Sumina Shrestha Continues Winning Streak with Best of the Day Title at Himalayan Tattoo Summit III

Kathmandu: Nepali tattoo artist Sumina Shrestha has continued her success on the national tattoo convention circuit, winning the Best of the Day title at the third edition of the Himalayan Tattoo Summit.

The achievement marks her second win in the same category at a major tattoo convention. Shrestha previously won Best of the Day at the International Nepal Tattoo Convention 2024 and has now secured the title again at Himalayan Tattoo Summit III in 2026, highlighting her continued presence and recognition in Nepal’s tattoo industry.

The three-day Himalayan Tattoo Summit brought together more than 100 tattoo artists from Nepal and India, creating a vibrant gathering of art, culture and music. Artists presented a diverse range of tattoo styles and techniques, from traditional to contemporary, while tattoo enthusiasts had the opportunity to meet artists directly and have their preferred designs tattooed.

The organizers said the summit is becoming an important platform for artists to share their knowledge, techniques and creative practices. The event brought together artists and tattoo enthusiasts in what the organizers described as a “Mahakumbh” of tattoo culture.

Shrestha, who has established herself as one of Nepal’s recognized female tattoo artists, operates her own tattoo studios in Thamel , Kathmandu. Through years of work, she has transformed her passion for art into a profession that has attracted clients from Nepal as well as abroad.

Her connection with tattooing began long before she considered it a career. At around the age of 15, while still in school, she and two friends experimented with making small tattoos using a needle and fabric dye.

“I had my friends get tattooed too, so I wouldn’t be the only one facing trouble for it,” she recalls.

That first tattoo is no longer visible, as she has since covered it with another design.

Shrestha’s interest in creative pursuits began in childhood. She once dreamed of becoming a painter and later completed a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. Although no one in her family was professionally involved in the arts, her parents encouraged her creative interests.

She explored several creative fields, including cartooning, graphic design and fashion design, but remained uncertain about which direction to pursue professionally.

A major turning point came after the 2015 earthquake.

“It felt like we could die at any moment. That made me realize I needed to start doing something meaningful,” she says.

At the time, Shrestha was working with an NGO that conducted art-based therapeutic programmes for children affected by the earthquake. Through her work there, she met several tattoo artists. After receiving her first professional tattoo from them, her interest in tattooing grew stronger.

She eventually raised the money herself to purchase tattoo equipment and began practising at home. Without formal training, she taught herself through practice, initially working on silicone skin. At a time when online tutorials and learning resources were not as easily accessible as they are today, she often contacted friends and other artists whenever she encountered difficulties.

Her first tattoos on human skin were done on her aunt and sister. She particularly remembers the nervousness she felt when her aunt unexpectedly asked for a tattoo at around one o’clock in the morning.

“Once I started working, I became more confident. She trusted me, and that made me even happier,” she says.

Before deciding to pursue tattooing professionally, Shrestha discussed her plans with her father, Sanukaji Shrestha, a senior journalist. He encouraged her to enter the field, pointing out the limited number of female tattoo artists in Nepal and the potential for the industry to grow.

The beginning of her professional journey was not easy. The cost of tattoo equipment was difficult to manage, and building a client base took time. As a woman entering a predominantly male industry, she also faced skepticism and discrimination.

“Being a female artist in Nepal was very difficult. Some clients didn’t want to get tattooed by me just because I was a woman,” she recalls.

Despite these challenges, Shrestha continued to develop her skills. With the help of friends, she gained opportunities to work in different tattoo studios and later spent about a month in India further practising and learning the craft.

After years of preparation and experience, she established her own tattoo studio in 2019, with the business officially registered in 2023. As she began showcasing her work online, her clientele gradually expanded. Her studios now receive clients from Nepal and various other countries, with some international clients returning to Nepal to get new tattoos.