King Birendra will go down in history as a monarch who led Nepal through changing political times. On his ascension he was effectively an absolute monarch, as he inherited a country where political parties were banned and he ruled through a system of local and regional councils known as panchayats. Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, (born December 28, 1945, Kathmandu, Nepal—died June 1, 2001, Kathmandu), king of Nepal from 1972 to 2001, 10th in the line of monarchs in the Shah Dev family.. 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. On June 1, 2001 (according to the official version), King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, 55, considered to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, was gunned down during a family dinner party here by his 30-year-old son, Crown Prince Dipendra. The eldest son of King Mahendra, he reigned until his death in the 2001 Nepalese royal massacre. With his father's ascension King Birendra became the Crown Prince of Nepal. He was succeeded to the throne by his brother Gyanendra. The stability of Nepal was threatened even more when Birendra and his family (including Queen Aishwarya) were massacred at a royal dinner on 1 June 2001.. To head this he chose Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, who he had imprisoned for several years. When he ascended the throne absolute power was vested in him with no other form of government in place. 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. He was the one who suggested the formation of SAARC consisting of Asian countries which would boost the relations and economy of all the member countries. Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (वीरेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह) (28 December 1945 – 1 June 2001) was a King of Nepal. The then Prince Dipendra also lived on the ground floor. It concludes with a very brief introduction to Birendra’s son Dipendra in his youth. The commission presented him with the draft of the proposed constitution on 10 September 1990. then King Tribhuvan and Crown Prince Mahendra were both alive and well, though in a self-imposed exile in India. In 1959 King Birendra enrolled at E… The kitchen, dining room, wine bar and restroom are also on the ground floor. [3] He is credited for introducing SAARC in Asia in order to strengthen the foreign relations of Nepal with the other South Asian countries. Late king Birendra’s mother Ratna still lives in her residence, Mahendra Manjil, within the complex. Late king Birendra’s mother Ratna still lives in her residence, Mahendra Manjil, within the complex. Still many Nepalis love him and still do. Late King Birendrawas indeed a Godly personality!" King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah (b. The draft constitution was approved by the Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and his cabinet and so, on 9 November 1990, Birendra promulgated the new constitution transforming Nepal into a constitutional monarchy. [8] The wedding, which was billed as one of the most lavish Hindu nuptial ceremonies in history, cost $9.5 million to stage. [1] After People's Movement I that resulted in few hundred deaths, he was forced to establish a constitutional monarchy in Nepal.[2]. In 1959 King Birendra enrolled at E… Early life. On 13 March 1955 his grandfather King Tribhuvandied and his father succeeded to the Nepalese throne. So much of conspiracy!! The paper also questioned the official probe commission's report holding Dipendra responsible for the killings. King Birendra appointed an interim government to pave the way for elections. When King Gyanendra of Nepal was a boy, he was sent to school in Darjeeling in neighbouring India. Following the controversy arising from naming its seasonal beer after late king Birendra, the Turbinenbräu brewery in Zürich has corresponded with Swiss Embassy in … Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (वीरेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह) (28 December 1945 1 June 2001) was the 11th King of Nepal and a South Asian statesman. Early life. The new constitution would make Birendra head of state of a constitutional monarchy with a system of multiparty democracy. In an attempt to maintain the panchayat system of government prominent leaders of the Nepali Congress Party were arrested. He became the king of Nepal on January 31, 1972 after his father King Mahendra died. [6] Birendra enjoyed traveling in his youth, and went on trips to Canada, Latin America, Africa, many parts of India, and a number of other Asian countries. The kitchen, dining room, wine bar and restroom are also on the ground floor. He became the 11th king of Nepal in 1972 and held the position till the time of his death. Ketaki Chester was a cousin of King Birendra, and was present with her sister at the Naryanhiti Palace on 1 June 2001 when Crown Prince Dipendra killed nine members of his family, including himself. The eldest son of King Mahendra, he reigned until his death in the 2001 Nepalese royal massacre. [9] King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya had three children: Birendra succeeded to the Nepalese throne on 31 January 1972, at the age of 27, after the death of his father King Mahendra. He visited many countries in Latin America, Africa, and a number of Asian countries. The dead included King Birendra of Nepal and Queen Aishwarya. 