It's this month five years ago when Nepal's king Gyanendra Shah left his palace following abolition of the country's 239-year-old monarchy by a newly elected parliament. Utpal Parashar reports.
It's this month five years ago when Nepal's king Gyanendra Shah left his palace following abolition of the country's 239-year-old monarchy by a newly elected parliament.
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And as the country gears for parliamentary polls after failure of constituent assembly to draft a new constitution, the 66-year-old is making headlines because of his political comments.
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On Wednesday, Shah, who's on an extensive religious tour of the Terai region, delivered his first address. In his speech, Shah spoke about the political crisis after dissolution of the constituent assembly and handing over of power by political parties to an interim government headed by the chief justice. According to reports, the gathering kept shouting slogans like "raja aau, desh bachau" (king come, save the nation).
The former king's tours and remarks have led some to surmise he might be planning a political comeback and is seeking public support for such a move.
Though there's very slim possibility of monarchy returning to Nepal, Shah still enjoys support of a section of the Hindu majority population who view him as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. There is a view that if he wants to join politics Shah could float his own party or use the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party, which wants restoration of monarchy, as his comeback vehicle.
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.
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