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 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 ...
from 1972 until his
assassination
Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have ...
in 2001. He was the eldest son of King
Mahendra
Mahendra is a Sanskrit compound word deriving from Maha (Highest position) and Indra Deva (the King of Gods) from Hindu mythology.{{Citation needed, date=April 2022 It has been used in compound royal styles.
History and politics
Royalty
* M ...
.
Early life and education
Birendra was born at the
Narayanhiti Royal Palace
The Narayanhiti Palace Museum ( Nepali: नारायणहिटी दरवार) is a public museum in Kathmandu, Nepal located east of the Kaiser Mahal and next to Thamel. The museum was created in 2008 from the complex of the former Nar ...
in
Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
as the eldest son of the then
Crown Prince Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and his first wife, Crown Princess
Indra Rajya Lakshmi Devi.
Birendra spent eight years studying at
St Joseph's School, a
Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
school in
Darjeeling
Darjeeling (, , ) is a town and municipality in the northernmost region of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it has an average elevation of . To the west of Darjeeling lies the easternmost province of Nepal, ...
, with his 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, Tribhuva ...
. On 13 March 1955, their grandfather
King Tribhuvan
Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज त्रिभुवन वीर विक्रम शाह देव ) (30 June 1906 – 13 March 1955) was King of Nepal from 11 December 1911 until his ...
died and their father succeeded the Nepalese throne. With his father's ascension, Birendra became 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 wif ...
of Nepal.
In 1959, Birendra was enrolled at
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, C ...
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
. After studying at Eton until 1964, he returned to Nepal where he began to explore the country by traveling on foot to the remote parts of the country where he lived humbly with what was available in the villages.
He later completed his education by spending some time at the
University of Tokyo
, abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...
, before studying political theory at
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
from 1967 to 1968.
Birendra enjoyed travelling in his youth, and went on trips to
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
,
Latin America
Latin America or
* french: Amérique Latine, link=no
* ht, Amerik Latin, link=no
* pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
, Africa, many parts of
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, and a number of other Asian countries. He was also an art collector and supporter of Nepalese craftspeople and artists and learned to fly helicopters.
Birendra was
married
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
to
Aishwarya Rajya Lakshmi Devi from the
Rana family
Rana dynasty ( ne, राणा वंश, IAST=Rāṇā vaṃśa , ) is a Chhetri dynasty that imposed totalitarianism in the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other ...
, his second cousin, on 27 February 1970. The wedding, which was billed as one of the most lavish Hindu nuptial ceremonies in history, cost $9.5 million to stage.
Early reign
Birendra ascended to the Nepalese throne on 31 January 1972, at the age of 27, after the death of his father,
King Mahendra
Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज महेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह देव; 11 June 1920 – 31 January 1972) was the King of Nepal from 13 March 1955 until h ...
. However, his coronation was delayed until February 24, 1975, when he was 29, since the first year was considered to be a mourning period for death of king's father and the second year was deemed to be inauspicious by religious astrologers. As a Hindu monarch, he had to follow Nepalese tradition.
Panchayat era (1972-1980)
On his ascension to the throne, Birendra was effectively an
absolute monarch
Absolute monarchy (or Absolutism (European history), Absolutism as a doctrine) is a form of monarchy in which the monarch rules in their own right or power. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen is by no means limited and has absolute pow ...
, as he inherited a country where political parties were banned and he ruled through a system of local and regional councils known as
panchayats
The Panchayat raj is a political system, originating from the Indian subcontinent, found mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. It is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent, and historical menti ...
.
Panchayat era (1980-1990)
In an attempt to maintain the ''
panchayat
The Panchayat raj is a political system, originating from the Indian subcontinent, found mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. It is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent, and historical ment ...
'' system of government prominent leaders of the
Nepali Congress Party
The Nepali Congress ( ne, नेपाली कांग्रेस ; abbr. NC) is the largest social democratic political party in Nepal. As per the results of recent local election, ''Nepali Congress'' stands as the single largest party o ...
were arrested frequently.
During the 1980s the restraints that had been imposed on political organizations were eased, and liberal student-led groups started to demand constitutional change in Nepal.
Because of the growing pro-democracy movement Birendra announced that a referendum to decide between a party-less or a multi-party system would be held. During, referendum options were given for a multi-party system or a Panchayati system. The referendum was held in May 1980 with the party-less system winning by a margin of 55% to 45%.
The result of the election led the king to make mass restructuring of country both economically and politically. After the national referendum, he divided the nation into 5 development regions in order to create balanced development and visited each division once a year; the visits were discontinued after his status as a constitutional monarchy in 1990.
Democratic era
![Birendra of Nepal with Rajiv Gandhi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Birendra_of_Nepal_with_Rajiv_Gandhi.jpg)
In 1990, a series of strikes and pro-democracy riots broke out in Nepal. Due to the riots, Birendra lifted the ban on political parties and agreed to become a
constitutional monarch
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 ...
in April 1990. He appointed an independent Constitution Recommendation Commission to represent the main opposition factions and to prepare a new constitution to accommodate their demands for political reform. The commission presented him with the draft of the proposed constitution on 10 September 1990. The new constitution would make Birendra head of state of a constitutional monarchy with a system of multiparty democracy. The draft constitution was approved by the Prime Minister
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai ( Nepali: कृष्णप्रसाद भट्टराई; 13 December 19244 March 2011) also known as Kishunji was a Nepalese political leader. He was one of the main leaders involved in transitioning Nepal from ...
and his cabinet and so, on 9 November 1990, Birendra
promulgated
Promulgation is the formal proclamation or the declaration that a new statutory or administrative law is enacted after its final approval. In some jurisdictions, this additional step is necessary before the law can take effect.
After a new law ...
the new constitution transformed Nepal into a constitutional monarchy. As a constitutional monarchy, Birendra became more popular than he was as a autocratic ruler attributing to his democratic views and behaviors as well as the inability of the political parties. Birendra, however, could not prevent the
Nepalese Civil War
The Nepalese Civil War was a protracted armed conflict that took place in the former Kingdom of Nepal from 1996 to 2006. It saw fighting between the Nepalese royal government and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) throughout the country. ...
, a conflict between
Maoist
Maoism, officially called Mao Zedong Thought by the Chinese Communist Party, is a variety of Marxism–Leninism that Mao Zedong developed to realise a socialist revolution in the agricultural, pre-industrial society of the Republic of Ch ...
rebels and government forces, which lasted from 1996 until 2006.
[Sharma, S. (2019). ''The Nepal Nexus: An Inside Account of the Maoists, the Durbar and New Delhi''. Penguin Random House India Private Limited.]
Notable works and improvements
Diplomatic campaign
![President Ronald Reagan with King Birendra Bir Kikram Shah Dev of Nepal and Joan Rivers](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/President_Ronald_Reagan_with_King_Birendra_Bir_Kikram_Shah_Dev_of_Nepal_and_Joan_Rivers.jpg)
He managed to maintain Nepal’s independence despite encroaching influences by India, China, and the Soviet Union. His first trips abroad as king were to
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
in October 1973 and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
two months later. He prevented the breaking up of Mustang from Nepal and Tibet from China during the Mustang revolution. The disarmament of Khampas rebellions working against China brought Nepal-China relations to a new height.
