Dharanidhar Koirala
Born1893 (1893)[1]
Sindhuli, Nepal
Died1980 (aged 86–87)[1]
Nepal
NationalityNepali

Dharanidhar Koirala (Nepali: धरणीधर कोइराला;1893–1980; also known as Dharanidhar Sharma Koirala) was a Nepali poet sometimes known as Pandit-ji.[2]

Biography

Dharanidhar Koirala was born in 1893 in what is now Sindhuli District into a Hindu Brahmin family.[3] He studied Sanskrit and English from Banaras, British India.[4] In Banaras, he saw Indian people promoting their mother tongue which inspired him to "think about Nepal and the Nepali language".[4]

In 1918, he was exiled to India, where Koirala, Surya Bikram Gyawali, and Parasmani Pradhan became known as "SuDhaPa".[5] In 1924, Koirala with Surya Bikram Gyawali, Parasmani Pradhan, Hari Prasad Pradhan, and others established the Nepali Sahitya Sammelan in Darjeeling, British India.[6] The establishment of this organisation was seen as a major event in Nepali literature's history.[7]

Koirala was a key advisor to Sir Ralph Lilley Turner who published Comparative and Etymological Dictionary of the Nepali Language in 1931.[2] He wrote poems about social reforms.[8][9] In 1978, Koirala was awarded a Doctor of Letters degree by Tribhuvan University.[10] He was also awarded Tribhuvan Pragya Award by Nepal Academy for his contributions to Nepali literature.[11]

Koirala died in 1980.[4] In 1994, the Government of Nepal issued postage stamps featuring Koirala.[12]

Works

References

  1. ^ a b Onta, p. 2.
  2. ^ a b Messerschmidt 2014.
  3. ^ Studies in Nepali History and Society. Mandala Book Point. 1996. p. 50.
  4. ^ a b c Onta 1996, p. 14.
  5. ^ "The Darjeeling Luminaries". ECS NEPAL. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  6. ^ Datta, Amaresh (1988). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti. Sahitya Akademi. p. 1382. ISBN 978-81-260-1194-0.
  7. ^ Chettri, Bhanu (2006). Jagat Chettri. Sahitya Akademi. p. 54. ISBN 978-81-260-2287-8.
  8. ^ "Movements For Autonomy in Darjeeling". The University of Chicago. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  9. ^ The Journal of the Anthropological Survey of India. The Survey. 2002. p. 126.
  10. ^ Parmanand (1982). The Nepali Congress Since Its Inception: A Critical Assessment. B.R. Publishing Corporation. p. 5.
  11. ^ "Pragya Award". Nepal Academy. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Stamp: Famous People- Dharanidhar Koirala (Nepal) (Famous people)". Colnect. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  13. ^ Subba, J. R. (2008). History, Culture and Customs of Sikkim. Gyan Publishing House. p. 169. ISBN 978-81-212-0964-9.

Citations

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