About Divya

Divya Pant grew up in Jhalari, a small farming village in the Kanchanpur district of far-western Nepal. In a community where women sustained the agricultural backbone yet rarely received credit, Divya witnessed the invisible labor that kept families and fields alive. Her mother, a farmer herself, fought against cultural barriers to ensure her daughter received an education, a decision that would change the trajectory of both their lives.

"The face front would be a man, but I would be the hand that is doing all the work," Divya recalls of the gender dynamics she observed growing up. This firsthand understanding of agricultural inequity became the foundation for everything that followed: a career devoted to climate-resilient agriculture, women's empowerment, and bridging the gap between science and the communities it serves.

After completing her undergraduate studies, Divya was accepted into Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, arriving in State College, Pennsylvania to pursue graduate studies. The transition from Jhalari to an American research university was profound, but Divya brought with her an unwavering connection to the farmers and landscapes that shaped her worldview.