Nepali Army officer becomes first third-generation Sandhurst graduate
Published: 04:43 pm Jul 21, 2026
KATHMANDU, JULY 21 A Nepali Army officer has become the first third-generation officer from Nepal to graduate from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, the United Kingdom's prestigious military training institution. Lieutenant Tejus Jung Thapa was among 74 newly commissioned officers who graduated from Commissioning Course Short 262 at Sandhurst on July 18. According to a press statement, Lieutenant Thapa's achievement marks a historic milestone for the Nepali Army and reflects a family legacy spanning more than six decades at the academy. Speaking after the graduation ceremony, Lieutenant Thapa said he was honoured to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, whom he described as his greatest sources of inspiration.
His father, Major General Anup Jung Thapa, completed training at Sandhurst in 1991, while his paternal grandfather, retired Brigadier General Tejendra Jung Thapa, attended the academy from 1960 to 1962. His maternal grandfather, the late Lieutenant Colonel Prabala SJB Rana, trained alongside Brigadier General Thapa during the same period.
Both Major General Thapa and Brigadier General Thapa attended the graduation ceremony, highlighting the family's longstanding association with the academy. The achievement also underscores the enduring relationship between the Nepali Army and the British Army, which has seen generations of Nepali officers receive military training at Sandhurst.