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Journalism of Courage
After leading a decade-long armed struggle to dislodge the 240-year-old monarchy, Maoist chief Prachanda on Wednesday became the most powerful person in Nepal, who is set to head its next government after fulfilling his ambition of transforming the country into a republic.
With declaration of Nepal as a Republic and abolishing the monarchy by the first meeting of Constituent Assembly on Wednesday, a new dawn has begun for the country to be led by the 53-year-old former rebel, who is now in his strongest position to rebuild the Himalayan country.
Prachanda, whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal, led his party to a stunning victory in last month’s Constituent Assembly polls.
Born on December 11, 1954 in the Annapurna region of Nepal, Prachanda spent much of his childhood in the Chitwan District and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science in Rampur.
Prachanda became general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (Mashal) in 1986. This party, after a number of permutations became the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). He led a bloody 10-year agitation, which was launched in 1996, against the monarchy in which more than 13,000 people have been killed.
Until recently, very little was known about Prachanda, who has three daughters and a son. The rebel leader was rarely seen in public during the violent agitation.
Chronology
1768-90: Shah dynasty begins with conquest of Kathmandu by King Prithvi Narayan Shah
1846: Jang Bahadur Rana becomes prime minister, establishing hereditary rule of Ranas as prime ministers which lasts for 104 years. Shah Kings reduced to powerless figureheads
1946: Nepali Congress formed
1948: Country’s first constitution promulgated
1955: King Tribhuvan dies, is succeeded by King Mahendra
1959: First general elections held, Nepali Congress party wins
1960: King Mahendra bans all political parties
1972: King dies, is succeeded by King Birendra
1990: King Mahendra lifts ban on political parties
1996: Maoists launch rebellion to try and topple monarchy
2001: King Mahendra and most of the royal family killed by Crown prince Dipendra, who dies later. Prince Gyanendra becomes king
2005: King Gyanendra takes absolute power, vowing to the crush Maoists
2006: King gives up absolute power, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala sworn in, signs peace deal with rebels, ending war that killed more than 13,000
2007: Ruling alliance & Maoists agree to abolish the monarchy
2008: Maoists emerge after elections as largest political party
