Shankar Sharma, former Ambassador of Nepal to the United States, has a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Hawaii. He was the Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission from 2002 to 2006. Dr. Sharma also worked as a consultant to the Constitution Committee on "Distribution of Natural Resources, Economic Rights and Public Revenue" in helping to draft the new Constitution of Nepal.He has also served in various other capacities for the Government of Nepal such as the member of NPC, Chief Advisor in Ministry of Finance and Alternate Governor of Nepal for the International Monetary Fund and Senior Economist in Institute of South East Asian Studies (1986–1993).