Kumar

11 December 1942 – 1 June 2001

Late Kumar Khadga Bikram Shah

Kumar Khadga Bikram Shah hailed from the royal family of Jumla, a lineage steeped in history. He was born in Gyaneshwor to Mr. Devendra Bikram Shah and Bodh Kumari Shah. He had two younger siblings, Lalit Bikram Shah, former Regional Director of International Civil Aviation Office and Neer Bikram Shah, a veteran Nepali actor.

EARLY LIFE

His formative years were spent at St. Xavier’s High School in Godavari, followed by his pursuit of higher education at St. Xavier’s College in Calcutta, where he graduated with a degree in political science. Driven by his intellectual curiosity, Kumar Khadga further supplemented his knowledge by studying law in Kathmandu. He also joined Harvard University as a research fellow.

FAMILY LIFE

On May 29, 1966, he embarked on a new chapter in his life, marrying Her Royal Highness Princess Sharada Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah. Their union was blessed with three sons: Brigadier General Bikash Bikram Shah, Deebas Bikram Shah, and Ashish Bikram Shah. A loving husband and a devoted father, Kumar Khadga enjoyed spending time with his family and was often found in the kitchen preparing meals for them.

Academic and Sports Contributions

An avid reader and a liberal thinker, Kumar Khadga’s intellect shone through his tenure as the director of the Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies (CNAS) from 1984 to 1989. During this period, he played a pivotal role in propelling the institution forward, defining its scope of work with clear-cut programs and prioritizing research and human resource development.

Beyond his scholarly pursuits, Kumar Khadga was a passionate sportsman from a young age. His athletic prowess found expression in swimming, tennis, hockey, cricket, and football, until a leg injury hindered his potential. Undeterred, his love for sports remained unwavering, leading him to become the first member secretary of the National Sports Council. In this role, he laid a solid foundation for Nepali sports by spearheading the construction of the Dasrath Stadium in 1956.

Mountaineering & Sports Legacy

Kumar Khadga Bikram Shah’s passion for the outdoors led him to found the Nepal Mountaineering Association in 1973. During his time with the association, he played a key role in developing policies to involve the private sector in Nepal’s tourism development process. He conceptualized and actively contributed to establishing the International Mountain Museum in Pokhara and the International Mountaineer’s Memorial Park in Kakani, Kathmandu. In 1988, he led the Nepalese team in the Tripartite Traverse of Mount Everest, where Nepalese and Japanese teams summited the mountain from Nepal and China, respectively, and met at the peak.

Kumar Khadga’s commitment to sports was further exemplified through his presidency of the National Olympic Committee of Nepal from 1967 to 1977. A notable gesture during his tenure was sending all players to the 1972 Munich Olympics by plane while the board members, including himself, traveled by car. The Nepal Mountaineering Association later instituted the Kumar Khadga Contribution Purashkar in recognition of his contributions to Nepali sports.

Kumar Khadga was a founding member of the Godavari Alumni Association as well. Besides his contributions to sports and research studies in Nepal, he also continued to practice law and journalism for the most part of his life.

A Life Cut Too Short

Tragically, his life was cut short on June 1, 2001, when he became one of the ten royal family members who lost their lives in the devastating Royal Massacre.