KATHMANDU, JANUARY 2
First Nepali woman Ambassador Bhinda Swari Shah, passed away today at the age of 91, leaving indelible marks in the field of Nepal's diplomacy.
Born on February 13, 1933 in Kurseong, India, Bhinda Swari Shah was the daughter of Padma Sundar Malla and Jagat Laxmi Malla. The family was exiled by the Rana Prime Minister because Bhinda Swari Shah's father had studied in Japan and the United States of America.
Bhinda Swari Shah's formative years at St. Helen's Convent in Kurseong set the stage for a life of major accomplishments. Upon graduating in 1951, she entered and won a global essay competition titled 'The World of Tomorrow,' which took her to the USA for further studies that changed her changed her world views and shaped her future.
In May 1956, Bhinda Swari Shah became the first Nepali woman to graduate from an American college, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts from Barnard College, Columbia University, in New York. She furthered her education with a Master's Degree in International Affairs from the prestigious Johns Hopkins University in Washington DC, where she cultivated a lifelong passion for international relations and diplomacy.
Upon returning to Nepal, Bhinda Swari Shah briefly worked to establish the American Library in Kathmandu where she enrolled then King Mahendra and late Prime Minister BP Koirala as the first and second member of the library. Encouraged by legendry leader BP Koirala, she joined the government service after passing the Public Service Commission examination. She was selected to join the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In 1960, she was posted to the Nepal Embassy in Washington DC, where Matrika Prasad Koirala was the Ambassador. She served there until 1965 before returning to Nepal. He major postings included the posting in Washington DC (1961-1965) Dhaka (1972-1976), New Delhi (1988-1991).
In 1966, she married Dr. Narayan Keshary Shah, whom she met during her posting in Washington DC, where he was studying medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. They had two sons, Anil Keshary Shah and Ujjal Keshary Shah.
Following the independence of Bangladesh in 1972, then king Birendra appointed her as the chargé d'affaires in Dhaka to establish diplomatic relations with the newest nation-state of South Asia and to set up the Nepali Embassy there. Despite the military coup d'etat, and the assassination of President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she remained in Bangladesh until the end of her tenure in 1976.
Returning to Nepal, she continued her career in the Foreign Ministry, where she played a critical role in shaping and formulating Nepal's foreign policy over the next 12 years. She was regarded as a pillar of the Foreign Ministry by many within the ministry and the diplomatic corps.
In 1988, then king Birendra appointed Bhinda Swari Shah as the Ambassador of Nepal to India, making her the first Nepali woman to hold the position of Ambassador.
She served in Delhi for over two years during Nepal's transition from the Panchayat system to a multi-party system of government. After her tenure in India, she returned to the Foreign Ministry, where she served as Additional Foreign Secretary before retiring.
In retirement, she cherished the time spent with her family, enjoying the company of her loved ones, which she had not been able to do during her busy professional life.
She is survived by her elder son, Anil Shah; daughters-in-laws Rati Shah; and Samantha Shah (wife of youngest son late Ujjal Keshary Shah); granddaughter, Aarya Shah; and grandson, Aditya Shah.
Former Ambassador Bhekh Bahadur Thapa told that appointment of Shah as Nepal's ambassador to Nepal at a time when ups and downs were witnessed in Nepal-India relations was a reflection of Shah's ability to handle the challenge of the time. She was an honest, efficient diplomat who rose through the ranks due to her own ability and acumen. She has left an indelible mark in the field of diplomacy, he added.