1st June 2001, was a black day in Nepali history when King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya, Prince Dipendra and 6 others were massacred inside the royal palace, Narayanhity. The other victims included three of the King's children, his two sisters and one more member of the family by marriage. When I became Birendra's tutor, I was twenty-seven, he was twenty-two. His father was King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and mother was Crown Princess Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi. King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya, their son Prince Nirajan, their daughter Princess Shruti, two of the king's sisters, his brother-in-law and a cousin were all killed by gunfire at the Narayanhiti royal palace in an incident which has left his eldest son and successor, Crown Prince Dipendra Bir … King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya and Prince Niranjan were among the victims of the tragedy at the royal palace in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu. [12] During the 1980s the restraints that had been imposed on political organisations started to ease, and liberal student-led groups started to demand constitutional change in Nepal.[6][17]. Spread over 754 ropanis, the premises has a Nepal Army division in the north, Republic Memorial on the east and the offices of the Department of Passport of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the west. King Birendra was born on Dec. 28, 1945, and acceded to the throne in January 1972, after the death of King Mahendra. With his father's ascension King Birendra became the Crown Prince of Nepal. King Birendra and his son Dipendra were very popular and well-respected by the Nepalese population. In 1990, a series of strikes and pro-democracy riots broke out in Nepal. Wearing eyeglasses and puffing on … His wife, Queen Aiswarya; their daughter, Princess Shruti; and another son, Prince Nirajan, were also killed. He was appointed as a British Field Marshal in 1980. He joined the Eton College in the United Kingdom in 1959. - Issue Date: Jun 18, 2001 Today is the nineteenth year of tragic Royal Palace masacare in the history of Nepal when many members of King Birendra families were killed. He was best described as an emotional person even during his school days. King Birendra and Aishwarya of Nepal, during a visit by Queen Elizabeth II to Nepal, 21st February 1986. If what I learned from Birendra about U.S. relations with the rest of the world could encourage others to stop and think, perhaps the time had come to relate that story. Dipendra's body was cremated after his funeral. Birendra was married to Aishwarya Rajya Lakshmi Devi from the Rana family, his second cousin, on 27 February 1970. All political parties were banned and he ruled with the help of the panchayat system which comprised of regional and local councils. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/birendra-of-nepal-7103.php, The Hottest Male Celebrities With The Best Abs. Who Is The Greatest Female Warrior In History? However, the quarrels between various political parties and numerous social problems led to the Nepalese Civil War, a conflict between Maoist rebels and government forces, which lasted from 1996 until 2006. He is the most internationally well-known Nepalese king in modern history. The late King Birendra of Nepal was the world's only Hindu king. 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. Right after the royal massacre, Dipendra was proclaimed King of Nepal while in a coma. HIS MAJESTY KING BIRENDRA BIR BIKRAM SHAH DEV OF NEPAL, who has been killed aged 55, was the world's only Hindu king and was considered by his followers to be an incarnation of the god Vishnu. The late King Birendra of Nepal was the world's only Hindu king. The son of King Mahendra, whom he succeeded in 1972 he reigned until his death in the 2001 Nepalese royal massacre. His son Crown Prince Dipendra was named King on June 2, 2001, after the unfaithful Royal family massacre of June 1, 2001 that took the lives of the King, Queen, Prince, Princess and five other Royal family members. After the decimation of King Birendra’s family, King Gyanendra is the legal heir to the throne sanctioned by the customs and traditions of Nepal. Cut and cleanly, Kunda Dixit He endured the difficult change of heading the government of his mountain kingdom to … On the ground floor was the private office of the then King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya. He had three children, Yuvaraj Dipendra Shah, Adhiraj Kumari Shruti Shah and Adhiraj Kumar Nirajan Shah. Dipendra was proclaimed king but died a few days later of self-inflicted gunshot wounds sustained in the massacre. He maintained the sovereignty of the country in spite of all foreign influences. Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was the king of Nepal from 2001 to 2008. The son of King Mahendra, whom he succeeded in 1972, he reigned until his death in the 2001 Nepalese royal massacre. Gyanendra was absent when the incident occurred at a dinner party held at the ‘Narayanhiti Royal Palace’ in Kathmandu. His coronation as the King of Nepal took place three years after becoming the King, on February 4, 1975. Birendra Bir Bikram Shah (Nepali: वीरेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह) (28 December 1945 – 1 June 2001) was the King of Nepal from 1972 until 2001. It concludes with a very brief introduction to Birendra’s son Dipendra in his youth. He also wanted that the absolute power vested with the monarch be abolished and there should be a ‘Constitutional Monarchy’ instead. It is said that Shri Sadan was designed by King Birendra. King Birendra of Nepal was born in Kathmandu, Nepal, at the ‘Narayanhiti Royal Palace’ on December 29, 1945. Spread over 754 ropanis, the premises has a Nepal Army division in the north, Republic Memorial on the east and the offices of the Department of … After studying at Eton until 1964, he returned to Nepal where he began to explore the country by travelling on foot to the remote parts of the country where he lived on whatever was available in the villages and monasteries. [22][23][24][25], H.M. Svasti Sri Giriraja Bahadur Shah Bahadur Shamsher Jang Devanam Sada Samara Vijayinam, King of Nepal, Royal Victorian Chain (23 February 1975), Album of Late king Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev by Narayan Prasad Shiwakoti: Published on 1995 AD – Election, "Birendra" redirects here. King Birendra and the rest of the Nepalese Royal Family were slain in a bloodbath June 7, 2001 by crown prince Dipendra in a drunken frenzy. For other uses, see, His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Crown Prince Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol, Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau, Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, https://www.kullabs.com/classes/subjects/units/lessons/notes/note-detail/1971, "Nepal's King Gives Way to Multiparty Democracy", "The Late King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah - Childhood Picture", "Birendra, 55, Ruler of Nepal's Hindu Kingdom", "Coronation in 1975, Jean Pierre Laffont, 89 images", "NEPAL / ROYAL: Coronation of King Birendra 24 May 1975", "King Birendra of Nepal A ruler much loved by his people, he bowed to popular will and surrendered absolute power", "Nepal's royal killer is named King as his parents are cremated", Nepal massacre inquiry begins, at long last, "Nepal: Is India behind the Nepalese Royal Family massacre? Birendra spent eight years studying at St Joseph's School, a Jesuit school in Darjeeling, with his brother Gyanendra. Then, with Queen Aishwarya beside him, he was cleansed with butter, milk, yogurt and honey as priests chanted praises and salutations. He endured the difficult change of heading the government of his mountain kingdom to … In killing his father King Birendra and other family members before shooting himself, a love-crazed prince exposes Nepal to emotions it never knew and uncertainy it never wanted. Built-in 2023 BS, the three-story building has 12 rooms. Detailed investigation is impossible as the "Tribhuvan Sadan" (the building where the massacre occurred) was demolished by the Gyanendra government which made Gyanendra a most unpopular king. According to the people of Nepal, he was among the best kings ever in Nepal. On 13 March 1955 his grandfather King Tribhuvandied and his father succeeded to the Nepalese throne. He married his second cousin Queen Aishwarya Rasjya Laxmi Devi who belonged to the Rana family on February 27, 1970 in a ceremony that is described as the most lavish nuptial ceremony. It was a warm Friday evening on June 2001 in Kathmandu, Nepal and King Birendra Shah was looking forward … Birendra Bir Bikram Shah (Nepali: वीरेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह) (28 December 1945 – 1 June 2001) was the King of Nepal from 1972 until 2001. During his coronation there were guests from 60 different countries including the ‘Prince of Wales’, his teachers at Eton and former classmates. Dhirendra was killed in the royal palace massacre. The demand for another probe into the royal massacre has faded now, but the general people, political leaders and kith and kin of the royal family still recall the late King Birendra as a humble, polite and friendly king and June 1 as a black day in Nepal's history. He is the most internationally well … King Birendra will go down in history as a monarch who led Nepal through changing political times. Following the controversy arising from naming its seasonal beer after late king Birendra, the Turbinenbräu brewery in Zürich has corresponded with Swiss Embassy in … In a discussion on BBC radio, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai spoke of King Birendra's impeccable personal manners and courtesy and his equally impeccable role as a constitutional monarch.