Itahari- A famed tea producer and agro-tourism entrepreneur of northern Morang’s hilly hamlet of Jephale Narayan Prashad Rai has passed away. He was 57.
According to Raju Khadka, a teacher and also a neighbor of Rai, he passed away due to a heart attack at Neuro Hospital in Biratnagar. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 and was undergoing treatment for heart ailment after testing negative nine days ago. He breathed his last at 4 pm today. He will be creamed at Jephale today.
Rai is survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter.
Rai used to run the Matribhumi Tea State in 1999 covering an area of 800 ropani. He had switched to cash crops and the agro-tourism sector for the last two and half-decade. Besides China and India, he would export tea to select nations and consumers of Europe and America.
In his farmhouse at Jephale which officially falls in Kerabari Rural Municipality-2 of northern Morang district, a farm stay program was also running.
Rai was the awardee of the President Best Farmer Award of 2071 BS. He is also the recipient of various awards and accolades at various exhibitions of organic tea producers. (RSS)
