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Dipendra of Nepal

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Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev
Dipendra on 31 May 2001
King of Nepal
Reign1–4 June 2001
PredecessorBirendra
SuccessorGyanendra
RegentGyanendra
Born(1971-06-27)27 June 1971
Kathmandu, Nepal
Died4 June 2001(2001-06-04) (aged 29)
Kathmandu, Nepal
DynastyShah dynasty
FatherBirendra Bir Bikram Shah
MotherAishwarya Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah
ReligionHinduism

Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (Nepali: दीपेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह देव) (27 June 1971 – 4 June 2001) was King of Nepal for three days from 1 to 4 June 2001. For the duration of his three-day reign he was in a coma after the shooting at his father King Birendra, his mother Queen Aishwarya, his younger brother and sister, five other members of the royal family, and himself in an event known as the Nepalese royal massacre.[1][2] Upon Dipendra's death, his paternal uncle Gyanendra became king.

Early life

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Dipendra was born on 27 June 1971 at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace as the eldest child of Birendra, the Crown Prince of Nepal, and Princess Aishwarya.[3]

Education

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Dipendra received his early education from Kanti Ishwori High School, Kathmandu. He then went to Budhanilkantha School in Kathmandu. Later, he attended Eton College in the United Kingdom. After Eton, he attended Tri Chandra college affiliated with Tribhuvan University in Nepal and later joined the Military Academy in Kharipati, Nepal. He studied Geography at Tribhuvan University for his master's degree and was an all Nepal topper receiving a gold medal. He was a PhD. student at the same university. He received military training from the Academy of Royal Nepalese Gurkha Army and pilot training from the Civil Aviation Department.[clarification needed]

Interests

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Dipendra was interested in the fields of social service and sports. He attended various national and international sports ceremonies where Nepalese players participated. Dipendra became a karateka when he was studying in Britain and received a black belt at around the age of 20. He was a patron of the National Sports Council and Nepal's Scouts. Dipendra also wrote articles that were published in Nepalese periodicals. His writings were often on the motifs of nationhood and nationality.

In March 1993, on the visit of the Princess of Wales to Nepal, he ordered police to close down the roads so that he could give her a late-night tour of Kathmandu in his sports car.[4]

Nepalese royal massacre

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Main article: Nepalese royal massacre

On 1 June 2001, Dipendra opened fire at a house on the grounds of the Narayanhiti Royal Palace, the residence of the Nepalese monarchy, where a party was being held. He shot and killed his father, King Birendra, his mother, Queen Aishwarya, his younger brother and sister and other members of the royal family before shooting himself in the head. Because the king was now dead, he as crown prince became king while in a comatose state from the head wound.[5]

His motive for the murders is unknown, but there are various theories. Dipendra desired to marry Devyani Rana, the daughter of an Indian princess whom he had met in England, but due to her father's lower caste and her father's political alliances, Dipendra's parents objected; he was told that he would have to give up his claim to the throne in order to marry her.[6] Other theories allege that Dipendra was unhappy with the country's shift from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy, and that too much power had been given away following the 1990 People's Movement.[6]

Much controversy surrounds the circumstances of the massacre, and even today, with the monarchy abolished, many questions remain within Nepal about its cause.[7] Sources of the yet unanswered questions include details such as the apparent lack of security at the event; the absence of Prince Gyanendra, Dipendra's uncle who succeeded him, from the party; the fact that, despite being right-handed, Dipendra's self-inflicted head-wound was located at his left temple; and finally that the subsequent investigation lasted for only two weeks and did not involve any major forensic analysis.[7]

Portrayals

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  • Upendra portrayed the crown prince in the 2002 Indian film Super Star, which was loosely based on the massacre.[8]
  • Indian actor Ashish Kapoor portrayed the role of Dipendra in the third season of the documentary series Zero Hour, it showed a reconstruction of the massacre taken from surviving eyewitnesses.[9]

Honours

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National honours
Foreign honours

Ancestry

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Bodyguards fired over Nepal royal massacre". Irish Times. 3 July 2001. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  2. ^ "Nepal mourns slain king". BBC. 2 June 2001. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  3. ^ Gregson, Jonathan (5 June 2002). Massacre at the Palace: The Doomed Royal Dynasty of Nepal. Miamax. p. 121. ISBN 978-0-7868-6878-0. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  4. ^ Hardman, Robert. "A Queen of our Times" (2022), pg. 353-354
  5. ^ Lisa Mullins (1 June 2011). "Why Nepal's Crown Prince Went on a Killing Spree". PRI. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  6. ^ a b Mullins, Lisa (1 June 2011). "Why Nepal's Crown Prince Went on a Killing Spree". PRI. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  7. ^ a b Barry Bearak (8 June 2001). "A Witness To Massacre In Nepal Tells Gory Details". New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 March 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  8. ^ "Super Star - is it really superstar v/s real star? People say 'No'..." viggy.com. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  9. ^ Padukone Chaitanya (9 January 2007). "Pracchi's tragic take". DNA India. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
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Dipendra of Nepal
Born: 27 June 1971 Died: 4 June 2001
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Nepal
1–4 June 2001 		Succeeded by
Nepalese royalty
Preceded by
Birendra
 Crown Prince of Nepal
1972–2001 		Succeeded by
Gyanendra
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