Gagan Thapa

Gagan Kumar Thapa
गगन कुमार थापा
Gagan Thapa during a program of ICIMOD Kathmandu
Ministry of Health and Population (Nepal)
In office
25 August 2016[1] – 31 May 2017
President Bidhya Devi Bhandari
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Member of Legislature Parliament of Nepal from Kathmandu Constituency No. 4
Assumed office
7 December 2017
Preceded by Gagan Kumar Thapa (Himself)
Member of Legislature Parliament of Nepal from Kathmandu Constituency No. 4
In office
21 January 2014 – 6 December 2017
Preceded by Suprava Ghimire
Succeeded by Gagan Kumar Thapa (Himself)
Personal details
Born Gagan Kumar Thapa
(1976-07-16) 16 July 1976
Nationality Nepali
Political party Nepali Congress
Spouse(s) Dr. Anjana KC Thapa (2008-present)
Children 2 (Gargi Thapa, Gia Thapa)
Parents
  • Father: Mahendra Kumar Thapa
  • Mother: Rameshwari Thapa
[2]
Relatives Arjun Narasingha K.C. (father-in-law)
Education Masters in Political Science
Alma mater Tri Chandra College

Gagan Thapa (Nepali: गगन थापा) is Nepali Congress politician. He is former Minister for Health and Population of Nepal.[3] He is also a current member of Legislature Parliament of Nepal, and a member of the Central Working Committee of the Nepali Congress Party.[4] He is specially known for his oratory and is popular with the youth.

Childhood and family

Gagan Thapa (Born: Gagan Kumar Thapa) was born in 16 July 1976 in Kathmandu, the Capital City of Nepal. He spent his childhood mostly inside Kathmandu valley.[5] His family came from Solukhumbu district.[6] His father is an engineer and his two brothers is a doctor and an engineer.[7] His father-in-law is Arjun Narasingha K.C. - one of the well known leaders of Nepali Congress Party.[8]

Education

He completed 10th standard (referred formerly as SLC in Nepal) from Siddhartha Vanasthli School Balaju, Kathmandu.[9] He completed his 10+2 (referred formerly as I.Sc.) and BA in Sociology from Tri-Chandra College, Gantaghar, Kathmandu.[10] He joined MA in Rural Development in Tribhuwan University and dropped the course to join Master’s in Political Science where he sees his field of interest. He has completed his Master's Degree in Political Science from Tribhuwan University. He once planned to acquire a PhD in Political Economy from Jawaharlal Nehru University in India. This was not possible as he has now been engaged in active politics representing Nepali Congress, which is a political party laid in the principles of democracy in Nepal.[11]

Political career

Gagan Thapa at Open Data Day 2014

During his study in ninth grade, Although thapa was not politically inclined, he was introduced to the political chaos in 1990 when he participated in the street protest against the monarchial (Panchayat) System. His political career came out of his involvement with Nepal Students Union during his study at Tri-Chandra Campus. He was elected the president of Free Students Union for the duration 1998-2000, he also became one of the elected member of central NSU committee member for 1998-2000, vice president for 2000 – 2002. Later in the year of 2002 he became the general secretary of NSU till 2004. He was jailed numerous times after the February 1, 2005 royal takeover on charges of sedition against the state, for his outspoken stance against King Gyanendra's regime. Amnesty International had declared him a prisoner of conscience, since he had been detained despite his peaceful and legitimate activities in support of democracy and human rights in Nepal.[12]

Thapa became a member of the first Nepalese Constituent Assembly in 2008, elected under Party-list proportional representation from the Nepali Congress party.[2] He was in the Fundamental Rights and Directive Principle of the Constituent Assembly and the Natural Resources and Means committee of the Legislative Parliament.

He was also elected as a member of Constituent Assembly from second Constitutional Assembly election held on 19 November 2013 where he ran as the Nepali Congress candidate in Kathmandu constituency 4, which he won with 22,336 votes against the other candidates Nirmal Kuikel of CPN (UML) (9,028 votes) and Nanda Kishor Pun (Pashang) of the UCPN Maoists (6,462 votes).

On 26 August 2016, Thapa was sworn into office as the Minister for Health by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari. He was part of a coalition government between the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre) led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal.[13]

On 13 April 2017, he announced a new health campaign "My Year 2074: Healthy Myself, Healthy Nation".[14][15]

He was elected as the member of parliament from parliamentary and provincial assembly Election held on 7 December 2017 from the region of kathmandu-4.[16] Following his victory, Thapa called for a change in the Nepali Congress's leadership through a special party convention.[17]

He is now the member of Central working Committee of Nepali Congress Nepal.[18]

Entrepreneurship

He is also an entrepreneur[19] who has also long believed that Nepali politicians should not have to depend on their work as policy makers to make a living which drive them into corruption and illegal use of rights of authority.

Gagan Thapa started his own job as a newspaper distributor at the age of 16. He also worked as RJ in Radio Nepal. He has also been a teacher and a sports commentator too. He has been a founder of DJ school (2005) and a media management company (1999/2000). He has now been engaged in agribusiness in Nepal for a long time.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "OnlineKhabar – English Edition". english.onlinekhabar.com. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Gagan Thapa Election Profile".
  3. ↑ "Polls within stipulated time: Health Minister Thapa". Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  4. ↑ www.nepalicongress.org. "NepaliCongress.org- Nepali Congress Official website - Political party of Nepal". www.nepalicongress.org. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  5. ↑ "Who is Gagan Kumar Thapa?". Nepalee. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
  6. ↑ Jha, Prashant (2014). Battles of The New Republic: A Contemporary History of Nepal. p. 63. ISBN 9781849044592. Retrieved 2017-12-29.
  7. ↑ "Gagan Thapa: Most Favoured in Nepali Congress". Kamal Raj Sigdel. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
  8. ↑ "Krishna Prasad Sitaula announces candidacy for NC President with Gagan Thapa as General Secretary". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2017-12-29.
  9. ↑ "Biography of Gagan Kumar Thapa". Article Firm. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
  10. ↑ "Young Nepali political leader Gagan Thapa". Retrieved 2017-12-10.
  11. ↑ "Introduction to Nepali Congress". Retrieved 2017-12-10.
  12. ↑ "Gagan Thapa in NY". Retrieved 2017-12-11.
  13. ↑ "Health Minister Gagan Thapa assumes office". MyRepublica. Republica Daily. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  14. ↑ "Gagan Thapa announces on new health campaign on New Year eve". 13 April 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  15. ↑ "Health Minister's New Year resolution: To urge people to opt for healthy behaviours". Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  16. ↑ "Nepal Election Pols 2017". The Economic Times. Economic Times of India. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  17. ↑ "Congress should do some soul-searching, say leaders". Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  18. ↑ "Central Working Committee". Retrieved 2017-12-11.
  19. ↑ "Entrepreneur Gagan Thapa". Archived from the original on 2013-11-15.
  20. ↑ "Philanthropist Gagan Thapa". Archived from the original on 2013-11-16.
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