“Yet another Black Friday in Nepali history! RIP #KrishnaPrashadBhattarai” I tweeted after I was fully convinced Krishna Prashad Bhattarai was no more. Bhattarai had slipped into a coma after his health’s condition had significantly deteriorated last Wednesday and there were these tweets and even some news that Bhattarai was dead even before he was officially announced so. Most of his well wishers still had hope of his life this time as previously he had survived a heart attack and had expressed hopes of living up to 100. But sad enough, the magic didn’t work this time. Finally, Dr Bharat Rawat who was involved in his treatment pronounced him dead at 11:26 pm. Nepal’s former Prime Minister and last surviving founding leader of Nepali Congress (NC), Krishna Prasad Bhattarai finally passed away at Norvic International Hospital Friday night. He was 87.
A period of national mourning for death of Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has been declared by the Nepal government. The national flags will fly at half-mast and there will be condolence books at all Nepal’s diplomatic missions abroad for upcoming three days. The final rituals of the former prime minister will undergo with state honors tomorrow and a public holiday has been announced for Sunday to mourn the demise.
His body has been kept at his Ashram in Bandegaun, Lalitpur on Saturday. Here’s a video of our prime minister Jhala Nath Khanal and some other important leaders paying their last homage to the veteran leader.
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai will always be remembered for his great contributions to the people and country. Krishna Prasad Bhattarai was twice the Prime Minister of Nepal, once heading the interim government from April 19, 1990, to May 26, 1991, and then as elected Prime Minister from May 31, 1999, to March 22, 2000.
He was the officiating President of the Nepali Congress for nearly 26 years from February 12, 1976, and finally elected to the post of president of party in 1992 till 1996. He was actively participated in democratic Movements of Nepal from its inception. The constitution of Nepal (1990) was promulgated while he was interim Prime minister of Nepal and credited for successfully holding the parliamentary election in 1990, a milestone in Nepalese political history.
R.I.P. Krishna Prasad Bhattarai
For his brief career sketch along with the photo gallery please visit the post “Krishna Prasad Bhattarai – Illustrious career [Gallery]“.