I do not much about Dr. Thapa except to one article on geography. Nonetheless, he is a faculty there, but that alone does not pushes him into the league of big and brightest...we are talking about movers and shakers of America. And if you were talking about Nepali diaspora we have some more people with similar credentials- Ph. D with several publications and teaching. Here was one thread on them too.

Btw GP, including my chimeki kaka, I know many people who went to Roorkee Engineering College, IIT/R now, but no one had to appear for IIT-JEE (Entrance exam for IIT) as they were selected by Nepal government for Karnali Hydro Project. If im not wrong remembering all what they told me then, Nepal Government sent 200 + individuals in 1980s to that college...UNDP managed all that. All true? How lucky were you at that time?