Born in Shillong, India, Karthak came to Kathmandu in his early 30s and since then made Nepal his home. He passed away in April 2020 in Kathmandu. His novel 'Pratyek Thaun, Pratyek Manchhe' won Nepal's 'Sajha Puraskar' literary prize in 1978. It was later translated into English as 'Every Place, Every Person'. His novel 'Kathmandruids: Monomyths & Meanymyths' was released in March 2018. Karthik was also the past musician, bandleader, college/university teacher, and a media man for 25 years.