His compatriots remember him for his extensive campaign and contribution for the establishment of
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of states in South Asia. Its member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan ...
and South Asian food reserve. During his reign, he was also able to set up the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu.
He was able to establish diplomatic relations with additional 46 countries taking the total number of countries for diplomatic relations from 49 to 96. He further strengthened Nepal's policy of neutrality by promoting Nepal as zone of Peace in the UN. He believed that Nepal, sandwiched between the two Asian powers, should have good relationship with both.
Promotion of peace
He proposed Nepal to be declared a zone of Peace in the United Nations meeting, taking into consideration Nepal's historic peace status, birth of Gautam Buddha and its historical policy of Non-alignment to any foreign powers. This proposal was supported by 116 countries in the UNO.
He later established a "Peace Keeping Training Camp" in 1986. This was later restructured into a training institute in 2001 for training peace keeping forces . It was later renamed as
Birendra Peace Operations Training Centre Birendra Peace Operations Training Centre is an army training institute of Nepal operated by Nepali Army. The center is dedicated to train army personnel participating in UN Peace Keeping Operation. It is located at Panchkhal
Panchkhal ( ne, ...
. This institute, was later restructured as the training organization through which Nepal started sending trained, peace-keeping forces in cooperation with the UN and became an active member of it. In 1974,
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 ...
was successful in peacefully disarming the
Kham
Kham (; )
is one of the three traditional Tibetan regions, the others being Amdo in the northeast, and Ü-Tsang in central Tibet. The original residents of Kham are called Khampas (), and were governed locally by chieftains and monasteries. Kham ...
pas rebellions, settled in the northern Himalayan region, by giving land, money and citizenship to those who surrendered their arms, and by confiscating weapons as well. Thus who did not surrender would be prohibited from moving toward the Tibetan region.
Birendra is also credited with blocking the use of the army for suppressing the Maoist revolution in the country, which would've further aggravated the situation and disturbed the peace in the nation.
Environmental protection
![Tibetan Snowcock](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Tibetan_Snowcock.jpg)
King Birendra was regarded as a lover of nature and a great supporter of nature conservation. The trend of nature conservation from the government started during his reign. The dramatic decline of the rhinoceros population due to massive Terai migration and the extent of poaching prompted the government to institute the Rhino Patrol force (Nepali: ''गैडा गस्ती'' ) of 130 armed men and a network of guard posts all over Chitwan. To prevent the extinction of rhinos through a legal system, National park law was introduced which gazetted the
Chitwan National Park
, iucn_category = II
, location = Central Terai of Nepal
, established = 1973
, nearest_city = Bharatpur
, map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#India#South Asia , relief = 1
, label = Chitwan National Park
, label_position = top
, coordina ...
in December 1970, with borders delineated the following year and established in 1973.
[Gurung, K. K. (1983). ''Heart of the Jungle: the Wildlife of Chitwan, Nepal''. André Deutsch, London.][Adhikari, T. R. (2002)]
''The curse of success''.
Habitat Himalaya - A Resources Himalaya Factfile, Volume IX, Number 3.
![Greater one-horned rhinoceros at Chitwan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Greater_one-horned_rhinoceros_at_Chitwan.jpg)
For the purpose of conservation of Tigers in the nation, an area of 368 km
2 was gazetted as ''Royal Karnali Wildlife Reserve'' in 1976 which was later proclaimed as
Royal Bardiya Wildlife Reserve in 1982. The
Babai River Valley was further added to this reserved area in 1984. A flourishing ecosystem in the reserve later led to the proclamation of the area as national park in 1988.
[Majupuria, T. C., Kumar, R. (1998). ''Wildlife, National Parks and Reserves of Nepal.'' S. Devi, Saharanpur and Tecpress Books, Bangkok. ] The country's fourth protected area was established in 1976 from the Himalayan area of Langtang and named as
Langtang National Park
Langtang National Park was established in 1976 as Nepal's first Himalayan national park and the country's fourth protected area. It exceeds an elevation range of and covers an area of in the Nuwakot, Rasuwa and Sindhulpalchok Districts of the c ...
. For this purpose, an area of 1,710 km
2 was reserved in the district of
Nuwakot,
Rasuwa
Rasuwa District ( ne, रसुवा जिल्ला is one of 13 districts of Bagmati Province and one of seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Dhunche as its district headquarters, covers an area of and has a population (2 ...
and
Sindhulpalchok .
He also gazetted another wildlife reserve in 1976 as
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is a protected area in the Terai of eastern Nepal covering of wetlands in the Sunsari, Saptari and Udayapur Districts. It comprises extensive reed beds and freshwater marshes in the floodplain of the Kosi River, ...
. In the same year, he also established
Royal Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve in the Terai region of far-western provinc''e'' which was later enlarged and converted to national park in the late 1980s.
Also, another protected area,
Rara National Park
Rara National Park is a protected area in the Himalayas of Nepal and was established in 1976. Covering an area of in the Mugu and Jumla districts, it is the country's smallest national park. Its main feature is Rara Lake at an altitude of . Th ...
was established in the same year in order to protect the unique flora and fauna of
Humla
Humla District ( ne, हुम्ला जिल्ला), a part of Karnali Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Simikot as its district headquarters, covers an area of and has population of 50,858 as ...
,
Mugu and
Jumla regions and to fulfil his father,
King Mahendra's dream of creating a pristine nature reserve with a reserved area of 106 km
2 in the
Mugu and
Jumla districts which also includes the famous
Rara Lake
Rara Lake also known as Mahendra Lake is the largest fresh water lake in the Nepalese Himalayas. It is the main feature of Rara National Park, located in Jumla District, Jumla and Mugu Districts of Karnali Province. Rara National Park stretches ov ...
.
The last National Park to be established as part of the
Sacred Himalayan Landscape
The Sacred Himalayan Landscape is a large trans-boundary landscape in the eastern Himalayas encompassing temperate broadleaf and conifer forests, alpine meadows and grasslands, which harbour more than 80 mammal and more than 440 bird species. It ...
in the same year was
Sagarmatha National Park
Sagarmāthā National Park is a national park in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal that is dominated by Mount Everest. It encompasses an area of in the Solukhumbu District and ranges in elevation from at the summit of Mount Everest. In the north, i ...
in with reservation of area of 1,148 km
2 in the
Solukhumbu District
Solukhumbu District ( ne, सोलुखुम्बु जिल्ला , Sherpa: , Wylie: shar khum bu dzong) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. As the name suggests, it consists of the subregions Solu and Khumbu. ...
.
In 1984, a 225 km
2 area of
Bajhang
Bajhang District ( , a part of Sudurpashchim Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Chainpur, that is part of Jaya Prithvi Municipality, as its district headquarters, covers an area of and has a populatio ...
