Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ( ne, दीपेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह, 27 June 1971 – 4 June 2001) was the
King of Nepal
The King of Nepal (traditionally known as the Mahārājdhirāja i.e. Great King of Kings; it can also be translated as "Sovereign Emperor" ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजधिराज)) was Nepal's head of state and monarch from 1768 ...
for three days from 1 to 4 June 2001. For the duration of his three day reign he was in a
coma after he shot his father,
King Birendra
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज वीरेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह देव ) (28 December 1945 – 1 June 2001) was the tenth Shah Ruler and the King of N ...
, his mother,
Queen Aishwarya, his younger brother and sister, and other members of the royal family before turning the gun on himself in an event known as the
Nepalese royal massacre
The Nepalese royal massacre occurred on 1 June 2001 at the Narayanhiti Palace, the then-residence of the Nepalese monarchy. Nine members of the royal family, including King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya, were killed in a mass shooting during a g ...
.
As the eldest of the three children of
King Birendra
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज वीरेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह देव ) (28 December 1945 – 1 June 2001) was the tenth Shah Ruler and the King of N ...
and
Queen Aishwarya, Dipendra was the
crown prince
A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wi ...
. Under the Nepalese constitution, the privy council named Dipendra king upon the death of his father.
Upon Dipendra's death, his father's brother
Gyanendra
Gyanendra Shah ( ne, ज्ञानेन्द्र शाह, born 7 July 1947) is a former monarch who was the last King of Nepal, reigning from 2001 to 2008. As a child, he was briefly king from 1950 to 1951, when his grandfather, Tribhuv ...
became king.
Early life
Dipendra was born on 27 June 1971 at the
Narayanhiti Royal Palace as the eldest child of Birendra, the Crown Prince of Nepal, and Princess Aishwarya. In his family he was known as "CP" and famously as "Dippy" among his friends.
Education
Dipendra received his early education from Kanti Ishwori High School, Kathmandu. Then he went to
Budhanilkantha School
Budhanilkantha School, often referred to as BNKS, is a competitive public boarding school in Nepal. It is located in Narayanthan, 8 kilometres north of Kathmandu, at the foothills of Shivapuri mountain (). It is named after the Budhanilkantha T ...
in Kathmandu. Later, he attended
Eton College
Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, ...
in the United Kingdom. After Eton, he attended Tri Chandra college affiliated to
Tribhuvan University
Tribhuvan University (TU; ne, त्रिभुवन विश्वविद्यालय) is a public university located in Kirtipur, Kathmandu. Established in 1959, TU is the oldest university in Nepal. In terms of enrollment, it is ...
in Nepal and later joined the Military Academy in Kharipati, Nepal. He studied Geography at Tribhuvan University for his master's degree and was all Nepal topper receiving gold medal. He was a PhD student at the same university. He received military training from Academy of
Royal Nepalese Gurkha Army
The Nepali Army ( ne, नेपाली सेना, translit=Nēpālī Sēnā), technically the Gorkhali Army ( ne, गोरखाली सेना, translit=Gōrakhālī Sēnā, label=none; see '' Gorkhas''), is the land service branc ...
, and piloting training from the Civil Aviation Department.
Interests
Dipendra was interested in the fields of social service and had an interest in sports. He used to attend various national and international sports ceremonies where Nepalese players participated. Dipendra became a
karateka when he was studying in England and had received black belt at around the age of 20. He was a patron of the National Sports Council and Nepal's Scouts. Dipendra also wrote articles that were published in Nepalese periodicals. His writings were often on the motifs of nationhood and nationality.
Nepalese royal massacre
On 1 June 2001, Dipendra opened fire at a house on the grounds of the
Narayanhity Royal Palace, the residence of the
Nepalese monarchy
The King of Nepal (traditionally known as the Mahārājdhirāja i.e. Great King of Kings; it can also be translated as "Sovereign Emperor" ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजधिराज)) was Nepal's head of state and monarch from 1768 ...
, where a party was being held. He shot and killed his father, King Birendra, his mother, Queen Aishwarya, his younger brother and sister and other members of the royal family before shooting himself in the head. Because he had killed most of the line of succession, he became king while in a comatose state from the head wound.
