Prof. Dr. Sharada Thapaliya is the Vice-Chancellor of Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU), Nepal (appointed December 2024). She is a Professor in the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Pharmacology at AFU’s Faculty of Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Fisheries.

A veterinarian with over 25 years of experience, she specialises in veterinary pharmacology. Her research focuses on the pharmacological properties of medicinal plants (including anti-diarrhoeal, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities) and drug residues in meat, milk, and eggs. She has taught graduate and postgraduate students in veterinary pharmacology, herbal medicines, ethnopharmacology, and ethno-veterinary medicine. She previously served as Registrar, Dean of the Faculty of Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Fisheries, Planning Director, and Acting Vice-Chancellor at AFU. She has coordinated international development projects (including a DFID-supported DelPHE programme) in education, livestock, agriculture, and food security, and has worked extensively in livestock research, extension, public-private partnerships, and industry development.