,
Bajura
Bajura District ( ne, बाजुरा जिल्ला ), a part of Sudurpashchim Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Martadi (today part of Badimalika municipality) as its district headquarters, c ...
,
Achham
Achham ( ne, :ne:अछाम जिल्ला, अछाम जिल्ला ) is a district located in Sudurpashchim province of Nepal. It is one of the nine Districts of Nepal, districts of the Sudurpashchim, province. The district, with M ...
and
Doti
Doti ( ne, डोटी), also known as Doti region, Dotigarh (डोटीगढ़) as used in the Jagar (folk tales; जागर), in the Farwestern region of Nepal (Sudurpashchim Province), is a region situated between River Kali bordering ...
was set aside as a protected area in the
Far-Western Region, Nepal
The Far-Western Development Region ( Nepali: सुदुर पश्चिमाञ्चल विकास क्षेत्र, ''Sudur Pashchimānchal Bikās Kshetra'') was one of Nepal's five development regions. It was located at the ...
and was named
Khaptad National Park
Khaptad National Park is a protected area in the Far-Western Region, Nepal that was established in 1984. Stretching over the four districts of Bajhang, Bajura, Achham and Doti it covers an area of and ranges in elevation from to .
History
Kh ...
. In the same year, he also established
Parsa Wildlife Reserve which was later extended to a National Park. Similarly, the nation's only trans-
Himalayan national park,
Shey Phoksundo National Park
Shey Phoksundo National Park is the largest and only trans- Himalayan national park in Nepal. It was established in 1984 and covers an area of in the districts of Dolpa and Mugu in the Mid-Western Region, Nepal. The protected area ranges in el ...
, was established in 1984 with an area of 3,555 square Kilometers in the districts of
Dolpa
Dolpa District ( ne, डोल्पा जिल्ला), is a district, located in Karnali Province of Nepal, It is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal and one of ten district of Karnali. The district, with Dunai as its district h ...
and
Mugu in the
Karnali Province
Karnali Province ( ne, कर्णाली प्रदेश) is one of the seven federal provinces of Nepal formed by the new constitution which was adopted on 20 September 2015. The total area of the province is covering 18.97% of the cou ...
which also included the famous
Phoksundo Lake
Phoksundo Lake ( ne, फोक्सुण्डो, translit=Phoksuṇḍo, pronounced ) is an alpine fresh water oligotrophic lake in Nepal's Shey Phoksundo National Park, located at an elevation of in the Dolpa District. Phoksundo Lake is in ...
.
In order to preserve the royal tradition of hunting as a hobby, but also to prevent the depleting wild life resource he established
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve is the only hunting reserve in Nepal. Established in 1987 it covers an area of in the Dhaulagiri Himal of western Nepal in the Eastern Rukum, Myagdi and Baglung Districts. In elevation, it ranges from .
Flora and faun ...
in 1987 AD.
King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation
The National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), () previously known as King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation is a Nepalese non-governmental organization working in the field of nature conservation.
History
It was established in 1982 as ...
as a memorial to his father, with the then prince
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, Tribhuva ...
as the chairman, was also established in 1990. With the establishment of Mahendra trust, he declared
Annapurna Conservation Area
Annapurna Conservation Area is Nepal's largest protected area covering in the Annapurna range of the Himalayas. It ranges in elevation from to the peak of Annapurna I at . The conservation area stretches across Manang, Mustang, Kaski, Myagdi, an ...
Moreover, with his efforts, Nepal was able to enlist
Sagarmatha National Park
Sagarmāthā National Park is a national park in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal that is dominated by Mount Everest. It encompasses an area of in the Solukhumbu District and ranges in elevation from at the summit of Mount Everest. In the north, i ...
in 1979 and
Chitwan National Park
, iucn_category = II
, location = Central Terai of Nepal
, established = 1973
, nearest_city = Bharatpur
, map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#India#South Asia , relief = 1
, label = Chitwan National Park
, label_position = top
, coordina ...
in 1984 into the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World heritage sites
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNES ...
. Similarly, monument zones such as the Durbar squares of
Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
,
Lalitpur and
Bhaktapur
, motto = ne, पुर्खले सिर्जेको सम्पत्ती, हाम्रो कला र संस्कृति , lit=Creation of our ancestors, our heritage and culture
, image_map ...
and religious sites such as
Swayambhunath
Swayambhu (Devanagari: स्वयम्भू स्तूप; new, स्वयंभू; sometimes Swayambu or Swoyambhu) is an ancient religious complex atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley, west of Kathmandu city. The Tibetan name for the ...
,
Boudhanath
Bouddha ( ne, बौद्धनाथ; ; , ), also known as Boudhanath, Khasti Chaitya and Khāsa Chaitya is a stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal.Snellgrove, David. ''Indo-Tibetan Buddhism: Indian Buddhists and Their Tibetan Successors'', 2 vols., p. 36 ...
,
Pashupatinath Temple
Pashupatinath Temple ( ne, श्री पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिर) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is located in Kathmandu, Nepal.
This temple was classified as a World Heritage Site in 1979. This "extensive ...
and
Changu Narayan
Changu Narayan is an ancient Hindu temple, located on a high hilltop that is also known as Changu or Dolagiri in Changunarayan Municipality of Bhaktapur District, Nepal. This hill is about 7 miles (or 12km) east of Kathmandu and a few miles n ...
was also enlisted in 1979.
Economic reforms
![TUTH Emergency Hall](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/TUTH_Emergency_Hall.jpg)
Focusing on sustainability and environmental conservation, on , trolley bus system was established in Nepal from the aid of
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. He followed in the path of his father to establish industrial estates by establishing Nepalgunj Industrial Area(1973), Pokhara Industrial Area(1974), Butwal Industrial Area(1976), Bhaktapur Industrial Area(1979), Dhankuta Industrial Area(1980), Birendranagar Industrial Area(1981), Gajendranarayan Industrial Area(1986) respectively.
Birendra is initially credited for devising the plan of Melamchi water project to Kathmandu. Gorakhali Tires Industries, Udayapur Cement Industries Limited, Nepal Metal company, Nepal Pharmaceuticals were all established during his time. King Birendra, was the patron of
Pashupati Area Development Trust
Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT; Nepali: पशुपति क्षेत्र विकास कोष) is a trust established to conserve and operate the Pashupatinath Temple and other charitable institution in the Pashupatinath UNESC ...
. In April 1979, Nepal Oriental Magnesite factory was established with a joint investment of Nepal government and Orissa Industries, India at
Lakuri Danda
Lakuri Danda is a village development committee in Dolakha District in the Bagmati Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau o ...
in
Dolakha District
Dolakha, often known as Dolkha or Dholkha (Nepal Bhasa:दोलखा जिल्ला)), a part of Bagmati Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Charikot as its district headquarters, covers an area of a ...
with the objective of producing dead burnt magnesite and talc powder. In 1983 he was able to establish a
Nepal-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission bringing in significant foreign investments in the country.