His motive for the murders is unknown, but there are various theories. Dipendra desired to marry
Devyani Rana
Devyani Rana ( ne, देवयानी राणा) is the second daughter of Pashupati Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and ''Rani'' Usha Raje Scindia, daughter of Jiwaji Rao Scindia, the last maharaja of Gwalior, and the wife of Aishwarya Sin ...
, the daughter of an Indian royal family whom he had met in England, but due to her family's lower caste and her father's political alliances, Dipendra's parents objected; he was told that he would have to give up his claim to the throne in order to marry her.
Other theories allege that Dipendra was unhappy with the country's shift from an
absolute to a
constitutional monarchy
A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...
, and that too much power had been given away following the
1990 People's Movement
The 1990 People's Movement ( ne, २०४६ जनआन्दोलन, 2046 Jana Andolan) was a multiparty movement in Nepal that brought an end to absolute monarchy and the beginning of constitutional monarchy. It also eliminated the Panch ...
.
[
Much controversy surrounds the circumstances of the massacre, and even today, with the monarchy abolished, many questions remain within Nepal about its cause.] Sources of the yet unanswered questions include details such as the apparent lack of security at the event; the absence of Prince Gyanendra, Dipendra's uncle who succeeded him, from the party; the fact that, despite being right-handed, Dipendra's self-inflicted head-wound was located at his left temple; and finally that the subsequent investigation lasted for only two weeks and did not involve any major forensic analysis.[
]
Portrayals
*Upendra
Upendra (Devanagari: उपेन्द्र) is an Indian masculine given name. The meaning of the Sanskrit word ' is "younger brother of Indra" and refers to either Krishna or Vishnu, who as a son of Aditi (or in the Vamana avatar) was born sub ...
portrayed the crown prince in the 2002 Indian film ''Super Star'', which was loosely based on the massacre.
*Indian actor Ashish Kapoor portrayed the role of Dipendra in the third season of the documentary series '' Zero Hour'', it showed a reconstruction of the massacre taken from surviving eyewitnesses.
Honours
;National honours
* Sovereign of the Order of Nepal Pratap Bhaskara
* Sovereign of the Order of Ojaswi Rajanya
The Most Glorious Order of Ojaswi Rajanya ( ne, Ojaswi Rajanyako Manapadvi) was an order of knighthood of Nepal. It was given to foreign heads of state, foreign or Nepalese monarchs.
History
The order was instituted on 14 May 1934 by King Trib ...
* Sovereign of the Order of Nepal Taradisha
* Sovereign of the Order of Tri Shakti Patta
The Most Illustrious Order of Tri Shakti Patta ( ne, त्रिशक्ति पट्ट; Order of the Three Divine Powers) is an order of knighthood of the former Kingdom of Nepal. It is conferred on members of the Royal Family or Nepali citi ...
* Sovereign of the Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu
The Most Puissant Order of the Gorkha Dakshina Bahu ( ne, गोरखा दक्षिण बाहु; Order of the Gurkha Right Arm ''or Hand'') was an order of knighthood of Nepal. It was one of the highest honors given traditionally by the ...
* Most Glorious Mahendra Chain
* King Birendra Investiture Medal (24 February 1975)
* Commemorative Silver Jubilee Medal of King Birendra (31 January 1997)
;Foreign honours
* : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog (17 October 1989)
* : Knight Grand Cross Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...
(1997)
* : Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum
is Japan's highest order. The Grand Cordon of the Order was established in 1876 by Emperor Meiji of Japan; the Collar of the Order was added on 4 January 1888. Unlike its European counterparts, the order may be conferred posthumously.
Apart fr ...
(12/04/2001)
Ancestry
See also
* List of shortest-reigning monarchs
A monarch is the leader of a monarchy, a position usually intended to last for life or until abdication or deposition. The reign of some monarchs have been notably short. Many of these monarchs acceded to the throne as a result of being first in ...
* History of Nepal
References
External links
Murder and intrigue in Katmandu
(World Tibet News Network)
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dipendra
1971 births
2001 suicides
Assassins of heads of state
Familicides
Parricides
Regicides
Sororicides
Nepalese Hindus
Nepalese monarchs
Nepalese mass murderers
Nepalese spree killers
Murder–suicides in Asia
People educated at Eton College
Shah dynasty
Suicides by firearm in Nepal
Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Grand Crosses of the Order of the Dannebrog
People of the Nepalese Civil War
People from Kathmandu
Hindu monarchs
Matricides
Patricides