[18][19]. During the first two thirds of this period, he was an absolute ruler under the system he had inherited from his father, King Mahendra. He resented the absolute power that was vested in him and maintained that his government was actually a democracy run by the people’s representatives instead of being run by a costly alternative of multiple political parties. Joseph College’ in Darjeeling, India. This time, it is a different story altogether. H did initial schooling at the Jesuist school, ‘St. On June 1, 2001 – allegedly completely unconnected with the war – King Birendra was murdered along with the whole family during supper in the palace dining room. On the auspicious occasion of his coronation, the King announced that he had ordered his government to make primary education available and free for every child, but disappointed those Nepalis who hoped that he would promise progress towards democracy.[13][14][15][16]. Maybe ex king Gyanendra became silent to keep the country safe otherwise war could have happened. King Birendra and Aishwarya of Nepal, during a visit by Queen Elizabeth II to Nepal, 21st February 1986. He had two elder sisters, Princess Shanti and Princess Sharada and a younger sister named Princess Shobha. He was the first monarch of Nepal who wanted his countrymen to have an experience of actual democracy where there would be a form of panchayat system that would be beneficial to all. [4] He later completed his education by spending some time at the University of Tokyo, before studying political theory at Harvard University from 1967 to 1968. He became the 12th king of Nepal after his elder brother King Birendra was assassinated in a shooting incident that killed most of his family members. Dipendra was proclaimed king but died a few days later of self-inflicted gunshot wounds sustained in the massacre. Later, upon his father's death, Prince Dipendra was declared King of Nepal while … Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, (born December 28, 1945, Kathmandu, Nepal—died June 1, 2001, Kathmandu), king of Nepal from 1972 to 2001, 10th in the line of monarchs in the Shah Dev family.. He was also an art collector and supporter of Nepalese crafts people and artists, and learnt to fly helicopters.[7]. Coming to the throne of Nepal at the age of 27 King Birendra sought to emphasize economic development and a decentralization of authority.. King Birendra (Bir Bikram Shah Dev) of Nepal was born on December 28, 1945, the eldest son of King Mahendra and Queen Indra. He went on an exploration of the country all by himself and visited the villages and monasteries. Right after the royal massacre, Dipendra was proclaimed King of Nepal while in a coma. He ruled Nepal till 2058 BS. The referendum for a non-party government won by 55 percent of the votes against the 45 percent of the votes polled for a multi-party system of government. He had to lift the ban on political parties on November 9, 1990 as pro-democracy strikes and rioting broke out in the country. State radio, interrupting broadcasts of mourning music for King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya and six others who died Friday night, said the successor to the throne, Dipendra, remained critically ill. The son of King Dipendra, the Crown Prince of the royal family of Nepal dissatisfied with the fact that his parents did not accept his chosen woman, he assassinated his family members. He was the eldest son of his parents and had two younger brothers, King Gyanendra and Prince Dhirendra. The ‘People’s Movement’ in 1990 was a success because of his simple and democratic views. I think external interference played important role here. Almost two decades ago, the Crown Prince Dipendra allegedly shot nine members of his own family — including his father King Birendra and his … The King and Queen of Nepal have been shot dead after the heir to the throne went on the rampage with a gun before turning it on himself. In June 2001, however, his life took a sudden dramatic turn when the Nepalese royal family was plunged into crisis. ", "Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev King of Nepal", "Dipendra kicked his father after he shot him", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Birendra_of_Nepal&oldid=999817889, Grand Crosses Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Knights of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau, Grand Crosses of the Order of the Star of Romania, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox royalty with unknown parameters, Articles containing Nepali (macrolanguage)-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2019, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with Trove identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 12 January 2021, at 03:07. He returned to Nepal in 1964 after completing his studies at the Eton College. He was a kind and emotional person from a very young age and was very popular as a monarch among the people of the country. The story of heavenly love turned to hellish fury. [1] King Birendra had spent eight years studying at St Joseph's College, a Jesuit school in Darjeeling. The shelf centres a painting of King Birendra’s mother, Queen Indra – her immaculate beauty captured on a crystal frame. King Birendra's reign, lasting 29 years, had two distinct phases. King Birendra was born at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace in Kathmandu as the eldest son of the then Crown Prince Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and his first wife, Crown Princess Indra Rajya Lakshmi Devi.