A 60 Megawatt hydropower project at Kulekhani began operation in 1982 with economic aid from the
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
,
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
, and
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.
TU Teaching Hospital
Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital is well known public hospital in Nepal.This was established in 1982. Initially it had 300 bed facility which is now increased and now it has 700 bed facility.
this hospital is the site of Under Tribhuvan Un ...
was established in 1982 with the economic support from
Japan International Cooperation Agency
The is a governmental agency that delivers the bulk of Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the government of Japan. It is chartered with assisting economic and social growth in developing countries, and the promotion of international co ...
. Nardevi Ayurvedic Hospital was established in 1974. Nepal Police Hospital was established by the
king
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
on the 27th of Chaitra, 2040 BS with an intention to provide free health services to in- service policemen and, their families.
He established Securities Exchange Center Ltd in 1976 to manage, promote and support the growth of trade of stocks and capitals in the nation. This center was later developed to what we know today as
Nepal Stock Exchange
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) is the only stock exchange of Nepal. the market capitalization of the companies listed on NEPSE was approximately .
The basic objective of NEPSE is to impart free marketability and liquidity to the government an ...
.
He is also credited for establishing the first television channel of Nepal
Nepal Television
Nepal Television ( ne, नेपाल टेलिभिजन), shortened to NTV is the Nepalese national public state-controlled television broadcaster. It is the oldest and most watched television channel in Nepal. The news broadcast at 8:0 ...
in 1984 which started its first channel in 1985 with French aid. Due to these economic reforms, by 1986, there were 2,054 industrial establishments employing about 125 thousand workers in the nation. By 1990, reach of people for television meant that video rental services and satellite dishes were commonly available.
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 ...
in the advice and consent of Rastriya Panchayat in 1986 established Mahendra Sanskrit University to manage
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
education in Nepal in Dang which at the time of its commencement was the second university of the country .
Roads and transportation
Various Studies in 1972 showed that building road connectivity in hilly and rural areas were more expensive than air connectivity.
So, the then government took the policy of connecting rural areas with airports and build roads only when there was a high amount of traffic flow. Under this policy,
Baglung Airport
Baglung Airport , also known as Balewa Airport, is a domestic airport serving Baglung, a municipality located in the western region of Gandaki Province of Nepal.
History
Baglung Airport was originally opened in 1973 but ceased to operate after ...
(
Balewa Airport
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (December 1912 – 15 January 1966) was a Nigerian politician who served as the first and only Prime Minister of Nigeria upon independence.
Early life
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was born in December 1912 in modern-day B ...
), Dhorpatan Airport,
Mahendranagar Airport
Mahendranagar Airport is a domestic airport located in Mahendranagar serving Kanchanpur District, a district in Sudurpashchim Province in Nepal. It is the main tourist gateway to Shuklaphanta National Park.
History
The airport started opera ...
and
Rukum Chaurjahari Airport was established in the year 1973.
Sanphebagar airport
Sanphebagar Airport is a domestic airport located in Sanphebagar serving Achham District, a district in Sudurpashchim Province in Nepal.
History
In 1967, the Airport was first constructed only having a Grass/Clay runway. It came into operatio ...
was established in 1975.
Simikot Airport
Simikot is the administrative headquarters of Humla District of Karnali Zone in the mountain region of northwestern Nepal.
Significance
Lying at an altitude of just over 2,900m on a gentle slope high above the Humla Karnali River, Simikot lies ...
was established on 18th March 1977,
Dolpa Airport
Dolpa Airport , also known as Juphal Airport is a domestic airport located in Juphal, Thuli Bheri serving Dolpa District, a district in Karnali Province in Nepal. It is the only airport of the district.
History
The airport was upgraded in 201 ...
, was established in 1978 and
Ramechhap airport
Ramechhap Airport is a domestic airport serving the municipality of Manthali, the district headquarters of Ramechhap District located in the Tamakoshi River valley in Bagmati Province in Nepal. As of October 2022, most flights to Lukla Airpor ...
in 1979.
Doti Airport
Doti Airport , also known as Silgadhi Airport, is a domestic airport located in Dipayal Silgadhi serving Doti District, a district in Sudurpashchim Province in Nepal.
History
The airport started operations on 24 September 1973, but the runway ...
, also known as Silgadhi Airport was established in 1973 with the blacktopped runway.
Talcha Airport
Rara Airport , also known as Talcha Airport, is a domestic airport located in Chhayanath Rara serving Rara National Park in Karnali Province in Nepal.
History
The airport was constructed in 1975 but was only blacktopped in 2015.
Airlines and de ...
, also known as
Rara Airport
Rara Airport , also known as Talcha Airport, is a domestic airport located in Chhayanath Rara serving Rara National Park in Karnali Province in Nepal.
History
The airport was constructed in 1975 but was only blacktopped in 2015.
Airlines and ...
was built in 1975.
Taplejung Airport
Taplejung Airport , also known as Suketar Airport, is a domestic airport located in Phungling serving Taplejung District, a district in Province No. 1 in Nepal. It is the main tourist gateway on the Kangchenjunga mountainous area and Pathibha ...
located in
Phungling
Phungling Municipality (previously also ''Taplejung Municipality'') is a municipality located in Taplejung District in the Province No. 1 of Nepal.
The municipality was formed merging the then two Village Development Committees of Phungling and ...
, also called
Suketar Airport
Taplejung Airport , also known as Suketar Airport, is a domestic airport located in Phungling serving Taplejung District, a district in Province No. 1 in Nepal. It is the main tourist gateway on the Kangchenjunga mountainous area and Pathibhar ...
, Jiri Airport and
Phaplu Airport
Phaplu Airport is a domestic airport located in Phaplu, Solududhkunda serving Solukhumbu District, a district in Province No. 1 in Nepal.
History
The airport was opened in October 1976 and later broadened by Sir Edmund Hillary to accommoda ...
and
Bajhang Airport
Bajhang Airport is a domestic airport located in Jayaprithvi serving Bajhang District, a district in Sudurpashchim Province in Nepal.
History
The airport was originally opened in October 1976 but ceased to operate after road access to the di ...
was built in 1976.
Rolpa Airport
Rolpa Airport is an airport in Rolpa District, Lumbini Province, Nepal.
The ICAO code is VNRP and the IATA code is RPA. It is currently not in operation.
See also
* List of airports in Nepal
This is a list of airports in Nepal, sorted by l ...
in 1980,
Manang Airport
Manang Airport is a domestic airport located in Manang serving Manang District, a district in Gandaki Province in Nepal. Situated at an elevation of above mean sea level, it is one of the highest airports in the world and the highest one in ...
in 1981,
Bajura airport
Bajura Airport is a domestic airport located in Budhinanda serving Bajura District, a district in Sudurpashchim Province in Nepal.
Facilities
The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway which is in lengt ...
in 1984 and Darchula Airport in 1986.
Similarly, The Lamosangu-Jiri road leading to Solukhumbu was commissioned in 1985 with Swiss government aid.
