As a shy teenager from a mountain village in Nepal, Om Raj Raut dreamt of being a hero like the ones he saw in movies. He did not have the means to protect his village during the civil war, but he discovered his own brand of heroism on the theatre stage while working on his first play, A NIGHT WITH MAO. He pursued his developing passion for acting to the US, earning an International Dean's Scholarship for Drama and a BA in Theatre from CCNY.

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His solo show, 1953: RACE FOR THE SUMMIT earned nominations for Best Actor at the New York Theater Festival, Best Dramatic Playwright at the Frigid New York Theatre Festival, and enjoyed a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. New York credits include Off-Off Broadway's PIRATE CHRISTMAS CAROL, Alfa NYC's TEN WAYS TO SURVIVE LIFE IN QUARANTINE, and productions of OUR LADY OF 121st STREET, THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at Tribeca Theatre Hall.

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Om Raj has writing credits and lead roles in two short films circulating the festival circuit, A DISTRACTION and UNCOMPLETED. These films have screened at prestigious festivals  across the world, including the British Film Festival, World Impact Festival, Nepal-America International Festival, and the 14th Pune Short Festival, where Om Raj was recognized in the Best Actor category. On screen, he's often the sweet, awkward friend, the supportive colleague, or the computer nerd geeking out over the latest tech development.

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Om Raj shares his love for drama and writing as a teaching artist, nurturing the next generation of performers at Ping Chong Theatre where he helps to bring intrinsic human truth to productions using non-actors to portray real-life incidents.

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Having grown up in the Himalayas, he cherishes trekking and finds comfort amidst the peaks. The mountains taught him to stay true to who he is and to push himself to his limits. Om initially came to New York, knowing no one, with just a desire to challenge himself and to create new opportunities. He has always been determined to carve out his own path, just like the heroes he admired in movies.