Some turning points don’t arrive with fireworks.

They arrive quietly — like a new river line appearing around a bend… and suddenly everything changes.

After two years working as a trainee river guide with Osprey Waterways (1992–1994), Nim’s journey continued with a company called West Himalayan Outdoors. At the time, he was already gaining confidence as a raft guide, learning the rhythms of the river and the responsibility that comes with leading people through whitewater water.

It was during this chapter that Nim discovered kayaking — and fell in love with it.

Not just the sport, but the feeling.

Because kayaking wasn’t only about guiding others down the river… it was about learning to move with the river in a completely different way. It demanded more attention, more patience, more skill — and it opened a door to a new kind of freedom on the water.

During those early days, Nim was learning under Prem Lama, his boss at the time, who also became his first kayaking instructor.

That one discovery helped shape the direction of his life.

A Different Kind of River Story

Rafting taught Nim teamwork, leadership, and how to carry the safety of others in his hands.

Kayaking taught him something else:

Precision. Commitment. Curiosity.

It wasn’t the easy route — and maybe that was exactly why it pulled him in.

From that point on, the river wasn’t only a workplace.

It became a lifelong teacher.

The Beginning of a New Obsession

In the years that followed, kayaking would become a major part of Nim’s identity — shaping his future as a competitor, a coach, an instructor, and eventually as the founder of Paddle Nepal.

This is where Nim’s story began to evolve.

Not with medals.
Not with sponsors.
Not with big announcements.

Just a guide who tried a kayak… and couldn’t stop thinking about it afterwards.

Looking back from 2026

As Paddle Nepal steps into its 20th year, we’ve been looking back on these early chapters with deep gratitude — and a little nostalgia too.

Because this is where it began: a young guide on the Trisuli River, discovering a new craft… and a new obsession.

(To be continued…)

Next week, we’ll share how kayaking pulled Nim deeper into the river world — and toward the people and opportunities that would shape everything that came next… long before Paddle Nepal was even on the horizon.

This reflection is part of Paddle Nepal’s 20-year journey on Nepal’s rivers.