Tenzing Gurung obituary: A legacy of business and benevolence

Tenzing Gurung was born in 1945 in Ngawal, Manang. A few months after his birth, his mother took him to Shillong, India, where his dark, sunburned complexion earned him the affectionate nickname “Kalu” among the Nepali diaspora—a name that stayed with him throughout his life.

At the age of 11, in 1956, Tenzing lost his father, who passed away in Brunei. This marked the beginning of his journey into the business world. From Manang, he traded herbs, Tibetan Mastiffs, and yak tails in Kathmandu. The proceeds were used to purchase Nepalese handicrafts, which he sold in Calcutta at a handsome profit. With these earnings, he bought Burmese precious stones, which he sold in markets across Asia, including Singapore and Hong Kong. By the late 1960s, Gurung and his friends from Manang even ventured to Vietnam, selling goods to American GIs during the Vietnam War.

In 1965, King Mahendra’s decree allowed Nepali citizens to obtain passports, with the people of Manang being among the first to receive them. Along with the passports came trading privileges, including tax benefits. By the late 1970s, many popular products in today’s Nepali market—such as jeans, Wai Wai, chocolates, and pharmaceuticals—were initially introduced by the enterprising Manange traders. Their knack for identifying arbitrage opportunities set them apart from other businessmen in Nepal. However, due to their limited education and understanding of global business operations, larger, more educated business houses took over the agencies for these products, turning them into major revenue-generating ventures.

Recognizing education as a key to remaining competitive, Gurung founded Kathmandu Valley School in Maharajgunj in 1986. It was the first private school in Kathmandu owned by a member of the Himalayan Buddhist community and among the first to recruit teachers from Darjeeling. The school continues to award scholarships to around 300 students annually, primarily from Manang and the upper Himalayan regions. To date, the school has provided over 10,000 scholarships to deserving students, many of whom would not have been able to afford an education without Tenzing’s support.

Gurung’s contributions extended beyond education. He funded the construction of numerous monasteries across Nepal, which currently house thousands of monks. In 1978, he built his first home in Thamel, which was later converted into Ngawal View Guest House in 1984, one of the oldest hotels in the area. He also co-founded ventures like Nepal Colour Lab in Thamel, the Janakpur and Lalitpur Brick Factories, and Experience Travel and Tours, which was one of Kathmandu’s largest travel companies until the early 2000s.

Gurung was also among the pioneers of today’s land development and plotting industry where he developed and sold hundreds of ropanis of land in Kathmandu since the 1980s.

His philanthropic efforts were vast and impactful. He helped hundreds of prisoners by posting bail for those unable to afford it, allowing them to regain their freedom. He also provided financial assistance to economically disadvantaged individuals from Manang and Mustang, covering their visa and travel expenses and securing employment opportunities abroad. Many who benefited from his generosity are now well-settled in foreign countries.

By 2005, Tenzing had retired from business and dedicated his time to his family and the Manang community in Kathmandu. His health began to decline in 2015, requiring frequent medical trips to hospitals in Kathmandu and Delhi. Gurung, 80, passed away at 5 am on Saturday, Dec 28, at HAMS Hospital.

He is survived by his wife, Yanki Dolma (Sunar), his children; Tashi, Sonam Wangma, Karma Tenzing and Mukhiya; and his grandchildren; Samdup, Sangay, Tenzing Dolma, Rewa Tsomo, Jordan, Nurpa, Yonten and Kunsang.

Tenzing Gurung

Birth: 1945, Manang

Death: 28 Dec 2024, Kathmandu