POKHARA: Senior Agriculture Scientist Dr. Bhuwan Ratna Sthapit has died of tongue cancer while under going treatment at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center in Louisville of Kentucky State in United States. He was 63.

Sthapit, permanent resident of Nandipur in Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City-3, passed away on Sunday afternoon.

Earlier, he was diagnosed with tongue cancer two year ago and was treated in Thailand, was said to be cured of the deadly disease, however, relapsed some two months ago.

Senior Scientist Sthapit had travelled to US to join his family there for the treatment of the disease and his final rites were performed there in the US itself.

Dr. Sthapit had worked at the Lumle-based Regional Agricultural Research Station and Nepal Agricultural Research Council as agriculture scientist. He had discovered Chomrong rice which could be cultivated at an alleviation of 2600 metres.

He was the pioneer in establishing cross breading of crops in Nepal which he was successful in developing Machapuchre 3 and 9 which is popular nowadays in Kaski district.

Sthapit did his Pd.d degree in Ecology and Environmental Science from Wales Bangor University in United Kingdom in 1994. He initiated the move of involving the farmers in agriculture research in Nepal.

Dr. Sthapit had published dozens of articles in International journals.

He is survived by his wife, son and two daughters.