Kathmandu. Punand Niraula is a teacher by profession. His name is equally well-known not only in the world of education but also in the insurance sector. In his spare time, he devotes his time to his teaching profession and also works in the insurance sector to provide insurance education.
Niraula is currently the agency manager of the Birtamod branch of Citizen Life Insurance Company. His philosophy is that insurance education should be created and awareness raised. He did not become an agent just to sell insurance policies. He joined this field because he believed that the duty of an agent is to educate and explain insurance to people.
Born in 2030, Niraula spent his childhood in a place called Lumphabung in Phidim Municipality. Born into a farming family, Niraula used to help his parents by doing housework from the age of 4-5. He passed his SLC from his birthplace.
Niraula would go to school after doing housework in the morning and evening. At that time, only a few children would go to school because it was too busy to do household chores. However, there was no obstacle from the family to let Niraula go to school. ‘My father would tell me to work. My father would inspire me to work more than to study,’ he said while recalling his childhood. ‘My mother, however, would emphasize more on studying. My mother would send me to study with my father in the village, blindfolding me. I was also very interested in studying. Now I remember a lot because of the struggle my mother made for me to study, I have achieved success today.’
Niraula liked to work hard and struggle since childhood. He was equally active in doing housework. Recounting his experience of studying until 2 am, he said, ‘I used to study even while beating the drum. Even when walking on the road, when going to mow the lawn, when going to do any work, I used to study.’
Niraula never came second in school. He always passed first in the class and first in the first division. ‘Sometimes, I would get very worried if I got low marks in a subject. And I would study all night,’ he said. Because of his hard work, he is successful in teaching and agent profession today.
Niraula continued to move forward considering hard work and perseverance as an important aspect of his life. After passing his SLC from Phidim, he came to Ilam with the courage and determination to ‘do something while studying’ in search of a bright future. He completed his studies from Plus Two to graduation from Ilam. ‘I had the habit of working hard since childhood and I did not stop working hard even after coming to Ilam,’ said Niraula, ‘I have been able to reach this place today because of my hard work and perseverance.’
Niraula joined the teaching profession in 2050 BS. He taught temporarily for 9 years. Then, in 2060 BS, he was permanently appointed through the Teacher Service Commission. Niraula, who was appointed as an English teacher at the lower secondary level, currently teaches up to Plus Two. He teaches English, social studies, and education.
Even while working at the school, Niraula continued to prioritize informal education. At that time, he went to villages and facilitated various informal education programs such as adult education, women’s education, and children’s education. He is also associated with various social organizations. A lifelong member of the Nepal Red Cross Society, Niraula is also the patron of the Children’s Club.
##
## ##This is how it went in the insurance sector
## While he was working in school, Niraula met Citizen Life’s star agency Meghraj Bhattarai and senior agency manager Agendra Luitel. They proposed to Niraula, ‘Insure you’. And Niraula replied, ‘How can I work as an agent in this insurance sector? I also want to work as an agent. I myself will become an agent and get my insurance’. Then they said, ‘Yes! Take the agent’s training, and it would be better to get a license and start working.’ Then Niraula took the training as they said and got his license from Citizen Life in 2079 BS.
Initially, Niraula took out his own insurance. In the days that followed, he continued to offer insurance to relatives, friends, and others. ‘I give time to insurance even in the evenings and on holidays,’ he said, ‘Since entering this field, I have made good use of my time. After coming from school and before going to school and during holidays, I have made full use of my free time. I am trying to bring people under the ambit of insurance.’
## Niraula has been urging people to take out insurance today by making them aware of the risks they may face in the future. ‘I have been imparting insurance knowledge to everyone to instill the habit of saving. This has also helped me financially,’ he said, ‘Every job pays a salary, but the salary from insurance is very good.’
Niraula says that this profession is a double-edged sword as it provides income on one hand and savings and risk cover for the insured on the other. ‘Since this profession also generates tax for the state, it is a profession that contributes to the economic prosperity of the nation as well,’ he said, ‘Both parties benefit from insurance. I am very satisfied with this profession.’
Niraula has experienced that people’s understanding of insurance is now broader than before. ‘However, some people still say that insurance companies will run away by linking them to cooperatives, but I provide insurance because I am a teacher and say that I am also a teacher. I am not exempted from it. I say, be assured, get insurance, your money will not sink.’
‘Nepalese spend a lot of money, but if you control that money and save a little, you can get insurance,’ says Niraula, ‘My principle is to include everyone in the scope of insurance. I do not tell anyone to get insurance during tax cuts. I provide insurance. If they feel like it, it is good, they do. If they do not, I think they will understand themselves when it happens. I am very happy to provide good education and awareness to others. I try to go to many places during vacations and provide insurance.’
Niraula says that he enjoys providing insurance more than getting himself insured. “When I go to get insurance, everyone trusts me because I am a teacher. To avoid losing their trust and tarnishing my teaching profession, I have been getting insurance based on the company’s policies and regulations, the services and facilities provided by the insurance,” he says. “After all, I have sold trust to the general public through insurance. That too for the long term.”
Niraula, who is satisfied after joining the insurance sector, says that he is happy to receive respect. He said, ‘When I was just a teacher, only a limited number of people and students knew me, but now that I am an agent, everyone knows me. I have also got the opportunity to know the society. This agent profession has given me the opportunity to know and meet people from the upper class and lower classes. Therefore, I will always be grateful to Citizen Life.’
Niraula says that after joining the agent profession, there is no need to go abroad. ‘If you work hard and travel abroad and spread insurance knowledge to people, you can get insurance. The income from that is also unlimited,’ he said, ‘Since being an agent is a social profession, I also get merit. Therefore, I would like to tell everyone to come to the insurance sector and make good use of their free time.’
In Niraula’s understanding, insurance is a market of trust. ‘Therefore, it would be very good if we could sell trust to the general public by trading the truth and not false assurances to make this profession systematic,’ he said.
Niraula has experience that to be successful in the agent profession, one needs to be hardworking, honest, cooperative, have the ability to explain insurance, and have knowledge about the company and insurance.
Niraula has been performing well in business. Despite being busy with school, he has been able to meet every target given by the company and receive various awards. He has won various awards including Hero of the Month, Hero of the Day, Star of the Day, Silver Club, Gold Club, Diamond Club, etc. He has also succeeded in becoming a member of MDRT for 2025.
