Iconic Nepali historian Dr Kumar Pradhan passes away

EOI, Siliguri, 20 December 2013: "A bright star that fades away in the mist never vanishes; it remains in the horizon looking over us and guides our path through pain and sorrow.” 

As we head into a new day the memory of a great person and his teaching will ever live with us, until we ourselves see the last light. With heartfelt pain and profound grief, we at EOI would like to inform you that Dr. Kumar Pradhan, an iconic Nepali historian and prominent literary figure, passed away this afternoon in Delhi after a prolonged illness. 

Dr. Pradhan was one of the intellectual giants of our times and has left us with a great void, which is not only hard but painfully difficult to fill. 

Born on May 7, 1937, he received his PhD in history from Calcutta University and served at the Department of History, Darjeeling Government College, from 1966 to 1984. He took over as the principal of Kurseong College in 1984. 

He was the author of ‘The Gorkha Conquests: The Process and Consequences of the Unification of Nepal with Particular Reference to Eastern Nepal’. He was also the author of ‘A History of Nepali Literature’, published by the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, in the Sahitya Akademi Histories of Literature Series. 

His work, Pahilo Pahar, was awarded the Bhanubhakta Puraskar in 1983 by the Nepali Academy instituted by the Government of West Bengal. He received the Nepali Sahitya Sammelan Puraskar in 2002, and the Aam Smriti Puraskar, an award given every three years for contributions to the Nepali language and literature, instituted by Nepali Sahitya Parishad in 2003. 

Dr. Pradhan has also edited and written a number of literary journals and anthologies and published learned articles in Nepali. 

He was the chief editor of Sunchari Samachar and other prominent Nepali newspapers. 

Dr. Pradhan is survived by wife Poornima Pradhan, daughters Indira Pradhan and Manasa Pradhan and sons Somendra Pradhan and Gehendra Pradhan (Chief Editor, EOI Siliguri). His last rites would be held on the 22 nd. We at EOI would like to extend our heartfelt condolence and prayers to the family of Dr. Pradhan.