Bidya Devi Bhandari facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bidya Devi Bhandari
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| विद्यादेवी भण्डारी | |
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Bhandari in 2019
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| 2nd President of Nepal | |
| In office 29 October 2015 – 13 March 2023 |
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| Prime Minister | KP Sharma Oli Sher Bahadur Deuba Pushpa Kamal Dahal |
| Vice President | Parmanand Jha Nanda Kishor Pun |
| Deputy Prime Ministers |
See list
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| Preceded by | Ram Baran Yadav |
| Succeeded by | Ram Chandra Poudel |
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 25 May 2009 – 6 February 2011 |
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| President | Ram Baran Yadav |
| Prime Minister | Madhav Kumar Nepal |
| Preceded by | Ram Bahadur Thapa |
| Succeeded by | Bijay Kumar Gachhadar |
| Minister of Population and Environment | |
| In office 25 March 1997 – 7 October 1997 |
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| Monarch | King Birendra |
| Prime Minister | Lokendra Bahadur Chand |
| Preceded by | Prakash Man Singh |
| Succeeded by | Prakash Man Singh |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| In office November 1994 – April 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Daman Nath Dhungana |
| Succeeded by | Jhakku Prasad Subedi |
| Constituency | Kathmandu 2 |
| In office January 1994 – August 1994 |
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| Preceded by | Madan Bhandari |
| Succeeded by | Man Mohan Adhikari |
| Constituency | Kathmandu 1 |
| Member of the Constituent Assembly / Legislature Parliament | |
| In office 21 January 2014 – 28 October 2015 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Bidya Pandey
19 June 1961 Mane Bhanjyang, Bhojpur, Kingdom of Nepal (present day Mane Bhanjyang, Ramprasadrai Rural Municipality, Bhojpur, Koshi Province, Nepal |
| Political party | Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) (until 2015) |
| Spouse |
Madan Bhandari
(m. 1982; died 1993) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents | Ram Bahadur Pandey (father) Mithila Pandey (mother) |
| Education | Bidhdhodaya Higher Secondary School, Bhojpur |
| Alma mater | Tribhuvan University (BA) |
| Website | bidyabhandari.com.np |
Bidya Devi Bhandari (born on June 19, 1961) is a well-known Nepali politician. She was the second President of Nepal, serving from 2015 to 2023. Before becoming president, she also worked as the Minister of Defence and the Minister of Environment and Population.
She made history as the first woman to become president in Nepal. She was also a leader in the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) and led the All Nepal Women's Association. From 2009 to 2011, Bhandari was the Minister of Defence, being the first woman to hold that important role. She also served as the Minister of Environment and Population in 1997. She has always been a strong supporter of protecting the environment and fighting for women's rights in Nepal. In 2016, Forbes magazine listed her as one of the world's 100 most powerful women.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Bidya Devi Bhandari was born on June 19, 1961, in Mane Bhanjyang, Bhojpur. Her parents were Ram Bahadur Pandey and Mithila Pandey. She finished her school education in Bhojpur. Later, she went to college in Biratnagar, Morang, for her higher studies.
Her journey in politics started when she joined a student union that supported leftist ideas. In 1980, she officially became a member of the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist).
Her Journey in Politics
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Bhandari was interested in politics from a young age. In 1978, she became an activist for the Youth League of the CPN (ML) in Bhojpur. From 1979 to 1987, she was in charge of the Eastern Zone Committee of ANNFSU, a student organization. Her active political career truly began when she joined the CPN (ML) in 1980.
While studying at Mahendra Morang Adarsha Multiple Campus, she was elected as the treasurer of the students' union. She also played a key role as the chairperson of the women's section of GEFONT from 1993. She continued this work until she was elected as a central committee member of the CPN (UML) in 1997.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
Bhandari was first elected to the parliament in January 1994. This happened in a special election after her husband, who was the sitting member for Kathmandu–1, passed away. She won against former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. In the 1994 general election, she was elected again, this time from Kathmandu–2.
In 1997, she served as the Minister for Environment and Population in a government led by prime minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand. She was re-elected from Kathmandu–2 in the 1999 general election. Although she lost in the 2008 Constituent Assembly election, she was later chosen through a special electoral system. She also served as the Minister of Defence in the government of prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. She was re-elected in the 2013 elections through the proportional electoral system.
Her influence in the party grew when she was elected as the vice-chairperson of the CPN (UML). She was re-elected to this position in the party's next meeting. Bhandari is known to be a close supporter of the party chairman and former prime minister KP Sharma Oli.
Becoming President of Nepal
After Nepal's new constitution was introduced in 2015, Bidya Devi Bhandari was elected president. This happened through an election held in the parliament on October 28, 2015. She won against Kul Bahadur Gurung, becoming Nepal's second president and its first female head of state. She was re-elected for a second term in 2018, winning against Kumari Laxmi Rai. Her term as president ended in March 2023.
Personal Life
Bidya Devi Bhandari was born on June 19, 1961, in Manebhanjyang, Nepal. She was married to Madan Bhandari, a well-known Nepali communist leader. Sadly, he passed away in a car accident in 1993. They had two daughters named Usha Kiran Bhandari and Nisha Kusum Bhandari.
See also
In Spanish: Bidhya Devi Bhandari para niños
