From IT engineer to Cow Savior

From IT engineer to Cow Savior

By LB Thapa

After earning a degree in IT engineering, most people dream of landing a high-paying job and living a life of comfort and luxury. That’s the typical expectation, right? But what if I told you that the man I’m about to introduce holds that same prestigious IT degree—yet made a conscious choice to run a Gaushala, caring for abandoned cows instead? Hard to believe, isn’t it?

Meet Nanda Gopal Das, the founder of Pokhara Gaushala Ashram in Majuwa, Pokhara. About eight years ago, he started the shelter with just five cows. “I was deeply moved when I saw old and injured cows—Gaumata—left abandoned on the streets. They were weak, wounded, and in terrible shape. Seeing their suffering broke my heart,” Das recalls.

Nanda Gopal Das earned his B.Tech in Information Technology in 2019. Like many young people, he dreamed of working hard and eventually settling abroad with his family. He even worked for a reputable company in the UK for two years. Life was going as planned—until fate stepped in. “I never imagined that after getting an engineering degree, I’d end up running a Gaushala and caring for abandoned cows. None of this was planned. Honestly, my life took a complete turn once I came in touch with ISKCON. After a few visits, I received initiation, and I became Nanda Gopal Das—shedding my old identity, Narendra Kunwar. I started reading the Bhagavad Gita, and that’s when I realized my degree and worldly knowledge were practically worthless. The Gita, I found, held all the wisdom I had been searching for.”

The more he read the Gita, the more he understood how fleeting life truly is. He began to see that material things, in the grand scheme of things, don’t really exist—they are merely an illusion.

But he didn’t surrender easily. In fact, he argued and reasoned with his respected gurus. “At first, I strongly defended my materialistic way of life. I argued fiercely about the power of wealth. But one sentence from my guru left me speechless and completely shaken. It crushed my ego like a house of cards. He asked, ‘If name, fame, and money are so important, why do people leave them all behind when they die? Why don’t their dead bodies claim any of the things they spent their whole lives collecting?’” Das shared emotionally.

Life hasn’t been easy for him. Once he decided to serve abandoned and injured cows, the challenges began. Initially, he cared for five cows, but their numbers quickly grew to over a hundred. “From five cows, the count kept rising, and soon we had more than a hundred. I needed a large piece of land to house them all. The problem was, I didn’t have enough money to cover the growing costs. Then, unexpectedly, help came. The Gandaki Pradesh Police allowed me to use over 100 ropani of land. Now there’s enough space for sheds and free grazing.”

Feeding and caring for over 130 cows each month is tough, especially with no steady income. Currently, four people work full-time at the shelter. “I rely heavily on the kindness of people who truly love and respect Gaumatas. From time to time, kind-hearted visitors come, see the work being done, and are moved to help. Some donate cash; others buy fodder. I accept their support with both hands.”

The cows often suffer from seasonal and viral diseases—infections, parasites, metabolic issues, and lumpy skin disease. Foot‑and‑mouth disease, mastitis, and tick‑borne illnesses cause them great pain. Around 40,000 to 60,000 rupees are needed just for medical care. Sometimes, the costs even exceed one lakh rupees.

Slowly but surely, Nanda Gopal Das is trying to generate funds to meet rising expenses. He has started branding processed cow urine and making dried dung cakes. “Monthly expenses for over 130 cows and four staff come to about one lakh rupees. Occasionally, the Pokhara Metropolitan City and the Animal Directorate under Gandaki Pradesh provide financial help, but that support isn’t regular. I can’t rely only on donations. So, I began processing cow urine and dung cakes to sell locally. Our most popular product is cow vermicompost. Many gardeners, local farmers, and nursery owners buy it regularly. If I hadn’t started selling vermicompost, managing nearly 150 cows today would be almost impossible.”

He doesn’t sell cow milk at the moment. The little milk available goes to the calves and the staff. But soon, he hopes to add more local cows to produce A2 milk. “Local cows are the only source of A2 milk. It’s highly nutritious and easy to digest. Most people today buy A1 milk from the market, but it can upset digestion and cause gut inflammation due to high lactose. This project is still in the pipeline. I’m waiting for a donor to support it, so I can’t say for sure when I’ll start producing and selling A2 milk locally.”

Before I left the Gaushala, Nanda Gopal Das made an emotional plea. “The Bhagavad Gita places great value on Gaumata. Serving her is the highest virtue. Many people visit temples to worship—similarly, they can come to my Gaushala to feed the cows. They can even celebrate their birthdays here. By the way, anyone who wants to know more can reach out at 9856101222 or 9867419417.”

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