Memorial Deck Honoring Monsoon Pandey Inaugurated at Muktinath Dham

California –
On the third anniversary of the late Monsoon Pandey’s passing, a Monsoon Pandey Memorial Deck was inaugurated at the sacred site of Muktinath Dham. A candlelight ceremony honored her memory and celebrated the contributions of individuals dedicated to community service.

The deck was established by her father, Anil Pandey—founder of Motherland Nepal—as a lasting tribute to Monsoon, who tragically lost her life at age 28 following a struggle with mental illness. Her legacy now lives on through the Monsoon Pandey Global Mental Health Trust Fund, an initiative focused on mental health, disability, and social support programs worldwide.

During the dedication event, Hercules Councilmember Dilli Bhattarai, Oakland Councilmember Janani Ramachandran, and Richmond Councilmember Soheila Bana honored individuals for their service to the Nepali community.
Those recognized included volunteers involved in building the memorial deck—Guru Shobhakant Dhakal, Dambar Basnet, Rajendra Lohani, and Dhan Shrestha—and community leaders such as Ravichandra and Maiya Prajapati, Bibesh Raut, Binaya Dahal, Hari Ojha, Sandeep Bhatt, Janakraj Dungana, and Bharat Adhikari.

Presha Manandhar and Simon Thapa also received the U.S. Presidential Volunteer Service Gold Medal.
Anil Pandey emphasized that the memorial and the trust fund are both reflections of Monsoon’s spirit and a commitment to serve those facing mental health challenges and other vulnerabilities.

Written by Madhav Marasini | Edited by Adrian Pokharel

Madhav Marasini
writer