Promotion of agriculture
The government, during Birendra's reign, focused highly on agriculture promotion. As a result, almost 90% of the population was directly or indirectly involved in agriculture by 1990. Bhrikuti Pulp and Paper was established in 1985 under the Companies Act 2021 (
Bikram Sambat
Vikram Samvat (IAST: ''Vikrama Samvat''; abbreviated VS) or Bikram Sambat B.S. and also known as the Vikrami calendar, is a Hindu calendar historically used in the Indian subcontinent. Vikram Samvat is generally 57 years ahead of Gregorian Calend ...
) with support from the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
.
Increase in agricultural lands and agricultural workforce provided increased supplies of food, resulting in better nutrition. Corn production was increased to over 1 million tons in 1991 from 500,000 tons in 1961. Lumbini Sugar Mills at Sunwal,
Nawalparasi
Nawalparasi District ( ne, नवलपरासी जिल्ला, ), part of which belongs to Gandaki Province and part to Lumbini Province, was one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal before being divided into Nawalparasi (West of Ba ...
was built with the technical assistance from China in 1982.
The establishment of Gorakhali rubber Industries led to the cultivation of rubber for the first time in
Jhapa
Jhapa ( ne, झापा जिल्ला; ) is a district of Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal named after a Rajbanshi word "Jhapa" meaning "to cover" (verb). The latest official data, the 2021 Nepal Census, puts the total population of the d ...
,
Illam
Illam (), also referred to as Mana, is the Malayalam word for the house of a Namboodiri Brahmin. In the traditional lineage system used for the classification and identification of homes based on the castes of Kerala, South India, an Illam ser ...
and many other places of eastern Nepal. Similarly. establishment of agriculture based industries such as Bhrikuti Pulp and Paper, Hetauda Textile and huge number of carpet and garment industry were established to convert raw agricultural produce which contributed greatly to the economy.
Political achievements
![Nepal development regions](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Nepal_development_regions.png)
During the reign of King Birendra, referendum was held in 2037 BS for democracy wherein options were a multi-party system or a Panchayati system. During the Panchayat era and after the national referendum, he divided the nation into 5 development regions in order to create balanced development, and visited each division once a year; the visits were discontinued after 1990 democracy movement.
Despite previously being an autocratic rule and constant pressure from the supporters and royal members, the king always played the role of constitutional monarch by the book and never overstepped his boundaries. King Birendra was always there when there was some political crisis in the nation. Mid-term elections, 2051 and General Election, 2056 can be attributed to his good governance. The King regularly asked the Supreme Court for its advice on any political matters that could concern the constitution so that he would never overstep the boundaries of the constitution. He created a culture where the king and prime minister would meet every Thursday at his palace to discuss matters of state.
Social reforms
Recognizing low literacy levels as the main hindrance to national progress, King Birendra made development of education system his national priority. The five year plan starting from 1971 was mainly focused in building new educational institutions and upgrading the efficiency of the current education system. On the auspicious occasion of his coronation, King Birendra declared primary education to be free for all Nepalese citizens. Similarly, in 1978 with a royal approval all educational material started to be distributed free of costs to educational institutions. King Birendra became the patron of
Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology which worked in the field of developing science and technology in the nation. He established
Mahendra Sanskrit University
Nepal Sanskrit University (formerly Mahendra Sanskrit University) was established in December 1986 and has its central office at Beljhundi in Dang district of Lumbini Province, Nepal. It is 13 km away from the city of Ghorahi.
Academics
The un ...
in 1986 to preserve the language and culture in the region. Dowry system was criminalized in Nepal in 1976 under the Social Practices Reform Act (2033 B.S). Under the five year plan, King Birendra started the policy of National Service which required the post-graduate students to contribute their one-year of service to the development works in the rural areas. He initiated the process of preserving the history by establishing
Natural History Museum
A natural history museum or museum of natural history is a scientific institution with natural history collections that include current and historical records of animals, plants, fungi, ecosystems, geology, paleontology, climatology, and more. ...
in 1975.On 22 September 1976 he enacted Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act, 2033 prohibiting the trade, smuggling or any kind of drug trafficking in the country.
Development policy
Birendra took the policy of road development according to the population and daily road traffic and connecting the rural areas with airports. He restructured many governmental organization for the purpose of achieving developmental goals. He stressed roadbuilding, sanitation and scientific as well as technical trainings. A comprehensive study performed regarding the central planning agency triggered the restructuring of the National Planning Commission in 1972 and minor changes in 1987.
The government policy focused mainly on environment conservation, agriculture and education.
Criticism
Stagnant economy
Though King Birendra is remembered as a development-friendly king, he is also criticized for his inability to drive the country towards rapid development efforts like his father
King Mahendra
Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज महेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह देव; 11 June 1920 – 31 January 1972) was the King of Nepal from 13 March 1955 until h ...
. He had the political will but simply not the skill through which development efforts could be rapidly gained. His policy of sustainable development, shown by his nature conservation efforts, culture, and history became hindrances for economic development. The Panchayat regime created a stagnant economy during his reign as an autocratic ruler.
Administrative failure
Historians point out that the Panchayat Regime under King Birendra was a failure. He was not able to bring in much direct foreign investment during his reign, and all the programs he brought, or all the reforms he made were the continuation of his father's legacy. He restructured various organization previously established by his father, and implemented various development plan envisioned by his father. However, he was not able to bring about radical change in the country. Moreover, some historians also claim that making cannabis trade illegal, implemented during this era, created mass unemployment which eventually became one of the causes of the Maoist revolution.
Failed development efforts
Birendra restructured various organization and brought many development plans, but his development efforts were mostly a failure; which hindered any radical change in the country. Many airports and roads built during his era were rarely used, and eventually had to be closed down. Moreover, the reason the newly-built roads were rarely used was due to very low vehicle ownership or access to vehicles; so rarely contributing to economic development.
Killer of the Panchayat system
Some historians and anti-democrats blame Birendra solely for the fall of Panchayat regime. During the 1980s, the restraints that he had eased against political organizations provided a breeding ground for political parties which had previously been powerless and virtually non-existent until then.
Personality
From a very young age, Birendra was described by his
Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England.
Eton may also refer to:
Places
*Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England
* Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States
* Éton, a commune in the Meuse dep ...
teachers as a kind prince. He was remembered by his Eton classmates as a "very, very nice bloke who was embarrassed when his full title was read out at the school assembly." Very famous Nepalese media personality,
Neer Shah
Neer Bikram Shah, also known as Nir Shah, is a senior People of Nepal, Nepalese film actor, director, producer, poet, songwriter, and businessman. He is considered one of the leading actors in Cinema of Nepal, Nepali cinema history and an actor ...
describe Birendra as kind and development loving king. Royalist around the king and various scholars define him as a simple king who was able to listen to others view.
They also criticize him for his weakness of not being able to deny the requests of people around him and his habit to act like a clerk and work himself rather than order others.
Birendra allowed the 2036 B.S. ''Janmat Sangraha'' (1980
Referendum
A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...
