Binod Chaudhary receives Kalinga Int'l Living Legend Award

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 10: Billionaire Binod Chaudhary was presented the Kalinga International Living Legend Award at Kalinga Literature Festival-2026 in Bhubaneswar, India, on Thursday. 

At the 12th Kalinga Literary Festival, renowned industrialist, and writer Chaudhary was conferred on the Award, recognising his extraordinary contribution to enterprise, nation-building, and social transformation across South Asia and beyond.

The prestigious honour was presented during the festival’s inaugural ceremony at the Mayfair Convention, in the presence of a gathering of international leaders, ministers, parliamentarians, cultural icons, and literary luminaries.

Chaudhary’s work, spanning manufacturing, infrastructure, hospitality, banking, telecom, education, and philanthropy, has shaped more than 200 businesses globally and transformed Nepal’s economic and entrepreneurial landscape. 

The award acknowledged not only his commercial legacy, but also his role in redefining what it means to build responsibly, resiliently, and with purpose.

Delivering his speech at the event, Chaudhary said that the honour belonged not just to him, but to every Nepali who believed that their country could build, create, and compete on the global stage. 

"My journey has always been guided by one simple thought that businesses can be profitable, and at the same time be deeply purposeful," he said, "If  Nepal has taught me anything, it is that when we invest in people, dignity, and opportunity, we don’t just build enterprises, we build futures." 

He said that he accepted the recognition with deep gratitude and an even deeper responsibility to keep giving back to the nation that shaped him.

The honour was conferred on the same day as the launch of his much-anticipated book 'Made in Nepal: Lessons in Business Building from the Land of Everest,' making the occasion both a literary and legacy milestone.' 

The festival further featured a dedicated session titled ‘Made in Nepal,' where Chaudhary engaged in an in-depth conversation about entrepreneurship, nation-building, and leadership in emerging economies.

The Kalinga International Living Legend Award is among the festival’s highest recognitions, reserved for individuals whose life’s work leaves a lasting civilisational and cultural imprint. 

Chaudhary serves as the Chaudhary Group’s chairman. He is also a former lawmaker. In addition to his business, he has written books, made movies and done charitable works. 

He received an honorary doctorate degree from Sri Sri University, Odisha, in 2015 in recognition of his exceptional philanthropic contributions.