Tanka Prasad Acharya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tanka Prasad Acharya
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टंक प्रसाद आचार्य
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| 19th Prime Minister of Nepal | |
| In office 27 January 1956 – 26 July 1957 |
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| Monarch | Mahendra |
| Preceded by | Direct rule by King Mahendra |
| Succeeded by | Kunwar Inderjit Singh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 February 1912 |
| Died | 23 April 1992 (aged 80) |
| Nationality | Nepali |
| Political party | Nepal Praja Parishad, Nepali Congress |
| Spouse | Rewanta Kumari Acharya |
| Children | 5 |
Tanka Prasad Acharya (Nepali: टंक प्रसाद आचार्य; born February 11, 1912 – died April 23, 1992) was an important Nepali politician. He served as the 19th Prime Minister of Nepal from 1956 to 1957. He was one of the people who started the Nepal Praja Parishad. This was the first political party in Nepal. Its main goal was to end the strict rule of the Rana family.
Contents
Starting the Nepal Praja Parishad
Tanka Prasad Acharya was born in 1912. His parents were Tika Prasad Acharya and Tika Devi Acharya.
Acharya met other smart people who wanted to end the Rana family's control. One of these people was Dashrath Chand. In a hotel in Bhimphedi, they came up with the idea to form a group. This group was called the Nepal Praja Parishad, which means Nepal People's Council.
They officially started the group in 1936. Other people who wanted democracy, like Dharma Bhakta Mathema and Gangalal Shrestha, joined them. Acharya was chosen as the leader. Dharma Bhakta Mathema was also the gym teacher for King Tribhuvan. King Tribhuvan secretly supported the group.
Actions Against the Rana Rule
The Nepal Praja Parishad took part in many activities against the Rana government. At first, they wrote and handed out pamphlets by hand. They also wrote articles in newspapers in India. Later, Acharya brought a printing machine from India to Nepal. This helped them print and share more pamphlets.
Over time, the group became more determined. In 1940, they planned strong actions against several Rana government officials. However, their plan was discovered when someone told the government. Acharya and many members of the group were sentenced to death. But Acharya was not executed. This was because he was a Brahmin, and at that time, killing Brahmins was against Nepali law. Instead, Acharya was sent to prison for life. The Nepal Praja Parishad group mostly stopped working after this.
While Acharya was in prison, a new political party called the Nepali National Congress was formed in 1947. Acharya was chosen as its president. But since he was in prison and could not talk to the party, this was only a symbolic role. B.P. Koirala became the acting president instead.
After the Revolution: Political Career
After the 1951 Revolution, Acharya was set free from prison. King Tribhuvan also officially forgave him. For a few years, he stayed a senior member of the Nepali Congress party.
However, he had disagreements with the leaders of the Nepali Congress. So, he left the party with Bhadrakali Mishra, another important politician. They then restarted the Nepal Praja Parishad. Acharya and his party were part of Matrika Prasad Koirala's government in 1953. They continued to be a part of the groups that opposed the main Nepali Congress party.
Becoming Prime Minister
In 1956, King Mahendra chose Acharya to be the Prime Minister. During his time as Prime Minister, many important things happened.
Key Achievements as Prime Minister
- The first 5-year plan for Nepal's development began.
- The Nepal Rastra Bank, which is Nepal's central bank, was created.
- The Supreme Court, the highest court in the country, was set up.
Acharya's time as Prime Minister was also very good for Nepal's relationships with other countries. Nepal started official diplomatic relations with many new countries. He also worked closely with the Chinese government. For example, on October 7, 1956, he signed an agreement with China. China promised to give Nepal 60 million rupees to help with development. Acharya resigned as Prime Minister in July 1957.
After Being Prime Minister
By the time of the 1959 Nepali elections, the Nepal Praja Parishad had split. Acharya and Mishra ran their own separate groups. Acharya's group won two seats in the election, while Mishra's group won one.
In 1960, King Mahendra took full control of the government. He started a new system called the Panchayat system. Acharya was arrested and put in prison again. He was released the next year. After this, he did not have much political influence.
Tanka Prasad Acharya passed away on April 23, 1992, at the age of 80. He died due to kidney problems.
