Prof. Dr. Rishi Kumar Kafle is a distinguished nephrologist, medical educator, and kidney-care leader with more than four decades of experience in clinical medicine, nephrology, dialysis, transplantation, and healthcare service development in Nepal. He currently serves as President of HECAF Nepal and Chief Consultant Nephrologist at the National Kidney Center, as well as Chief Consultant Nephrologist at Nepal Mediciti Hospital.

Dr. Kafle completed his Doctor of Medicine with University Honors from Patrice Lumumba Friendship University, Moscow, in 1979, followed by postgraduate specialization in International Medicine–Nephrology. He received advanced training in Dialysis and Transplantation at AIIMS, India, and the University of Kaiserslautern, Germany, and completed the Leader in Medicine: South East Asia (LIMSEA) course at Harvard Medical School.

A pioneer in nephrology services in Nepal, Dr. Kafle was actively involved in establishing the country's first Nephrology OPD at Bir Hospital in 1984, first hemodialysis service in 1988, and first dedicated Nephrology Unit in 1990. In 1997, he established the National Kidney Center, Nepal's first independent non-profit dialysis center, and has since contributed to expanding affordable kidney-care and dialysis services beyond Kathmandu Valley.

His work has also focused on improving access to treatment for economically disadvantaged and high-risk patients, healthcare financing, infection-control dialysis services, medical-waste management, and training of healthcare professionals. Through clinical leadership, education, and service development, Prof. Dr. Kafle has made significant contributions to strengthening kidney care and dialysis services in Nepal.