[4][5]. King Birendra was born at the Narayanhity Royal Palace in Kathmandu as the eldest son of the then Crown Prince Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and his wife Crown Princess Indra Rajya Laxmi. There he was smeared with mud taken from various symbolic places - the bottom of a lake, the tusk of an elephant, a mountain, the confluence of two rivers and the doorstep of a prostitute's house. On 13 March 1955 their grandfather King Tribhuvan died, and their father succeeded to the Nepalese throne. [7] Birendra resented the imputation that he was an absolute monarch, maintaining that he presided over a democracy in which representatives to the assembly were indirectly elected and saying that his poor and backward country could not afford a democracy based on party politics and that it needed firm and decisive government. The demand for another probe into the royal massacre has faded now, but the general people, political leaders and kith and kin of the royal family still recall the late King Birendra as a humble, polite and friendly king and June 1 as a black day in Nepal's history. Early life: Late King Birendra was born at the Narayanhity Royal Palace in Kathmandu as the eldest son of the then Crown Prince Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and his wife Crown Princess Indra Rajya Laxmi. He ascended to the throne in 1972, just two years after marriage, as a result of the sudden death of his father, King Mahendra. Almost all of the Royal family members were killed in the massacre except Gyanendra Shah, Birendra's younger brother. With his father's ascension Birendra became the Crown Prince of Nepal. King Birendra was conceived as the oldest child of Crown Prince Mahendra Bir Bir Bikram Shah Dev and his first bride, Crown Princess Indra Rajya Lakshmi Devi, at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace in Kathmandu. Visit ofthe Kings of Spain in Nepal - Katmandhu.Cena gala hosted by King Birendra and Queen Aishwayra to the King of Spain Juan Carlos and Sofia. He received the draft of the new constitution from them on September 10, 1990. It is said that Shri Sadan was designed by King Birendra. The chapter on ‘The Shah Restoration, 1950-2001’ covers the revival of the monarchy under Birendra’s grandfather King Tribhuvan, his father King Mahendra, and Birendra’s own role in ‘democratizing’ the nation. The challenges faced by the new king He also learnt to fly helicopters during his early days before becoming the monarch of Nepal. King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was the 11th King of Nepal who succeeded King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev after his death in 1972. With Dipendra’s suicide the following day, Gyanendra was unexpectedly called to ascend the throne, which he did on June 4. The referendum was held in May 1980 with the non-party system winning by a margin of 55% to 45%. He was the eldest son of his parents and had two younger brothers, King Gyanendra and Prince Dhirendra. [18] Visit ofthe Kings of Spain in Nepal - Katmandhu.Cena gala hosted by King Birendra and Queen Aishwayra to the King of Spain Juan Carlos and Sofia. He was the eldest son of King Mahendra and is believed to be the best king among all the monarchs who have ruled the country. Birendra had two brothers, Dhirendra Shah and Gyanendra Shah. In 1959, Birendra enrolled at Eton College in the United Kingdom. [20], Eyewitness reports and an official investigation (carried by a two-man committee made up of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Keshav Prasad Upadhaya and the Speaker of the House of Representatives Taranath Ranabhat),[21] confirmed that Dipendra was the gunman. The Top 25 Wrestling Announcers Of All Time, Celebrities Who Are Not In The Limelight Anymore. I would not today approach the project of tutoring a future ruler of Nepal as I did in the fall of 1967. The Nepalese royal massacre occurred on 1 June 2001, at a house in the grounds of the Narayanhity Royal Palace, then the residence of the Nepalese monarchy.It is believed that the heir to the throne, Prince Dipendra, killed nine members of his family and himself.The dead included King Birendra of Nepal and Queen Aishwarya.. Because of the rioting, King Birendra lifted the ban on political parties and agreed to become a constitutional monarch in April 1990. The coronation ceremony was attended by statesmen and political leaders from 60 nations, with the Prince of Wales representing the British Royal Family. [citation needed] King Birendra was described as one of the few Nepalese monarchs who wanted the Nepalese people to experience real democracy.