) which was considered a move towards democracy. However, the leaders advocating for democracy and historians have claimed that the referendum was rigged. After
People's Movement I that resulted in few hundred deaths, he established 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 ...
in Nepal.
Some historians have speculated that Birendra's democratic views and simple nature may have led to the success of the People's Movement I (1990). He is credited for introducing
SAARC
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of states in South Asia. Its member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, ...
in Asia in order to strengthen the foreign relations of Nepal with the other South Asian countries.
Memorial
Many structures, institutions and honors have been built in the memory of King Birendra. Monuments erected in his name were renamed after the restoration of the parliament in 2063 BS and the end of the monarchy in 2065 BS. After the political changes of 2063 BS, an attempt was made to rename the highway built in the name of the king as Lok Marg.
Statues
# Birendra statue, Dhamboji Chowk, (
Nepalgunj
Nepalgunj (), also spelled Nepalganj, is a Sub-Metropolitan City in Banke District, Nepal. It lies on the Terai plains near the southern border with Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, India. Nepalgunj is 153 kilometers south-west of Ghorahi a ...
)
# Birendra statue (
Dang )
# Birendra statue,
Birendranagar
Birendranagar ( ne, वीरेन्द्रनगर) officially Birendranagar Municipality is a city in Surkhet District in Karnali Province of Nepal.
It is the district headquarter of Surkhet District and also the capital city of Karnali ...
(
Surkhet
Surkhet District ( ne, सुर्खेत जिल्ला, ) is a district in Karnali Province of mid-western Nepal. Surkhet is the one of the ten districts of Karnali located about west of the national capital Kathmandu. The district's are ...
)
# Birendra statue, Swargapuri (
Shivapuri )
# Birendra statue,
Jawalakhel
Jāwalākhel ( ne, जावलाखेल) is a subdivision of Lalitpur in Nepal. It is located 2 km from the ancient city centre Pātan, one of the three great capitals of Nepal until the 18th century. It derives its name from Jaulakhel ...
(
Lalitpur )
# Birendra statue,
Bindhyabasini Temple (
Pokhara
Pokhara ( ne, पोखरा, ) is a metropolis, metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Gandaki Province. It is the List of cities in Nepal, second most populous city of Nepal after Kathmandu, with 518,452 inhabitants living ...
)
# Birendra statue,
Pashupatinath temple
Pashupatinath Temple ( ne, श्री पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिर) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is located in Kathmandu, Nepal.
This temple was classified as a World Heritage Site in 1979. This "extensive ...
(
Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
)
School
# Shree Birendra Higher Secondary School,
Bhadrapur,
Jhapa
Jhapa ( ne, झापा जिल्ला; ) is a district of Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal named after a Rajbanshi word "Jhapa" meaning "to cover" (verb). The latest official data, the 2021 Nepal Census, puts the total population of the d ...
# Shree Birendra Higher Secondary School,
Charghare
Charghare is a village situated in the Nuwakot, Nepal. It is also a village development committee (VDC), and is surrounded by Bidur Nagarpaalika KalyanPur VDC, Gorysang VDC Khadkabhanjyang VDC. Charghare's main tourist places are Jalpadevi Temple ...
,
Nuwakot
# Shree Birendra Sarwajanik Higher Secondary School,
Morang
Morang District ( ne, मोरङ जिल्ला ) is located in Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. It is an Outer Terai district. It borders with Bihar, India to the South, Jhapa to the East, Dhankuta and Panchthar to the North, and Sunsar ...
# Shree Birendra secondary school,
Lakhantari
Lakhantari is a village development committee in Morang District in the Kosi Zone of south-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Stati ...
,
Morang
Morang District ( ne, मोरङ जिल्ला ) is located in Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. It is an Outer Terai district. It borders with Bihar, India to the South, Jhapa to the East, Dhankuta and Panchthar to the North, and Sunsar ...
# Shree Birendra secondary school,
Belbari
Belbari, ( ne, बेलबारी) officially known as Belbari municipality, is one of the major suburb of Morang district, Province No. 1. It lies in the eastern Terai region of Nepal. It was officially upgraded to become a municipality in 2 ...
,
Morang
Morang District ( ne, मोरङ जिल्ला ) is located in Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. It is an Outer Terai district. It borders with Bihar, India to the South, Jhapa to the East, Dhankuta and Panchthar to the North, and Sunsar ...
# Shree Birendra Madhyamik Bidhyalaya,
Jhorahat
Jhorahat is a village development committee (according to older administrative division of Nepal) in Morang District in the Koshi Zone of south-eastern Nepal. According to the most recent administrative division, Jhorahat is in Gramthan Gaunpali ...
,
Morang
Morang District ( ne, मोरङ जिल्ला ) is located in Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. It is an Outer Terai district. It borders with Bihar, India to the South, Jhapa to the East, Dhankuta and Panchthar to the North, and Sunsar ...
# Birendra Secondary School,
Katahari
Katahari is the village development committee (VDC) of the Morang District, located in the Kosi Zone of southeastern Nepal. According to the 2011 Nepal census, it had a population of 39,975 inhabitants.
Geography
Katahari is located in southe ...
,
Morang
Morang District ( ne, मोरङ जिल्ला ) is located in Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. It is an Outer Terai district. It borders with Bihar, India to the South, Jhapa to the East, Dhankuta and Panchthar to the North, and Sunsar ...
# Birendra Secondary School,
Argakhanchi
# Birendra Secondary School,
Dasharathchand
Dasharathchand is a municipality and the district headquarter of Baitadi District in Sudurpashchim Province of Nepal. It is a hill station above Mahakali River close to the Indian border. At the time of the 2011 Nepal census it had a population ...
a,
Baitadi
Khalanga or Baitadi Khalanga is a town and seat of Baitadi District in the Sudurpashchim Province of western Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau ...
# Birendra secondary school,
Badikedar
Badikedar ( ne, बड्डी केदार) is a Gaupalika( Nepali: गाउपालिका ; ''gaupalika'') in Doti District in the Sudurpashchim Province of far-western Nepal. Badikedar has a population of 16720.The land area is 332.55& ...
,
Doti
Doti ( ne, डोटी), also known as Doti region, Dotigarh (डोटीगढ़) as used in the Jagar (folk tales; जागर), in the Farwestern region of Nepal (Sudurpashchim Province), is a region situated between River Kali bordering ...
# Birendra Secondary School,
Syangja
Syangja District ( ne, स्याङ्जा जिल्ला; ), a part of Gandaki Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Syangja bazaar (a small town) as its district headquarters, covers an area of ...
# Birendra Secondary School,
Nuwakot
# Birendra Secondary School,
Parbat
Parbat District ( ne, पर्वत जिल्ला , is a hilly area of Nepal. It is a part of Gandaki Province and one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Kusma as its district headquarters, covers an area of and ...
#
Birendra Sainik Awasiya Mahavidyalaya, Bhaktapur
College
# Birendara Bidhya Mandir Campus,
Tikapur
Tikapur ( ne, टिकापुर) is a Municipality in Kailali District in Sudurpashchim Province of Nepal that was established in January 1997. Tikapur Municipality was further expanded on 10 March 2017 through merger with the two former V ...
