41st BP Memorial Day being observed today

KATHMANDU, July 22: The 41st BP Memorial Day is being celebrated across the country today, commemorating the contribution of the first elected Prime Minister, BP Koirala.

A towering figure in the history of Nepali politics, Koirala dedicated his life to the establishment of democracy in Nepal while also making a name for himself in the field of Nepalese literature. Born on Bhadra 24, 1971 BS, he died of cancer on 6th Shrawan 2039 BS. 

He was elected Prime Minister in Jestha 2016 BS after the first ever parliamentary elections of 2015 BS. Koirala led the Nepali Congress to a two-thirds majority in the 2015 general elections.

Koirala has more than one and a half dozen literary creations to his name, including 'Tin Ghumti', 'Modi Aain', 'Hitler ra Jew', 'Sumnima', 'Narendradai' 

On 1st Poush 2017, the popularly elected government was overthrown by King Mahendra with the help of the Royal Nepalese Army. Koirala and other leaders were imprisoned in Singha Durbar and later taken to Sundarijal prison, along with the first speaker of Parliament Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, leader Ganeshman Singh and other ministers. 

The Sundarijal prison has been converted into the BP museum. The museum is a collection of the important things of BP's life as a politician and litterateur.

Meanwhile, the Chief Secretary of the NC party office, Krishna Prasad Paudel, shared that the party, its sister organizations and the BP Museum Committee will be organising a variety of programmes today on the occasion of BP Memorial Day. 

The BP Koirala National Award will also be presented at Sundarijal today under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.