Tek Raj Koirala is a doctoral researcher in International Relations at the Faculty of International Studies, South Asian University—an institution established by the SAARC member states. His doctoral research focuses on environmental security and the evolving role of the military in responding to environmental change in Nepal. His work examines how the growing climate crisis has introduced new ethical, political, and justice dimensions to military engagement in environmental governance and climate-related responses.
He has written on Nepal–India transboundary river governance, advocating for more inclusive and locally grounded approaches to water cooperation, particularly in small and medium transboundary river systems where formal governance mechanisms remain absent. Beyond his core research, he is also interested in exploring indigenous ecological knowledge and the lived experiences of Tharu communities in Nepal, especially in the context of climate change, environmental governance, and marginalization.
Koirala currently serves as a Member of the Expert Group for Project CASA (Climate and Security Action through Civil-Military Cooperation in Climate-Related Emergencies). Previously, he was an Ecological Security Fellow 2024 at the Council on Strategic Risks.
His broader research interests include environmental security, the diffusion and translation of disaster norms, non-Western strategic thought, and the relationship between the military and environmental change in South Asia.