,
Kailali
#
Birendra Multiple Campus
Birendra Multiple Campus ( ne, वीरेन्द्र बहुमुखी क्याम्पस) is one of the constituent campuses of Tribhuvan University in Bharatpur, Chitwan district in Nepal. The campus was established in 1st Bi ...
,
Bharatpur
# Birendra Memorial College ,
Dharan
Dharan ( ne, धरान) a sub-metropolitan city in Sunsari District of Province No. 1, Nepal, which was established as a fourth municipality in the Kingdom in 1958. It is the third most populous city in Eastern Nepal after Biratnagar and It ...
#
Birendra Multiple Campus
Birendra Multiple Campus ( ne, वीरेन्द्र बहुमुखी क्याम्पस) is one of the constituent campuses of Tribhuvan University in Bharatpur, Chitwan district in Nepal. The campus was established in 1st Bi ...
Location
#
Birendranagar
Birendranagar ( ne, वीरेन्द्रनगर) officially Birendranagar Municipality is a city in Surkhet District in Karnali Province of Nepal.
It is the district headquarter of Surkhet District and also the capital city of Karnali ...
,
Surkhet
Surkhet District ( ne, सुर्खेत जिल्ला, ) is a district in Karnali Province of mid-western Nepal. Surkhet is the one of the ten districts of Karnali located about west of the national capital Kathmandu. The district's are ...
#
Birendranagar, Chitwan
# Birendra Chowk , (
Birendranagar
Birendranagar ( ne, वीरेन्द्रनगर) officially Birendranagar Municipality is a city in Surkhet District in Karnali Province of Nepal.
It is the district headquarter of Surkhet District and also the capital city of Karnali ...
)
# Birendra chowk,
Kageshwari-Manohara Municipality
# Birendra chowk ,
Phungling Municipality
Phungling Municipality (previously also ''Taplejung Municipality'') is a municipality located in Taplejung District in the Province No. 1 of Nepal.
The municipality was formed merging the then two Village Development Committees of Phungling and ...
# Birendra Chowk,
Dharan
Dharan ( ne, धरान) a sub-metropolitan city in Sunsari District of Province No. 1, Nepal, which was established as a fourth municipality in the Kingdom in 1958. It is the third most populous city in Eastern Nepal after Biratnagar and It ...
# Birendra Chowk,
Tulsipur
Tulsipur is a town and tehsil in the Balrampur district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
Geography
Tulsipur is located near the India-Nepal border on the banks of the River Nakti (also known as River Siria) and is 23 km from Koilabas and ...
, (
Dang)
# Birendra Chowk , (
Nepalgunj
Nepalgunj (), also spelled Nepalganj, is a Sub-Metropolitan City in Banke District, Nepal. It lies on the Terai plains near the southern border with Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, India. Nepalgunj is 153 kilometers south-west of Ghorahi a ...
)
# Birendra Chowk , (
Itahari
Itahari ( ne, ईटहरी) is a Municipalities in Province No. 1, sub-metropolitan city in the Sunsari District of Province No. 1 of Nepal. Itahari city is business hub of eastern Nepal. It is the List of cities of Nepal, second most populous ...
)
#
Birendra Lake
Birendra Lake (Birendra Tal), is a freshwater lake located in Manaslu Glacier in Gorkha District
Gorkha District ( ne, गोरखा जिल्ला ), a part of Gandaki Province, is one of the 77 districts of Nepal, which is the fourt ...
(Birendra Tal),
Gorkha
The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India.
The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Gorkhas and are recruit ...
# Birendra Aishwarya Park,
Dhangadi
# Birendra Aishwarya Park,
Baglung
Baglung is a municipality in western Nepal, west of Kathmandu. It is the administrative headquarters of Baglung District and Dhaulagiri Zone. Baglung serves as the major center for business, finance, education, service and healthcare for the peo ...
Structure
#
Birendra Museum
The Birendra Museum is a museum located in Kathmandu Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal. It is located alongside Tribhuvan Museum and Mahendra Museum. It contains personal artefacts that belonged to King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah, who is internationa ...
,
Kathmandu Durbar Square
Kathmandu Durbar Square (''Basantapur Durbar Kshetra'') is located in front of the old royal palace of the former Kathmandu Kingdom and is one of three Durbar (royal palace) Squares in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, all of which are UNES ...
#
Birendra Army Hospital
#
Birendranagar Airport
Others
# Birendra Beer,
Zürich
Zürich () is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. It is located in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich. As of January 2020, the municipality has 43 ...
#
Birendra Memorial Cup The Birthday Cup (also referred to as the Birendra Memorial Cup in the 2002 edition) was an association football competition organised to mark the birthday of King Birendra of Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Demo ...
#
Birendra Peace Operations Training Centre Birendra Peace Operations Training Centre is an army training institute of Nepal operated by Nepali Army. The center is dedicated to train army personnel participating in UN Peace Keeping Operation. It is located at Panchkhal
Panchkhal ( ne, ...
#
Birendranagar Jaycees
Junior Chamber International, commonly referred to as JCI, is a non-profit international non-governmental organization of young people between and years old. It has members in about 124 countries, and regional or national organizations in mo ...
Nepalese royal massacre
Birendra and his whole family were gunned down on 1 June 2001. Almost all of the royal family were killed in the massacre except
Gyanendra Shah
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, Tribhuva ...
, Birendra's younger brother. Dipendra was proclaimed King but could not be crowned since he was in coma in hospital. He died a few days later of self-inflicted gunshot wounds sustained in the massacre. Consequently, Gyanendra was made the king.
Titles and honours
; National orders
*
![Nepal Pratap Bhaskara](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Nepal_Pratap_Bhaskara.svg)
Sovereign of the
Order of Nepal Pratap Bhaskara
*
![Ord](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Ord.Rajanya.Nepal-Ribbon.gif)
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 Tribh ...
*
![Most Refulgent Order of the Star of Nepal](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Most_Refulgent_Order_of_the_Star_of_Nepal.PNG)
Sovereign of the
Order of Nepal Taradisha
*
![Ord](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Ord.TriShaktiPatta.png)
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 ...
*
![Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Order_of_Gorkha_Dakshina_Bahu.svg)
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 Mahendra Investiture Medal 1956](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/King_Mahendra_Investiture_Medal_1956.gif)
Recipient of the King Mahendra Investiture Medal (02/05/1956)
; Foreign orders
* :
**
![Order of the Rajamitrabhorn (Thailand) ribbon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Order_of_the_Rajamitrabhorn_%28Thailand%29_ribbon.svg)
Knight of the
Order of the Rajamitrabhorn
The Most Auspicious Order of the Rajamitrabhorn ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นมงคลยิ่งราชมิตราภรณ์; ) is the highest royal order of Thailand. It ...
