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Owner, PP Pradhan & Co, Nepal

Pratap Pradhan's parents encouraged him to follow a business education so that he would be able to look after the family business. 'I studied a BCom in Nepal and performed very well in the exams. I wanted to continue my education and specialise in accounting because, in the early 1970s, there were only about a dozen qualified accountants in Nepal,' he said.

'The British government offered two places under the Colombo Plan scholarship to study ACCA in the UK. I was one of the candidates who won a placement and I studied full time in Scotland,' he said.

Pratap passed all his ACCA exams at his first attempt and took up a training contract with Whinney Murray & Co (now Ernst & Young), chartered accountants in Glasgow. 'I trained there for just over a year before returning to Nepal. I felt it was my responsibility to serve my country. Nepal was in dire need of qualified professionals like me and I felt I could really make a difference,' he said.

After returning to Nepal, Pratap continued his career in public practice in a chartered accounting firm. He spent three years there gaining valuable experience before starting his own practice - PP Pradhan & Co - in 1979. 'Having the letters ACCA after my name represent trust, respect and recognition. I value my ACCA membership as it gives prestige to my company,' he said.

The highlight of Pratap's career was being able to help the development of his own country. 'Soon after I started my own practice, I got an opportunity to work with an international consultant on a World Bank funded project. I was selected as I had obtained the ACCA qualification. The work was to assist the consultant in a tariff study for Nepal Water Supply Corporation. The project was instrumental in the direction my career took. This assignment opened the door for other consultancy work,' he said.

Pratap's practice is now considered to be one of the leading accounting firms in Nepal. He also acts as ACCA's representative in Nepal. ' The growth of ACCA has been just amazing. It has contributed to the progression of the profession in a number of developing countries,' he said.