This is me, Shreyas.

When I first arrived in Boston from Nepal in 2018,

I didn’t know a single Nepali student. No mentors. No community to grow within.

Meanwhile, I watched my friends from other diaspora communities thrive inside structured ecosystems that supported their growth, opened doors, and created belonging.

I always wondered why we, as Nepalis, didn’t have that.

Here’s actually a picture I found from back then…

Anyways. In Nov 2024, after graduating and starting my career, I tried creating what I once wished existed to give back to the community.

A space for Nepali students from different universities in Boston to meet, and grow together.

What started as one small mixer (check out the pic above!) in Boston formalized into NSA Boston, an organization hosting mixers, panels, hackathons, concert collaborations, and more.

Within 10 months, we had organized over 18 events, reaching more than 1,500 Nepalis across the U.S.

What began as one student mixer turned into a movement that started impacting lives.

• 100+ members mentored by professionals from Google, Amazon, McKinsey, and more.
• 200+ members gained real-world leadership experience through our programs.
• 1,500+ Nepalis across 47 states built new networks and lasting friendships through our community.
• And many have already secured internships and jobs through connections made in our programs.

You can hear their stories in their own words on our Testimonial Page, where members share both written and video experiences.

Now… remember that wedding story I mentioned earlier?

Let me tell you how it all came together.

I was at my cousin’s wedding here in Massachusetts.

Family and friends had flown in from across the country. Between the celebrations and late-night conversations, a family member who lived out of state turned to me and said,

“What you’ve created in Boston is incredible. I just wish we had something like that where we live. We have plenty of cultural events and parties, but nothing that helps us grow professionally.”

That line stayed with me because…

Through NSA Boston, we’d done it all… social events, cultural showcases, concert promotions, professional gatherings, and more.

But that night made me realize something deeper: people weren’t craving more events.

They were craving a space to talk about ambition, leadership, and growth. Conversations we rarely have in our community.

So after that night, we decided to go all in on what truly mattered.

To stop being “just another student or cultural org” and start building a structured platform with purpose.

That shift became the Nepali Leaders Network.