Dipesh Shrestha, Nepal: When talking about the key figures who brought major turning points in Nepal’s political history, the name Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ comes to the forefront. His journey from leading an underground armed struggle to becoming the first Prime Minister of Republican Nepal is not just the story of one leader, but also the history of Nepal’s transformation.

After King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who unified the small principalities of the Baise and Chaubise states into a single Nepal, if there is another name to be credited for making a historic leap towards a republican state, it is none other than Commander Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Born on December 11, 1954, in Dhikurpokhari of Kaski, Dahal spent most of his childhood in Chitwan. His father, Muktiram Dahal, was a simple farmer and his mother, Bhadrakumari Dahal, a homemaker. Poverty and the hardships of rural life are said to have inspired him to work for social change, according to his close associates.

Dahal earned his Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science from Tribhuvan University’s Rampur Campus. During his student years, his political consciousness began to rise. His growing inclination towards communist ideology eventually led him to join the Communist Party of Nepal and take the path of underground movement.

The Maoist People’s War dragged Nepal into a decade-long bloody conflict. Prachanda, as the ‘Supreme Commander,’ was at the center of this war. During his underground years, he used several code names — ‘Ganesh,’ ‘Narayan,’ and finally ‘Prachanda,’ which became the symbol of his clandestine struggle.

“We chose the armed path for change because all other alternatives were blocked.” – Prachanda once said in an interview.

The war, which claimed the lives of around 17,000 people from both government and rebel sides, did not just shake the 240-year-old monarchy but ultimately brought about its end, establishing a new republican Nepal.

The 12-point agreement between the then Seven Party Alliance and the Maoists opened the door to the peace process. After the 2006 People’s Movement, Prachanda emerged from his underground life. The Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) following the agreement marked the beginning of a new political journey without arms for Prachanda and the Maoist party.

Under his leadership, the Maoists became the largest party in Nepal’s first Constituent Assembly election, making Prachanda the first Prime Minister of Republican Nepal. He initiated the integration of the Royal Nepal Army into the national Nepal Army and laid the institutional foundations for a republican system. However, he resigned after a dispute over the dismissal of the Army Chief.

In his second term as Prime Minister, he focused on implementing the constitution and preparing for local elections, though once again his government did not last long.

As the chairman of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Prachanda merged his party with the UML to form the Nepal Communist Party (NCP). However, after about two and a half years, the party split, and he returned to leading the Maoist Centre.

Prachanda’s wife, Sita Dahal, passed away in 2023. The couple had three children, including their son Prakash Dahal, who passed away earlier. Their eldest daughter served as the mayor of Bharatpur Metropolitan City during Prachanda’s second term, while their other daughter, Ganga, remains by his side.

During his long underground years, he had limited opportunities to meet his family, but those close to him say that the support and courage from his wife and family played a vital role in his success in leading Nepal to republicanism.

In Nepal’s history, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ stands as a controversial yet indispensable figure. On one hand, he is credited with ending the monarchy and establishing a republic; on the other, he faces criticism for human rights violations during the war and for political instability.

His life is like a bridge between two extremes — the harshness of underground struggle on one side and the compromise-driven leadership in democratic politics on the other. Secularism, federalism with identity, and the fight against caste discrimination are all seen as synonymous with Prachanda’s political legacy. Today, acknowledging both his contributions and controversies, it can be said:

“Prachanda’s life is a mirror of Nepal’s political transition for the Nepali people.”