Chakra Prasad Bastola

Former Minister of Nepal
BornNovember 20, 1944 (1944-11-20)
Jhapa
DiedOctober 13, 2018 (2018-10-14) (aged 73)
Kathmandu, Nepal
EducationUniversity of Oxford, Banaras Hindu University, Eton College
OccupationForeign Minister of Nepal
TermJuly 11, 2003 – October 11, 2003
Political partyNepali Congress
SpouseMadhu Koirala Acharya
ChildrenSumnima Bastola, Garima Bastola

Chakra Prasad Bastola was a Nepalese politician who served as the Foreign Minister of Nepal from 10 April 2000 to 26 July 2002, as well as Minister of Home Affairs from 2004 to 2006 and the Nepalese ambassador to India from 1990 to 1999.[1] He was one of the key members of the hijacking of Royal Nepal Airlines Flight 34 in 1973 that was carrying funds that the Nepali Congress needed to overthrow the Monarchy[2] for which he was sentenced to jail for 18 months in Bihar, India.

Personal life

Bastola was born in 1944 in Jhapa District of Nepal and died on 13 October 2018 in Kathmandu, Nepal. Bastola was married twice. His first wife was Madhu Acharya, the sister of former Prime Minister Shailaja Acharya. His wife was also a niece of BP Koirala, Matrika Prasad Koirala, and Girija Prasad Koirala All Former Prime Ministers .[2] He had two daughters.

Education

Bastola was a Rhodes Scholar. After his time in prison he went to the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, to study for a Master's degree in political science. He then studied for a PHD at Banaras Hindu University in India.

Bastola with Russian President Boris Yeltsin

Political Life

Bastola was responsible for providing weapons for the Royal Nepal Airlines hijacking. After the failure of the hijacking Bastola was imprisoned in Nakhu, Kathmandu and later in Patna Bihar.

After Bastola's study in India, on returning to Nepal in 1990 he ran for the legislative assembly from his home district of Jhapa. In 1994 Bastola was sent to New Delhi as Nepal's ambassador. He resigned the ambassadorship in 2001 and returned to Nepal.

Bastola went on four foreign trips to India, China, Russia and the United States.[3]

Legacy

Bastola as Foreign Minister with President of India K. R. Narayanan at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi in 2000

He was given a state funeral on 13 October 2018, and buried in the Nepali Congress Headquarters in Kathmandu.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Former Ambassadors". New Delhi, India - Embassy of Nepal. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  2. 1 2 3 Dahal, Bal Krishna (26 October 2018). "Remembering Bastola: A democracy fighter". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  3. ↑ Singh, R.K. (2010). Relations of NDA and UPA with Neighbours. Gyan Publishing House. p. 205. ISBN 978-81-212-1060-7. Retrieved 20 Sep 2022.
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