Artist and animal rights activist Jan Salter, who co-authored the critically-acclaimed book Faces of Nepal, passed away at her home in Lyme Regis, UK on Sunday. She was 92.

Salter, who initially travelled to Nepal in 1967 as a tourist, was based out of Kathmandu for several decades, during which time she travelled extensively, drawing sketches of people of different ethnic groups. These sketches, and other oil paintings from her travels, were collected in the 1997 book Faces of Nepal, which she co-authored with anthropologist and conservationist Harka Gurung.

Salter, who devoted her later life to animal welfare, founded Kathmandu Animal Treatment (KAT) Centre in 2004. Over the last decade, the centre has played a crucial role in rescuing and treating street dogs from the Capital’s streets, maintaining a stable street dog population and curbing rabies in Kathmandu. In 2010, Salter received the ‘Extraordinary Commitment and Achievement award’ from Humane Society International, and received an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II for services to animal welfare in Nepal. Janette (Jan) Sonia Salter was born in 1936 in Southampton, England. As a young woman she travelled to Africa, Australia, and East Asia, before deciding to remain based out of Nepal. Salter was also decorated with the Gorkha Dakshin Bahu in 1997 for her artistic rendering of the people of Nepal.

According to a statement released by her family, an upcoming event in Kathmandu (on May 15) where Faces of Nepal and Salter’s entire body of work is to be launched in a new webpage will go ahead as scheduled.