Nilu Doma Sherpa, a film director, who recently directed the film How Funny, passed away Saturday morning in Kathmandu. 

Reportedly, the cause of her death was a stroke. 

On Saturday morning, Nilu, who was found unconscious in her residence in Baluwatar, was taken to TU’s Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj, where the director was pronounced dead. 

Apart from a director, Nilu was also a leading advocate for the LGBTIQ community and one of the first openly third-gender persons to make a feature film in Nepal. 

A day before her demise, Sherpa was announced as the United States State Department’s June Alumna of the Month. 

Sherpa’s friends and fans took to social media to lament the loss. 

“Deeply saddened by the sudden demise of a talented filmmaker Nilu Doma Sherpa,” wrote a Twitter user @heart_lives. “Very sad to share one of our very talented director Nilu Doma Sherpa is no more with us. Rip,” wrote another user @hrknpl.