family and profession, and then comes society. “I am more of a social worker than a businessman. But I have realized that to help other, I too have to be financially sound. If I cannot help myself, I cannot help others,” say he.

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