Dr. Manita Rajkarnikar
”Humanitarian deeds are invaluable”
Dr Manita Rajkarnikar, Medical Director of the Health Service Department of Nepal Red Cross Society, has great experience from the medical field. Joining the Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) she found the purpose and meaning that she was looking for. Here she shares the story of her journey to leadership and what she has learned along the way.
Dr. Manita Rajkarnikar

“I started out as a licensed and practicing doctor at private as well as government hospitals. By joining the Red Cross Society, I was given the platform and opportunity to leave the comfort of the hospital building and travel to rural villages of Nepal, where help regarding medical assistance of any sort is scarce compared to the city scenario. This was not only chance to serve those who need help but to do it together with 90+ million other members, collectively, as a team.

At first, society, including my family, colleagues, and close friends did not support my decision to join the Nepal Red Cross Society Blood Transfusion Service because it’s a different field than where I had first started to build my career and hospitals and private clinics pay better. Nonetheless, I stuck to my decision and dealt with the backlash for a few more years to come. I had no doubts that my satisfaction in life derives from the truth, that humanitarian deeds are invaluable, and weigh more than any kind of money.  

I worked my way up by sitting for different exams for higher ranks while delivering blood to the needy and other assigned tasks. After many years of relentless work, I managed to become Director for Nepal Red Cross Society Blood Service for more than two decades and for a year with Health Service.

This journey has impacted my life in many ways. I have become more confident and determined. I have now had the privilege to represent Nepal and Nepal Red Cross Society in many countries during conferences, meetings, seminars, trainings and gatherings. Meeting different people from all around the world who are working towards the common goal, which is to help others, is amazing and so satisfying that words can't express. During my career I have learned that a leader must leave his/her comfort zone and understand the facts as they are, unbiased, in order to make the right decision which is in favor of everyone.”

”Good things can be achieved by an individual, but for great things we need a loyal and dedicated crew”

– Dr. Manita Rajkarnikar, Nepal

“Being a leader has also taught me to make others understand the problems and find solutions together, as a team, because good things can be achieved by an individual, but for great things we need a loyal and dedicated crew.

Being a woman leader in any field is like a constant battle, a battle of gender, inequality, and acceptance. Even today in this literate and high-tech society, women are criticized and ridiculed by men for being bold, having a leadership persona and possessing the qualities of a decision-maker, subtle efforts to manipulate the participation of women in any kind of activity, social or political.

Society is not yet mature enough to accept and follow a woman leader even though they often portray it on the surface as if they are. On different occasions, harassment and questioning of women's intelligence can be felt during conversations and meetings. Unless these challenges are dealt with, and in the proper manner, woman leaders will always have difficulty in making positive changes in the Red Cross Red Crescent.

Some ways in which we might affect change are by providing proper education, conducting more training programs, arranging teams of qualified and motivated staff/volunteers, promoting public education, awareness, transparency in internal and external affairs and most important, and valuing wisdom over intelligence.

In my line of work, I serve society by responding to emergencies and providing treatment and cure to those who need it. Every time I successfully do so, it makes me happy and motivates me to do more. I dream of this cycle never breaking.

I dream of women’s empowerment and that society will embrace the importance and role women play to balance at all levels.

I dream of humanity saying no to war and joining hands together to make this world a better and safer place for us and every other species that share this planet with us.”

Dr. Manita Rajkarnikar

Nepal, 1997

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Did you know...

Companies where 8 out of every 20 managers are female, generate about 34% of their revenues from innovative products and services. In companies where only 1 out of every 20 managers is female, this is only 25%.

– Humanitarian Advisory Group – Drawing on our Diversity: Humanitarian Leadership Lorenzo, R. et al. (2017)

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