Geeta Chaudhary, Lawyer and Social Worker, Appointed as Minister for Agriculture and Forests in Nepal

Geeta Chaudhary, a 33-year-old resident of Shuklaphanta Municipality-4 in Kanchanpur, has been appointed as the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development and Forest and Environment. Chaudhary, elected as a member of the House of Representatives through the proportional representation system from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has a background in law and social service, yet she has succeeded in becoming the Minister for Agriculture and Forests due to her interest in politics.

Chaudhary is a lawyer by profession. Recently known for her active involvement in the field of social justice, she will now be seen in both legislative and ministerial roles.

Before becoming a Member of Parliament (MP), Chaudhary was recognized as a personality who stood for justice through court arguments and street protests. Now, she has entered the government.

Born into a humble Tharu family, Chaudhary's childhood was spent in scarcity. She shared with Ratopati that despite financial difficulties, she was determined to pursue higher education and even had to take out a loan for her college studies.

Chaudhary completed her postgraduate studies in Law, struggling against social discrimination and the notion that 'daughters should not be educated too much.'

After becoming a lawyer, Chaudhary used her profession not just as a source of income but as a tool for social justice. She provided free legal aid to more than 150 poor, Dalit, and marginalized citizens in Kanchanpur and surrounding areas. Her activism has been particularly notable in the areas of property disputes, domestic violence, and civil rights.

Chaudhary's political consciousness developed from the People's Movement of 2062-2063 BS. Active in street protests for democracy and civil rights since her student life, Chaudhary was initially affiliated with a student organization close to the CPN-UML.

In the 2079 elections, she was a candidate for the Sudurpashchim Provincial Assembly from the Nagarik Unmukti Party. Although she lost the direct election from Kanchanpur Constituency No. 2, the votes received and public support helped establish her in politics.

Later, she joined the RSP, and the party recognized her contribution by sending her to parliament through the proportional representation list. After becoming an MP, she had stated that she would prioritize solving the long-standing problems of the Sudurpashchim Province.

She had announced that she would take the initiative to solve the problems of the landless, squatters, and national park victims, distribute land ownership certificates to the genuine right holders, and grant legal recognition to the traditional 'Badghar' and 'Bhalamansa' systems of the Tharu community. It remains to be seen how Geeta Chaudhary, successful in legal practice, will perform in agriculture and forest development.