Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda was born on December 11, 1954, in Lewadi, Dhikurpokhari in Kaski district of Nepal, to Muktinath Dahal and Bhawani Dahal.

He is widely recognized as a Nepali rebel leader and politician renowned for leading the decade-long Maoist insurgency that resulted in the abolition of Nepal’s monarchy and the establishment of the country as a democratic republic.

His initial name was Ghanashyam Dahal, and then he changed his name to Chhabilal Dahal, and then to Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

At the age of eight, his family migrated to Terai, a fertile lowland region in southern Nepal, and settled in Chitwan district.

In the 1950s, his father Muktiram moved to Indian state of Assam, where he worked as a firewood collector, and returned home in 1961.

In 1971, Pushpa Kamal Dahal moved to Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital for his studies, and was enrolled in Patan Multiple Campus in Lalitpur for two years.

He then moved back to Chitwan and received a diploma of science in agriculture from Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science in Rampur.

After completing studies and failing to find jobs in bureaucracy, Dahal became a schoolteacher in a village, where he worked until 1979.

Prachanda’s early life unfolded in a humble farming family in the mountainous Kaski district of central Nepal.

At the age of 11, his family moved to Chitwan district, where a schoolteacher influenced him towards communism.

In 1975, he graduated from the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science in Rampur, Chitwan district.

In 1980, adopting the nom de guerre “Prachanda,” meaning “fierce,” he led the All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (Revolutionary), affiliated with the radical Communist Party of Nepal (Masal).

He joined the Communist Party of Nepal (Fourth Convention) in 1981.

He became General Secretary of the CPN-Masal in 1989, this party, later, became the CPN (Maoist).

Dahal was underground, even after the restoration of democracy in 1990.

His political journey involved affiliations with various communist factions, leading to the formation of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) in 1995.

The CPN (Maoist) initiated an insurgent campaign against the monarchy on February 13, 1996, eventually achieving success after a decade-long struggle.

Prachanda spent eight years underground, including a significant portion in India.

He served as Nepal’s Prime Minister from 2008 to 2009 and later reclaimed the position in 2016–17 and 2022 onwards.

Prachanda’s first term as prime minister (2008–09) faced initial skepticism due to his underground background.

However, his public appearance in June 2006 marked the beginning of increased popularity.

The CPN (Maoist) won 220 seats in the April 10, 2008, elections, making it the largest party in the Constituent Assembly.

In August 2008, the assembly declared Nepal a democratic republic, ending the monarchy, and elected Prachanda as the prime minister.

Prachanda, despite lacking prior parliamentary experience, took office on August 18, 2008.

His tenure involved challenges, including a power struggle with the army chief in May 2009, leading to his resignation on May 4, 2009.

Second Term as Prime Minister (2016–17):

In August 2016, Prachanda secured his second term as prime minister through election by the Constituent Assembly.

His predecessor, KP Sharma Oli, had resigned ahead of an anticipated confidence vote.

Prachanda, the sole official candidate, garnered support from the Madhesi Front, a coalition representing the interests of the Madhes people in the Tarai region.

Additionally, a power-sharing agreement was reached with the Nepali Congress party.

Adhering to the terms of this agreement, Prachanda resigned in May 2017, making way for Sher Bahadur Deuba, the leader of the Nepali Congress, to assume the prime minister’s role.

Formation of Nepal Communist Party:

Leading up to parliamentary elections, Prachanda formed an alliance with Oli and his Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist).

The combined electoral success of the two parties led to their merger in May 2018, officially establishing the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and dissolving their previous factions.

Power Struggles and Third Term as Prime Minister

Within the NCP, a power-sharing agreement dictated that Oli and Prachanda would alternate as prime minister.

However, during Oli’s tenure, Prachanda sought increased influence. In November 2019, an arrangement was made for Oli to complete the full five-year term as prime minister in exchange for Prachanda assuming executive leadership of the party. Disagreements ensued when Oli made unilateral decisions, leading to a breach of the original agreement.

In December 2020, Oli recommended the dissolution of parliament and early elections, which Prachanda criticized as unconstitutional.

The situation prompted calls for protests from Prachanda, who contended that the agreed-upon rotation of the prime minister’s office should be honored.

Prachanda’s Third Term:

On December 25, 2022, Prachanda was appointed prime minister for the third time by Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

The following day, Prachanda assumed office amid economic challenges, including dwindling foreign-exchange reserves and escalating inflation and living costs.

Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre):

The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), founded in 1994 by Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda), played a pivotal role in overthrowing Nepal’s monarchy and establishing a democratically elected government.

The CPN (M) gained widespread recognition in February 1996 when it launched a guerrilla war, resulting in significant turmoil, destruction, and loss of life.

Criticism was directed at the CPN (M) for alleged recruitment of underage soldiers, some as young as 12 years old, during the insurgency that spanned from 1996 to 2006 and claimed around 17,000 lives.

To seize political power and counter the central government’s forces, the CPN (M) advocated the “Prachanda Path,” a strategy combining mass indoctrination with Marxist, Leninist, and Maoist ideologies, along with the establishment of military bases in rural areas.

The CPN (M) succeeded in gaining support in villages by providing a level of governance that was previously absent.

The conflict escalated as the Maoists targeted the Nepalese army, with intermittent cease-fires from 2002 to 2005.

In 2005, seeking a permanent peace accord, the CPN (M) formed a pro-democratic alliance with mainstream political parties aiming to end the Nepalese monarchy.

However, King Gyanendra’s dismissal of the elected parliament in February 2005 heightened tensions.

Popular protests and pressure from opposition parties forced the king to reinstate the parliament in April 2006.

A United Nations-brokered peace treaty concluded the insurgency in November 2006.

The CPN (M) advocated for a free parliamentary election, winning the largest share of seats in the April 2008 event, leading to the dissolution of the Nepalese monarchy and the declaration of a republic.

In July 2008, Prachanda became the prime minister, but the relationship between the CPN (M) and established powers, particularly the military, remained strained after a decade of conflict.

The party merged with the Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre–Masal) in January 2009, forming the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).

Prachanda resigned in May 2009 after an unsuccessful attempt to remove the chief of the Nepalese armed forces.

The UCPN (M) continued its involvement in the government, playing a crucial role in the peace talks leading to the November 2011 agreement that integrated former rebel fighters into the Nepalese armed forces.

In 2016, the UCPN (Maoist) merged with 10 other Maoist parties, becoming the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre).

Following an electoral alliance with the larger Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) in the 2017 parliamentary elections, the two parties merged into the Nepal Communist Party in 2018, leading to the dissolution of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre).

Personal Life:

In 1969, Pushpa Kamal Dahal married Sita Poudel (5 July 1954 – 12 July 2023) when he was just 15 years old.

The Dahal couple had three daughters (one daughter passed away) and a son, Prakash who also passed away.