Sir Baber Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (27 January 1888 – 12 May 1960) was a member of the Rana dynasty who served as the

Minister of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...

of Nepal in 1951. A prominent member of the Rana oligarchy, he fought valiantly in the First World War. He was the second son of

Maharaja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent, Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and Medieval India, medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a pri ...

Sir ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as part ...

Chandra Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana Field-Marshal His Highness Maharaja Sri Teen Chandra Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (8 July 1863 – 26 November 1929) was the Prime Minister of Nepal from the Rana dynasty. He served in this capacity from 27 June 1901 to his death in 1929 after he ...

and Bada Maharani Chandra Loka Bhakta Lakshmi Devi. He was the younger brother of

Sir Mohan Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and older brother of Field Marshal Sir

Kaiser Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana Field Marshal Sir Kaiser Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana (8 January 1892 – 7 June 1964) was a field marshal in the Royal Nepalese Army. He was the third son of Maharaja Sir Chandra Shumsher JBR, Chandra Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana, the fifth Prime Mi ...

Family

Sir Baber Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana was born to Maharaja

, T'ung-ling-ping-ma-Kuo-Kang-wang, Maharaja of Lamjung and Kaski, GCB and Bada Maharani Chandra Loka Bhakta Lakshmi Devi on 27 January 1888, at

Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...

. He married twice, first in 1903, to Sri Bada Rani Deva Bakhta Rajya Lakshmi; and secondly to Sri Bada Rani Baid Bakhta Rajya Lakshmi. He had three sons and two daughters: * Bala Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana, (died in 1921). * Lieutenant-General Prasiddha-Prabala-Gorkha-Dakshina-Bahu Mrigendra Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana (by Baid Bakhta Rajya Lakshmi), born in 1906. * Major-General Subikhyat-Tri-Shakti-Patta, Prasidha-Prabala-Gorkha-Dakshina-Bahu Sir Brahma Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana KCIE, born in 1909. * Phanindra Rajya Lakshmi, Rani of Tiloi, born in 1908. * Homa Rajya Lakshmi, Rani of Nayagarh, born in 1913.

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Gaurav Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana, the chief of Nepal Army since 2012, is his great-grandson through his son, Mrigendra's son Adiyta Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana.

Later life

Sir Baber Shumsher was educated at the Mayo College,

Ajmer Ajmer () is a city in the north-western States and union territories of India, Indian state of Rajasthan. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Ajmer district and Ajmer division. It lies at the centre of Rajasthan, earning it the ...

in India. In 1901, he was made a Major General of the Royal Nepalese Army and was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1903. After being Aide de camp to his father in 1908, he was promoted to a General in 1914, and finally to the post of Commanding General in 1934. In 1927, he was made an Honorary Colonel in the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

. In 1946, he led the Royal Nepalese troops at the Victory parade in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. During the premiership (1948–1951) of his older brother, Sir Mohan Shamsher, Sir Baber Shamsher was the Mukhtiyar and Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Nepalese Army. In 1951, he became the Minister for Defence in the Congress Rana Cabinet led, by his brother. However he was a ''bete noire'' in the eyes of the Nepali Congress, and was replaced by his younger brother, Singha Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana on 10 June 1951.

Death

He died at his residence at Baber Mahal,

on 12 May 1960 (which was built for him by his father). His brother Kaiser Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana, died four years later at the same age.

Honours

Delhi Durbar The Delhi Durbar ( lit. "Court of Delhi") was an Indian imperial-style mass assembly organized by Britain at Coronation Park, Delhi, India, to mark the succession of an Emperor or Empress of India. Also known as the Imperial Durbar, it was he ...

silver medal, 1903 *

silver medal, 1911 *

Mentioned in Despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...

, 1915 *Sword of Honour, 1916 *

Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander ( GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) Appoint ...

(KCIE), 1916 * Order of the Star of Nepal, 1st Class, 1918 *

British War Medal The British War Medal is a campaign medal of the United Kingdom which was awarded to officers and men and women of British and Imperial forces for service in the First World War. Two versions of the medal were produced. About 6.5 million were st ...

, 1918 * Commonwealth Victory Medal, 1918 *

, 1919 * Waziristan Field Medal, 1919 * Indian General Service Medal w/ Afghanistan Clasp-1919 *

Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes: # Knight Grand Commander (GCSI) # Knight Commander ( KCSI) # Companion ( CSI) No appointments ...

(KCSI), 1919 *

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(GBE), 1919 * Honorary Colonel,

, 1927 *

Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu The Most Puissant Order of the Gorkha Dakshina Bahu (; Order of the Gurkha Right Arm ''or Hand'') was an order of knighthood of Nepal. It was one of the highest honors given traditionally by the king. It was awarded to both the military and civili ...

(Gurkha Right Hand), Member 1st Class, 1935 *

Order of Tri Shakti Patta The Most Illustrious Order of Tri Shakti Patta (; Order of the Three Divine Powers) is an order of knighthood of the former Kingdom of Nepal. It is conferred on members of the royal family or Nepali citizens who make outstanding contributions to th ...

(Three Divine Powers), Member 1st Class, 1939 * Order of Om Rama Patta, Member, 1946 *

Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order () is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the ...

(GCVO), 1946 * Chief Commander of the

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States military, military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievemen ...

of the US, 1946

Ancestors

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rana, Baber Shumsher Jung Bahadur 1888 births 1960 deaths Nepalese generals Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Recipients of the Order of the Star of Nepal Members of the Order of Tri Shakti Patta, First Class Members of the Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu, First Class Chief Commanders of the Legion of Merit Rana regime Rana dynasty 20th-century Nepalese nobility 19th-century Nepalese nobility Children of prime ministers of Nepal Nepalese Hindus Mayo College alumni Nepalese members of the Order of the Star of India Nepalese members of the Order of the British Empire Nepalese members of the Royal Victorian Order Nepalese members of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire