Gopal Das Shrestha (1930–1998) ( ne, गॊपाल दास श्रेष्ठ), a prominent journalist, created the history of English journalism in
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
. He published and edited the first English daily newspaper, ''The Commoner'' on 15 July 1956 from Kathmandu. He was an influential intellectual, a remarkable compelling writer and a creative thinker.
[''Dulal, Govinda Prashad'' ''Satabdika Carcita Nepaliharu (Eminent Nepalese of the 20th Century)'', ]
s.l. : Mawali Nepal, 2004. p. 133
Early years
Born on 21 May 1930 to a businessman Chandra Das Shrestha and Dwarika Devi Shrestha in
Kolkata, Calcutta (Kolkata), the then capital city of colonial British India, Shrestha did his early schooling in Calcutta. When the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
broke out in 1939, the family moved back to Nepal. He then completed his higher education in Nepal with merit from
Juddhodaya high School (JP), Kathmandu.
Freedom movement
While pursuing his intermediate level at
Tri-chandra College
Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus, more colloquially known as Tri-Chandra College, is a constituent campus of Tribhuvan University located in Ghantaghar, Kathmandu. Found in 1918 by Chandra Shumsher, it is the oldest institute of higher learning in Ne ...
, he was constantly inspired and motivated by the ongoing democratic movement taking place in the country against the autocratic
Rana regime. This led Shrestha to participate in the freedom movement. He assisted the leading
Nepali Rastriya (National) Congress (Nepali Congress Party) on several protest programs, awareness programs and mass meetings.
[Author's interview with family members of Shrestha substantiated this view] When the then Rana regime banned Nepali Rastriya (National) Congress and declared illegal in April 1948, Shrestha along with the bunch of other senior coworkers namely Tripubar Singh Pradhan,
Gopal Prasad Rimal
Gopal Prasad Rimal ( ne, गोपाल प्रसाद रिमाल; 1975–2030) was a Nepalese poet from Kathmandu, Nepal. According to scholar Michael J. Hutt, "he is remembered as the first "revolutionary" Nepali poet and the first to ...
and Bijaya Bahadur Malla formed a new party called Nepali Praja Panchyat'' ' on 12 October 1948.
It organized a series of public meetings under the fundamental rights provisions of the constitution. But in spite of its legitimacy, the autocratic Rana regime suppressed its activities, suspecting a more serious design against them. Nepal Praja Panchyat then launched a ''
Satyagraha
Satyagraha ( sa, सत्याग्रह; ''satya'': "truth", ''āgraha'': "insistence" or "holding firmly to"), or "holding firmly to truth",' or "truth force", is a particular form of nonviolent resistance or civil resistance. Someone w ...
'' movement in the three cities of Kathmandu Valley, demanding the implementation of the constitutional provisions relating to fundamental rights. Alarmed by this and its political connections with the earlier banned Rastriya Congress leaders, the Rana Government arrested hundreds of political suspects. At the age of just eighteen in late 1948, just few months after his marriage with Manorama Devi Shrestha, Shrestha was also arrested in the protest program at
lalitpur, Patan and imprisoned. He was inhumanly beaten and tortured at times when he refused to co-operate with the ruthless authority. Later, in early 1951, the regime was forced to release him and his other political coworkers nearly after two and half years in the wake of the deepening gravity of the peoples' movement in and across the border. Soon after their release, in February 1951, one hundred and four years of autocratic regime was overthrown from the power. Democratic Nepal was finally established from a great sacrifice of the people and a long people's struggle. While he was still in prison, it is said that Shrestha was in the name list of twelve freedom fighters submitted by the prison authority to be exterminated for their active involvement in populist crusade.
Entry to journalism
An honest advocate of democracy and civil rights, Shrestha continued his service long after democracy as an active worker of Nepali Congress and Nepal Praja Party. Working alongside the party, Shrestha was strongly drawn to journalism when he was briefly associated with the first Nepali Daily newspaper 'AWAJ' in 1951 published by the eminent poet Yugkabi, late
Siddhicharan Shrestha
Siddhicharan Shrestha (Devanagari: सिद्धिचरण श्रेष्ठ; 21 May 1912 – 4 June 1992) was one of the most prominent writers of Nepal. He contributed to the struggle against the autocratic Rana regime (1846–1951) thr ...
. But it was only in 1956, when he finally embarked into the real world of journalism, leaving the politics behind for the rest of his life.
