From a violent past to top of government
KATHMANDU : Prachanda’s life is intertwined with Nepal’s slow and often bloody transition towards democracy, shaking off its past as a Himalayan kingdom.
Born into a simple lower-middle class family on December 11, 1954 in Kaski district, Prachanda holds a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and Animal Science.
After college, he spent six years as a teacher, and worked for USAID in Jajorkot, which was facing massive poverty and inequality.
The dire conditions there inspired him to join politics.
He rose through the ranks of the Maoist party, which evolved through a number of splits.
Prachanda led the armed revolution in 1996 and became the supreme commander of the People’s Liberation Army.
CPN (Maoist) declared a ‘people’s war’ on February 4, 1996 and started looting weapons of policemen posted in rural Nepal.
The Maoists blew up police posts and terrorising the people and gradually expanded its military and political clout across rural Nepal.
People from backward communities and ethnic minorities extended support to the Maoists.
The deterioration of Kathmandu politics in the wake of the Royal massacre of 2001 came as a panacea to the Maoists.
Prachanda led the bloody civil war for 10 years, during which over 13,000 people were killed
Ending his 25-year long underground life, ‘Prachanda’ made a public appearance at Baluwatar, the Prime Minister's residence, on June 16, 2006 with his deputy, Baburam Bhattarai.
Once a wanted man for revolting against the state, Prachanda became the Prime Minister of Nepal on August 18, 2008 and remained in office till May 25, 2009.
Prachanda is married to Sita Dahal and has four children.