Bir Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana

Bir was born to the chief of the Army Dhir Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana, younger brother of Jung Bahadur Rana. His mother was sister of lalitman Singh Basnyat and daughter of Pahalman Singh Basnyat.The Nepalese PM Jung Bahadur Rana was asked for help by the British Raj in dealing with the mutiny, and Pahalman Singh Basnyat was Brigadier Colonel of the troops deployed from Nepal.[1] He was given the title of Shree 1 Maharaja of Khaptad and was commonly known as Khaptadi Raja.

Bir Shumsher with his youngest wife

He then served from 1885 to 1901 and was invested as Tung-ling-ping-ma-kuo-kang-wang in 1889. During his tenure, he received Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, and the ill-fated Archduke Franz Ferdinand. His successor for three months, at his death in 1901, was his progressive brother Deva Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana.

Sri Tin Maharaja Bir Shamsher

There were many reforms during Bir Shumsher’s time. Water pipes were laid, English was taught in schools and hospitals were built. He reorganized land tax and created a better administrative body. He sent a large number of troops to the British. The British gave him the title of Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India on Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. He was an earnest ruler, a great builder and a lover of music.

He started a new line of succession to the Prime Ministership of Nepal, excluding all others except the legitimate sons of Dhir Shumsher. He established Durbar High School, Bir Hospital, Bir Tower (Ghanta Ghar), Pathshala (School) and a sanitary system. He provided a good supply of drinking water to the towns of Kathmandu in 1891 and Bhadgaon in 1895. He established the Bir Library for the collection and preservation of valuable books and manuscripts, the postal system was reformed and many roads of Kathmandu were broadened.

Maharaja Bir Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana died in 1901, after ruling the country for over 15 years.