King Birendra (born 1945) focused on economic growth and power decentralization after ascending to the throne of Nepal at the age of 27.
King Birendra (Bir Bikram Shah Dev) of Nepal was born on December 28, 1945, as the eldest son of King Mahendra and Queen Indra. In the royal family entourage in and around the palace in Nepal's capital city, he had two brothers and three sisters, as well as many aunts, uncles, and cousins. On February 23, 1970, Birendra married Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Rana, and the couple had three children: Prince Dipindra, Prince Nirajan, and Princess Shruti.
King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev succeeded King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev as the 11th King of Nepal after his death in 1972. He was Ruler Mahendra's eldest son and is widely regarded as the best king in the country's history.He was a sensitive and sympathetic young guy who, as a monarch, was well-liked by the people of the country from an early age. He was Nepal's first monarch, and he aspired for true democracy in his country, with a panchayat system that benefited everyone. He also called for the monarchy's absolute power to be replaced with a "Constitutional Monarchy." Because the 'People's Movement' in 1990 was a victory for his direct and democratic beliefs. He advocated the formation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which would benefit the economies and linkages of all member countries.
Quick Facts
- Famous As: 11th King Of Nepal
- Nationality: Nepalese
- Birth Date: December 28, 1945
- Died At Age: 55
- Sun Sign: Capricorn
- Born In: Narayanhity Palace
- Father: Mahendra Of Nepal
- Siblings: Gyanendra Of Nepal, Dhirendra Of Nepal
- Spouse/Partner: Aishwarya Of Nepal
- Children: Dipendra Of Nepal, Prince Nirajan Of Nepal, Princess Shruti Of Nepal
- Religion: Hinduism
- Died On: June 1, 2001
- Place Of Death: Kathmandu
- Cause Of Death: Assassination
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| Childhood of Birendra |
His father was King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, and his mother was Crown Princess Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi, and he was born on December 29, 1945, at Kathmandu's "Narayanhiti Royal Palace." His two younger siblings, King Gyanendra and Prince Dhirendra, were his parents' eldest sons. His younger sister was Princess Shobha, and his older sisters were Princess Shanti and Princess Sharada. H attended St. Joseph College, a Jesuit school in Darjeeling, India, for his early education. He was still in school when his grandfather, King Tribhuvan, died on March 13, 1955, and became the "Crown Prince of Nepal."
In 1959, he enrolled in Eton College in the United Kingdom. After finishing his studies at Eton College, he returned to Nepal in 1964. He set out on an autonomous excursion throughout the country, stopping at villages and monasteries along the way. He made do with whatever he could get from the villagers. He studied political history at Harvard University in the United States from 1967 to 1968, after spending some time at the University of Tokyo in Japan in 1967. He traveled to several countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. In his early years as the monarch of Nepal, he also learnt to fly helicopters.
Career
He came to the throne of Nepal after his father, King Mahendra, died on January 31, 1972. He possessed unlimited power because there was no alternative form of government in place when he became king. He governed through the panchayat system, which included regional and local governments, and prohibited all political parties. He despised the total power he had been given and insisted that his government was a democracy governed by people's representatives rather than an expensive alternative of several political parties.
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| Birendra Bir Bikram Shan |
In October 1973, he visited India, and two months later, he visited China. Despite all external influences, he retained the country's sovereignty. His coronation as the King of Nepal took place three years after becoming the King, on February 4, 1975. His coronation was attended by guests from 60 countries, including the "Prince of Wales," his Eton instructors, and former classmates. He also declared that on the same day, every child in the country was entitled to free education.
In 1975, King Birendra declared Nepal as a ‘zone of peace’ and a neutral territory so that it could pursue a policy of non-alignment which would bring progress and prosperity.He advocated for a public vote in May 1980 to decide between a multi-party government and a non-party administration. The referendum for a non-party administration received 55 percent of the vote, while the multi-party system received 45 percent of the vote. Restrictions on the political parties also started to ease as more and more groups led by students asking for a change to the type of government started to emerge starting from April 1990.On November 9, 1990, he had no choice but to relax the prohibition on political parties as pro-democracy strikes and rioting erupted across the country.
He established a "independent Constitution Recommendation Commission" to ascertain the key opposition organizations' demands and include them into the new constitution. They sent him a draft of the new constitution on September 10, 1990. On November 9, 1990, he declared the government to be a constitutional monarchy, with Krishna Prasad Bhattarai as Prime Minister. However, several political groupings were unsatisfied with this kind of government, resulting in a civil war in 1996 that lasted until 2006. His brother Gyanendra ascended to the throne in his place.
Personal Life & Legacy
On February 27, 1970, he married his second cousin Queen Aishwarya Rasjya Laxmi Devi, a Rana family member, in the most spectacular nuptial ceremony ever witnessed.
Prince Dipendra, Princess Shruti, and Prince Niranjan were their three children, all of whom killed in the royal palace massacre.
He died on June 1, 2001 in the royal palace massacre that took place there during a dinner party where the whole royal family except a few including Prince Gyanendra, were present.
Death:
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| Death of Birendra |
Birendra and most of his family (including Queen Aiswarya) were massacred during a royal banquet on June 1, 2001, jeopardizing Nepal's security. However, eyewitness testimonies and the findings of an investigation led by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Keshav Prasad Upadhaya, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Taranath Ranabhat, indicated that his eldest son and heir, Dipendra, was the gunman. Gyanendra is suspected of being involved in a scheme.
The motive given for Dipendra's actions were a clash with his mother over his wish to marry Devyani Rana. Dipendra also had a history of alcohol and illegal drugs abuse and had also suffered from depression in the past. Dipendra was proclaimed king, but he died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds a few days later. Gyanendra, Birendra's brother, ascended to the throne.
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