King Mahendra
| Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| King of Nepal | |
| Reign | 13 March 1955 – 31 January 1972 |
| Coronation | 2 May 1956 |
| Predecessor | Tribhuvan |
| Successor | Birendra |
| Born |
11 June 1920 Narayanhity Royal Palace,Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Died | 31 January 1972 (aged 51) Dialo Bangala, Bharatpur, Nepal |
| Spouse |
Crown Princess Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi (m. 1940–1950, her death) Queen Ratna Rajya Laxmi Devi (m. 1952–1972, his death) |
| Issue |
Princess Shanti Princess Sharada King Birendra King Gyanendra Princess Shobha Prince Dhirendra |
| Dynasty | Shah dynasty |
| Father | Tribhuvan of Nepal |
| Mother | Kanti Rajya Laxmi Devi |
| Religion | Hindu |
Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (Nepali: महेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह) (11 June 1920 – 31 January 1972) was King of Nepal from 1955 to 1972.
Mahendra was born 11 June 1920 to King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah of Nepal. Although Tribhuvan was nominally king since 1911. Mahendra was captive in Narayanhity Royal Palace, virtually a gilded cage. In 1940 he married Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi, daughter of General Hari Shamsher Rana. They had three sons, Birendra, Gyanendra, Dhirendra and three daughters Shanti, Sharada, and Shobha. Crown Princess Indra died in 1950. In 1952, Mahendra married Indra's younger sister, Ratna Rajya Laxmi Devi. This marriage produced no children. Meanwhile, popular discontent and the British withdrawal from India in 1947 had made Rana rule increasingly untenable. In 1950 the political situation had deteriorated so far that the personal safety of the royals was in doubt. Tribhuvan and most of his family escaped to India. Open revolt ensued and by the end of the year the Ranas agreed to a coalition government under Tribhuvan in which they shared power equally with the Nepali Congress Party. By the end of the year the Ranas were maneuvered out and Nepal's first experiment with democratic government under constitutional monarchy was underway. Tribhuvan's health was poor and he died in 1955.
Mahendra succeeded Tribhuvan as King of Nepal. He was crowned on 2 May 1956.
On 15 December 1960, the then King Mahendra suspended the constitution, dissolved the elected parliament, dismissed the cabinet, imposed direct rule and imprisoned the then prime minister Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala and his closest government colleagues. Mahendra instituted a Panchayat hierarchical system of village, district and national councils, a variant of guided democracy. He pursued a foreign policy of neutrality between China and India.
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