Martyr Rit Bahadur Khadka Comrade Pratap | |
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रित बहादुर खड्का | |
![]() Prachanda paying respect to the picture of Martyr Rit Bahadur Khadka | |
Born | Hit Bahadur Khadka 28 August 1971 Gaurishankar Municipality Jungu, Dolakha |
Died | 16 June 2002 Piparaha, Rautahat |
Burial place | Piparah Rautahat |
Nationality | Nepalese |
Other names | Chamkilo Rato Tara (Shining Red Star) |
Education | Bachelor's Level |
Alma mater | RR Campus and Gaurishankar Campus Charikot |
Occupation | Politician |
Years active | 1995-2002 |
Organization | Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) |
Known for | Sacrifice for social change |
Notable work | Publishing Poems, Stories and political articles |
Other political affiliations | Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) |
Spouse | Indira Khadka |
Children | 2 Kalam Khadka and Samjhana Khadka |
Parents |
|
Relatives | Devi Khadka Bishal Khadka |
Honours | Martyr by Nepal Government by Publishing name in Nepal Rajpatra |
Martyr Rit Bahadur Khadka (Nepali: शहीद रित बहादुर खड्का), popularly known as Comrade Pratap (Nepali: साथी प्रताप) in political circles and Chamkilo Tara (Nepali: चम्किलो तारा) in literature, was a Nepalese politician and a key figure in the People's War in Nepal.[1]. He was born on August 28, 1971, in the Gaurishankar Rural Municipality, Jungu in Dolakha district, Nepal, and was the ninth child of his parents..[2]
Khadka was into a poor farmer family. His father, Birsha Bahadur Khadka was hard working simple farmer man. And his mother Manamaya Khadka born on 15 December, 1932 is still active and respected as a mother of communist of Nepal. In 1991 Khadka married Indira Khadka, currentl nurse at the local village. They one son and one daughter. Rit Bahadur Khadka's one of sister is Devi Khadka[3] and his one of Brother is Bishal Khadka.
Khadka grew up in poverty and faced hardships from a young age. Despite his difficult circumstances, he managed to complete his education up to the graduate level through his own efforts. He became involved in politics from his student days and led the All Nepal National Free Students' Union at Gaurishankar Campus in Charikot Dolakha. He was also the first President of the All Nepal National Free Students' Union in Dolakha. Khadka was initially associated with the Communist Party of Nepal - Unified Marxist–Leninist (CPN-UML), but later left the party and joined the Maoist movement.
Khadka was one of the five members who initiated the People's War in Dolakha District in Nepal. He was the head of the self-declared "Dolakha District People's Government" [4]and was responsible for announcing the formation of the Dolakha Jan Sarkar[5]. Until his death in 2002, Khadka remained the chief commander of the Maoist forces in Dolakha and was viewed with a mixture of awe and fear. Villagers cited his return to Dolakha after his imprisonment as evidence of his genuine devotion to, and concern for, the people of the district[6].
Khadka's development was in leaps and bounds because of his sharpness in politics, skillful handling of contradictions, capacity to take quick decisions, and ability to be active even in adverse situations. He was an all-round talented person, keenly interested in all aspects of philosophy, politics, and literature. In the field of literature, he was well known by the name of "Shining Red Star" and is considered one of the best poets and story writers of his time. His authored book, Rajniti ra Sirjana (Politics and Creation), is a collection of his poems, stories, essays and speeches that reflect his revolutionary vision and artistic expression. The book was published posthumously by the Maoist party.
Khadka was arrested by the police in 1997/8 and brought to Kathmandu for sentencing, but he escaped from central jail. Until his death in an 'encounter' with security forces in the summer of 2002, Khadka was a central committee member of the Communist Party of Nepal - Maoist (CPN-M) Party[7]. He was shot dead by the Royal Nepal Army[8] at Piparaha Rautahat District of Nepal on June 16, 2002[9]. He was 30 years old at the time of his death. His death anniversary is observed every year at Parisdanda Rit Bahadur Khadka Memorial Day[10]. He is regarded as a martyr by the Nepal government by publishing his name in Nepal Rajpatra[11], and a hero by many Nepalese people who admire his courage and sacrifice for social change.
The People's War in Nepal was an armed rebellion launched by the Maoist faction of the Communist Party of Nepal on February 13, 1996, with the aim of overthrowing the monarchy and establishing a "rule of the proletariat". The war lasted for 10 years until a peace agreement was signed between the Maoists and the government on November 21, 2006. The war resulted in at least 13,000 deaths and thousands of disappearances. The war also brought significant political changes in Nepal that ended the 250-year-old monarchy and established a federal democratic republic[12]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Pratap_and_Saroj_Memorial_Program_at_Rautahat.jpg/220px-Pratap_and_Saroj_Memorial_Program_at_Rautahat.jpg)
References
[edit]- ^ Manandhar, Prabin (2010). In Hope and In Fear Living through the people's War in Nepal. Daryaganj, New Delhi: Adroit Publishers. ISBN 9788187392927.
- ^ "Parisdanda Rit Bahadur Khadka Memorial Day (with photos)". www.hamropatro.com. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
- ^ "Meet the Nepali Woman Leading Calls for Justice for Wartime Sexual Assaults". Global Press Journal. 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ "Rit Bahadur Khadka head of self declared 'Dolakha District People's..." Getty Images. 2016-05-01. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ "NEPAL | Editorial picture agency Felix Features". archive.felixfeatures.com. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ Shneiderman, Sara; Turin, Mark (2004). Himalayan People's War. C. Hurst & Co. (Publishers) Ltd. pp. 94–95. ISBN 1850657211.
- ^ "Homage to Rit Bahadur Khadka". www.bannedthought.net. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
- ^ "Troubled rebels- Nepali Times". archive.nepalitimes.com. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ "Index: Victims, full name: Rit Bahadur Khadka | सूची: पीडित, पूरा नाम: रित बहादुर खड्का". nepalconflictreport.ohchr.org. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
- ^ "Parisdanda Rit Bahadur Khadka Memorial Day (with photos)". English.MakaluKhabar.com. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
- ^ Republica. "Names of national martyrs published in Nepal Gazette". My Republica. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ "The legacy of the decade-long 'people's war'". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2023-04-02.