, (1979)
* :
**
![Order of the Elephant Ribbon bar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Order_of_the_Elephant_Ribbon_bar.svg)
Knight of the
Order of the Elephant
The Order of the Elephant ( da, Elefantordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry and is Denmark's highest-ranked honour. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional ...
, (17 October 1989)
* :
**
![JPN Daikun'i kikkasho BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/JPN_Daikun%27i_kikkasho_BAR.svg)
Knight Grand Cordon with Collar 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 f ...
, (1975)
* :
**
![Order of Makarios III (Cyprus) - ribbon bar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Order_of_Makarios_III_%28Cyprus%29_-_ribbon_bar.gif)
Grand Cross with Collar of the
Order of Makarios III of Cyprus
The Order of Makarios III ( el, Τάγμα Μακάριου Γ') is the highest order of merit awarded by Cyprus. Established in 1991, the order is named after the first President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III.
Grades
The Order of Makarios I ...
, (1980)
* :
**
![LAO Order of the a Million Elephants and the White Parasol - Grand Cross BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/LAO_Order_of_the_a_Million_Elephants_and_the_White_Parasol_-_Grand_Cross_BAR.svg)
Knight Grand Cordon with Collar of the
, (1970)
* :
**
![Ordre du Lion d'Or de la Maison de Nassau ribbon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Ordre_du_Lion_d%27Or_de_la_Maison_de_Nassau_ribbon.svg)
Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
The Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau (french: Ordre du Lion d'Or de la Maison de Nassau, nl, Huisorde van de Gouden Leeuw van Nassau) is a chivalric order shared by the two branches of the House of Nassau (the Ottonian and Walramian ...
, (22 March 1975)
* :
**
![Legion Honneur GC ribbon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Legion_Honneur_GC_ribbon.svg)
Grand Cross of the
Order of the Legion of Honour
Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to:
* Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood
* Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...
, (02/05/1983)
* :
**
![GER Bundesverdienstkreuz 9 Sond des Grosskreuzes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/GER_Bundesverdienstkreuz_9_Sond_des_Grosskreuzes.svg)
Grand Cross Special Class of the
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 ...
, (1986)
* :
**
![Order of Charles III - Sash of Collar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Order_of_Charles_III_-_Sash_of_Collar.svg)
Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the
Order of Carlos III
The Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, originally Royal and Much Distinguished Order of Charles III ( es, Real y Distinguida Orden Española de Carlos III, originally es, Real y Muy Distinguida Orden de Carlos III) was establ ...
, (19 September 1983)
* :
**
Nishan-e-Pakistan
The Nishan-e-Pakistan ( ur, , , ''Order of Pakistan'') is the highest civilian award of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It is awarded for "those who have rendered services of highest distinction" to the national interest of Pakistan. Nishan i ...
, (1983)
* :
**
![Order of the Star of Romania - Ribbon bar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Order_of_the_Star_of_Romania_-_Ribbon_bar.svg)
Grand Cross of the
Order of the Star of Romania
The Order of the Star of Romania (Romanian: ''Ordinul Steaua României'') is Romania's highest civil Order and second highest State decoration after the defunct Order of Michael the Brave. It is awarded by the President of Romania. It has five r ...
, (1975)
* :
**
![CHL Order of Merit of Chile - Grand Cross BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/CHL_Order_of_Merit_of_Chile_-_Grand_Cross_BAR.svg)
Grand Cross with Collar of the
Order of Merit of Chile
The Order of Merit ( es, link=no, Orden al Mérito) is a Chilean Order (distinction), order and was created in 1929. Succeeding the Medal of the Merit, which was created during the term of the President Germán Riesco through the Minister of War ...
(1989)
* :
**
![FIN Order of the White Rose Grand Cross BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/FIN_Order_of_the_White_Rose_Grand_Cross_BAR.png)
Grand Cross with Collar of the
Order of the White Rose
The Order of the White Rose of Finland ( fi, Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunta; sv, Finlands Vita Ros’ orden) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. T ...
, (1988)
* :
**
![EGY Order of the Nile - Grand Cordon BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/EGY_Order_of_the_Nile_-_Grand_Cordon_BAR.png)
Collar of the
Order of the Nile
The Order of the Nile (''Kiladat El Nil'') was established in 1915 and was one of the Kingdom of Egypt's principal orders until the monarchy was abolished in 1953. It was then reconstituted as the Republic of Egypt's highest state honor.
Sultana ...
, (1974)
* :
**
![Order of the Yugoslavian Great Star Rib](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Order_of_the_Yugoslavian_Great_Star_Rib.png)
Great Star of the
Order of the Yugoslav Star
The Order of the Yugoslav Star sr, Орден југословенске звезде, ''Orden jugoslovenske zvezde'' sl, Red jugoslovanske zvezde mk, Орден на југословенската ѕвезда, ''Orden na jugoslovenskata zvezda'' ...
, (2 February 1974)
*
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
:
**
![Order 23 august 1 kl rib](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Order_23_august_1_kl_rib.png)
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of 23 August (1987)
* :
**
![Royal Victorian Chain Ribbon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Royal_Victorian_Chain_Ribbon.gif)
Recipient of the
Royal Victorian Chain
The Royal Victorian Chain is a decoration instituted in 1902 by King Edward VII as a personal award of the monarch (i.e. not an award made on the advice of any Commonwealth realm government). It ranks above the Royal Victorian Order, with which it ...
(23 February 1975)
; Association honours
* :
**
Golden Pheasant Award
The is the highest award for adult leaders in the Scout Association of Japan. It is awarded by the Chief Scout of Japan, awarded for eminent achievement and meritorious service to the Association for a period of at least twenty years. It may be a ...
of the
Scout Association of Japan
The is the major Scouting organization of Japan. Starting with boys only, the organization was known as Boy Scouts of Japan from 1922 to 1971, and as Boy Scouts of Nippon from 1971 to 1995, when it became coeducational in all sections, leading to ...
, (1978)
Ancestry
See also
*
List of state visits by Birendra This is list of state visits by Birendra of Nepal, King Birendra (28 December 1945 – 1 June 2001) of Nepal during his regime.
Africa Egypt
Birendra and Aishwarya paid a state visit to Egypt at the invitation of President Anwar El Sadat in Februar ...
*
Wedding of Birendra and Aishwarya
*
Coronation of Birendra
References
*
Album of late King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev by Narayan Prasad Shiwakoti: Published in 1995
Election
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev
2001 murders in Asia
Nepalese monarchs
British field marshals
21st-century murdered monarchs
Nepalese Hindus
Nepalese murder victims
Deaths by firearm in Nepal
People educated at Eton College
University of Tokyo alumni
Harvard University alumni
1945 births
2001 deaths
People murdered in Nepal
Male murder victims
Grand Croix of the Légion d'honneur
Grand Crosses Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Grand Crosses of the Order of the Star of Romania
Recipients of Nishan-e-Imtiaz
Shah dynasty
Murder–suicides in Asia
Assassinated people
Assassinated heads of state
People of the Nepalese Civil War
Hindu monarchs