Sushash Darnal was 18 when he came to Kathmandu for his higher studies from Mujhung, Palpa. In the 13 years that followed, he rose as a fervent defender and promoter of the dignity and rights of the Dalits. The way he heightened issues of the marginalised in such a short period was probably because he had to do it all in his short span of life. This fervent activist died tragically in a car accident in Washington DC on 14 August. He was in America for a Stanford University's Dropper Hills Summer Fellowship.

In 2009, Darnal had spent six months in the US under a National Endowment for Democracy fellowship. He set up the Jagaran Media Centre to train Dalit journalists and also worked at the the NGO, COCAP and later Samata Foundation. But, highly acclaimed tele series Dalan and his two books Adhikar and Arakshan ko Raajneeti are Darnal's most valued contribution to the field.

After being trained in media studies at the Nepal Press Institute, Darnal worked for a while at Himal Khabarpatrika covering Dalit and social justice issues. He later served as vice chairman at Action Aid Nepal. Darnal died at age of 31 and leaves behind his wife, Sarita Pariyar and a two-year-old daughter.