On the auspicious occasion of His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev’s 58th birthday.

King Gyanendra was born on July 7, 1947 to late King Mahendra and late Crown Princess Indra Rajya Laxmi in Kathmandu. He completed his Senior Cambridge from St Joseph’s College, Darjeeling, India in 1966. In 1969, he graduated from Tribhuvan University. He ascended the throne of the Kingdom of Nepal in 2001. Today, he is the chancellor of Tribhuvan University and Mahendra Sanskrit University. King Gyanendra married Queen Komal in 1970. They have a son, Crown Prince Paras, and daughter Princess Prerana. Studying nature, reading and writing poetry are King Gyanendra’s hobbies and he has always believed that “knowledge is power, work is worship”.

King Gyanendra was chairman of the advisory committee for the coronation of King Birendra in 1975. He was also the chairman of King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation (1982 — 2001), Lumbini Development Trust (1986 — 1991) and a member of 1001-Nature Trust. Conservation and preservation of natural and man-made heritage are King Gyanendra’s special interests. The supreme commander of the Royal Nepalese Army, he is also the patron of Royal Nepal Accademy of Science and Technology and Pashupati Area Development Trust. He made state visits to India and China in 2002. He made official visits to Pakistan, China, Japan, Bhutan, Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore, the United States of America, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark, etc. He has received various decorations for his role and contribution as sovereign of the kingdom of Nepal.