Ram Prasad Rai ( Nepali: रामप्रसाद राई) (born March 1, 1909 – unknown) was a Nepali revolutionary, guerrilla leader, military theorist and organizer of the Liberation Army in East part of Nepal. Rai was a major figure of Nepal's Revolution of 1951. Following the Revolution, Rai never accepted the outcome of the revolution and continued fighting against the Ranas.

Early life

Ram Prasad Rai was born to

Jemadar Jemadar or jamadar ( Hindustani: जमादार; جمعدار) is a title used for various military and other officials in the Indian subcontinent. Etymology The word stems from Urdu (), which derives through Persian ''jam'dar'' from Arab ...

Dhoj Bir Rai and Ratna Maya Rai, on March 1, 1909, in Sandilung village, Basikhora, Bhojpur. He was the eldest of five children in a well off family. At the age of 14 he left his village and joined the

British Indian Army The Indian Army was the force of British Raj, British India, until Indian Independence Act 1947, national independence in 1947. Formed in 1895 by uniting the three Presidency armies, it was responsible for the defence of both British India and ...

Nepal Army

At the age of 25, after serving nine years in the Gurkha Brigade of the British Indian Army he returned to Nepal and joined the

Nepalese Army The Nepali Army (), also referred to as the Gorkhali Army (; see ''Gurkha, Gorkhas''), formally known as "Royal Nepal Army" is the Ground warfare, land Military branch, service branch of the Nepalese Armed Forces, Nepali Armed Forces. After t ...

and eventually got promoted to

Subedar Subedar ( ) is a military rank in the militaries of South Asia roughly equivalent to that of a warrant officer. Historically classed in the British Indian Army as a Viceroy's commissioned officer, the rank was retained in the Indian Army an ...

. During his time in the army he worked at remote hill districts of Charikot, Diktel Chainpur Ramechhap, Bhojpur, Dhulikhel, Khotang. During his time serving the Nepal army he worked on bringing social and political awareness among the people of Bhojpur and Khotang against the Rana regime. He finally retired in November 1950 from the army as a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

Revolutionary

He was deeply impressed with Indian freedom fighter

Subhas Chandra Bose Subhas Chandra Bose (23 January 1897 – 18 August 1945) was an Indian independence movement, Indian nationalist whose defiance of British raj, British authority in India made him a hero among many Indians, but his wartime alliances with ...

; thus, he organized guerilla militia with ex-armies and general people of Khotang and Bhojpur for the establishment of freedom in Nepal. During this time he worked with local militia leaders of the eastern hills of Nepal like Naradmani Thulung and Shreepal Rai. Under Naradmani Thulung and Rai's, the Liberation Army was able to capture state land-tax office aka Mal Adda of Bhojpur on 24th Mangsir 2007 BS without any bloodshed thus capturing much weaponry and ammunition along with radio-broadcasting equipment. He mobilized the liberation army from Majhkirat Bhojpur Dingla, Khotang, Chainpur, Terathum, Taplejung, Aiselu Kharka, Okhaldhunga, Dolakha, Ramechhap and Sindhuli districts, which were also captured by the People's Liberation Army on different dates.

Aftermath of Delhi Accord

Ram Prasad Rai was dissatisfied with the Tri-Party Delhi Agreement (Rana, Congress and King) of 1951; he went back to Bhojpur to continue the revolution and was captured and jailed for 26 days in Bhojpur. Upon his release, he traveled to

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 ...

and participated in the protests against the Delhi Agreement. He decided not to stop the armed revolution. Then he sent some troops to capture Singha Durbar. On 6th Magh 2008 BS, he gave a speech at New Road, Kathmandu against interim PM Mohan Shamsher. He was arrested and imprisoned in Central Jail, Kathmandu. He broke out of the jail, released himself and released Dr. K.I. Singh from Singha Durbar with the help of the People's Liberation Army. On January 22, 1951, he, along with Kunwar Inderjit Singh, captured Singha Durbar for 24 hours. They formed a government and he acted as Defense minister of Nepal for that 24 hour period.

Exile to Tibet

After losing the captured area, he fled to Tibet with some People's Liberation Army members to take political expatriate, but disappeared on his way.

Current status

His current status is unknown, but he is widely believed to be forcefully disappeared and killed on his way to Tibet in the caves by the Government forces.

References

External links

Disappearance history dates back to 1950s
{{Authority control 1909 births 1950s missing person cases Missing people Missing person cases in Nepal Nepalese revolutionaries Rai people