Kathmandu, August 23

The last rites of former Nepali ambassador to France and career diplomat Keshav Raj Jha were performed at the electric crematorium at Pashupati today.

Family members, including Jha’s daughter Rajshree Jha who had arrived from East Timor yesterday and son Kiran Raj Jha who arrived from Ireland today morning, former ambassadors, former colleges, neighbours and friends were present at the funeral.

Jha’s body was transported to Pashupati from the department of forensic medicine at Tribhuvan University at around 3:00pm.

Jha served as Nepal’s ambassador to France from 1993 to 1998 and is noted for his diplomatic success in holding then King Birendra Shah’s first state visit to France in 1994. Prabin Bikram Rana, deputy director of Alliance Française of Kathmandu, said late Jha had also played a crucial role in securing the country’s representation in the executive board of UNESCO. “This was probably the only time when the country was represented in the executive board of UNESCO.”

Kedar Man Singh Shrestha, a former journalist and Jha’s friend, said, “To me Jha was a fair nationalist who would always speak out his heart and never favoured nepotism.” Jha was found murdered in his bedroom on the ground floor of his bungalow at Babar Mahal early Monday morning.

Police and family sources have said he was stabbed multiple times in the scalp and upper chest near the right and the left collar bones. Police is investigating the case.