First in Nepal
In July 1956, he launched ''The Commoner'', Nepal's English pioneer daily, heralding an era of English language journalism in Nepal amidst several impediments during the initial period of democracy. Shortly after two years of publication, in 1958, he was invited by the United States government, the Department of State to attend a study-work-travel program from a prestigious Medill School of Journalism, Northern Western University, Illinois. He was the first ever Nepali journalist to study, live and trained in the United States under US government funding. As a part of his training program, he worked with some newspapers, namely, New York Daily News, Baltimore Post and Washington Times. He further undertook another training program in United Kingdom, working briefly with London Times
Active life in journalism
Apart from the regular publication of English daily newspaper ''The Commoner'', he published and edited other Nepali Vernacular dailies and weeklies like ''Janata Daily'', ''Nepal Times Daily (Hindi edition)'', and ''Yugdoot (weekly)'' as sister publications at various times and later ''Prajatantra weekly'' and so on. Through these publications, he was able to inform and win the hearts and minds of the people. He also contributed thought-provoking articles and editorials to other vernacular dailies and weeklies including Samaj (published and edited by Mani Raj Upadhyaya) and Samikshha (published and edited by Madan Mani Dixit) on regular basis. He is believed to be the first journalist who is very immaculate and an eloquent writer who wrote in native (Nepali) and English language equally well. He is the journalist who strictly practiced ethics of journalism in Nepal and became a role model to modern journalism.
[Author's interview with some senior editors, substantiated this view] Contemporary journalists, political leaders, ministers and other high-profile officials sought his ideas, visions and remarks whenever they need them whether in the time crisis or in political deadlocks.
Achievements and contributions
In his forty-five years of illustrious and professional career, Shrestha held several media dignitary positions and played a key role in the gradual evolution of media from restrictive to the 'free press' of today. He was the founder member of Nepal's first Press Committee in 1957. He became the President of Nepal Journalists’ Association twice in late 1959 and again in 1970, founder President of Nepal Press Institute, the first training center for the journalists in Nepal from 1984 to 1997, President of Press Club and later chairman of Press Council of Nepal in 1995. Serving as the head of different media bodies and a member of first press committee and Royal Press Commission, he made an important contribution to the formulation of press code of conduct in Nepal that strengthened the professional development of journalism in the country.
He was always conscious of the fact that the Nepalese journalism needed a sustainable development program to attract and retain the people in the profession. When he was the chairman of Nepal Press Council in 1995, Media Development Fund was formed in his initiation which facilitated the small media operators, particularly operating outside the capital city with soft loans which in turn enabled them to sustain professionally. He is the person who first envisaged the need and development of the Media Village in the country for the institutionalized growth of media sector. Apart from that, he unveiled several plans and proposals to uplift the dwindling media sectors during his time but unfortunately, that could not be materialized due to various limitations and hindrances.
Besides, his countless mind gripping editorials and articles were printed in various national and international print media. He has also translated and edited several books and articles that include the translation of autobiographical book "
The Confessions"(
Devanagari
Devanagari ( ; , , Sanskrit pronunciation: ), also called Nagari (),Kathleen Kuiper (2010), The Culture of India, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, , page 83 is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental Writing systems#Segmental syste ...
:कन्फेसन्स) by
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolu ...
in
Nepali language
Nepali (; , ) is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Himalayas region of South Asia. It is the official, and most widely spoken, language of Nepal, where it also serves as a '' lingua franca''. Nepali has official status in the Indian st ...
published by
Nepal Academy
The Nepal Academy ( ne, नेपाल प्रज्ञा–प्रतिष्ठान), formerly known as Royal Nepal Academy ( ne, नेपाल राजकीय प्रज्ञा–प्रतिष्ठान), is an autonomo ...
in 1973.
Honours
As a token of appreciation for his contribution to Nepalese society, the then late
King Birendra
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज वीरेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह देव ) (28 December 1945 – 1 June 2001) was the tenth Shah Ruler and the King of N ...
nominated him as a distinguished member of
Tribhuvan University Academic Council twice(the only one university at that time). In 1997, he was nominated as member of Raj Parishad (upper house during kingship). He was also decorated with
Gorkha Dakshin Bahu
The Most Puissant Order of the Gorkha Dakshina Bahu ( ne, गोरखा दक्षिण बाहु; 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 ...
(II and IV class) and
Subikhayat Trishakti Patta II medal, the highest honors presented and honoured by the King for the distinguished contribution to the country in the field of arts, literature, sports, science, and
Social service.
In 1999, the Press Council of Nepal created a journalism award in honor of Shrestha, the "Gopal Das Journalism Award" for his contribution to the development of journalism in Nepal since 1951. This award is presented annually to an exceptional journalist who have contributed and practiced good ethics of journalism in the country. It carries a purse of Rs. 100000 and a letter of appreciation.
On 23 September 2003,
Nepal's Postal Services Department issued a commemorative postage stamp bearing a picture of Shrestha. The then Prime Minister
Surya Bahadur Thapa affixed the first day cancellation mark on his stamp. This was for the first time in Nepal that a postage stamp has been issued to commemorate a journalist honoring the fourth estate of the country.
Shrestha died 4 November 1998 at the age of 68 while still serving as the president of Press Council of Nepal.
References
External links
The Commoner
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shrestha, Gopal Das
Nepalese journalists
1930 births
1998 deaths
Nepalese male writers
Nepali-language writers
Tribhuvan University
20th-century journalists
Tri-Chandra College alumni