Gore Bahadur Khapangi

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Gore Bahadur Khapangi Magar (गोरेबहादुर खपाङ्गी मगर in Nepali) was a Nepali indeginous activist, leftist politician, a teacher and a former minister for Women and Children Affairs.

Gore Bahadur Khapangi was born on 9 August 1946 in Thakle, Udayapur and was attracted to communist ideology as a young man.

Khapangi was the founder of Nepal Magar Association which was founded in 1990. The association aimed at bringing together indeginous Nepali Magars together and raise their concerns concertedly. Khapangi led the organization for four consecutive terms.

Khapange had a master’s degree in sociology and was a founding member of Nepal Teacher’s Union, an organization of progressive teachers in Nepal, in 1985. He had worked as a headmaster of a government run secondary school for more than two decades.

gore-bahadur-khapangiKhapangi spent most of his political career as a leftist polician, advocating for communism and better indeginous rights in Nepal. He spent 14 months in prison as a political prisoner during the anti-Panchayat movement in Nepal.

In 2001, however, he changed his tone and welcomed King Gyanendra’s takeover that virtually negated the existence of political parties in Nepal, though they were not legally banned.

On 7 September 2002, Khapangi, the communist-turned-royalist,  was appointed Minister for Women & Children Affairs by King Gyanendra. Khapangi held the post for 8 months.

See Also: Madan Bhandari, Barsha Lekhi

 

Khapangi co-founded Rastriya Janamukti Party and worked as its General Secretary for many years. After leaving the RJM party, he went on to co-found another party called Nepal Liberal Democratic Party and led the party as its chairperson until his death. Though his party cadres often partcipated in indeginous protests, the party itself had very little influence in shaping Nepal’s national politics.

Accident and Death


Gore Bahadur Khapangi died at the age of 80 on 27 August 2016 in Kathmandu’s Neuro Hospital. His death was reportedly caused by complications associated with a urinary infection.

On 25 April 2013, Khapangi was hit by a motorbike while walking to Rastriya Shabhagriya  in order to partcipate in an  indeginous film festival. Severely injured in the accident, he was first treated in Kathmandu’s Neuro Hospital and was taken to Singapore for further treatment. Left paralysed by the accident, he never fully recovered.

Before his death, he was treated at home for several months, with the help of a ventilator.

Gore Bahadur Khapangi Foundation, which was originally established in the aftermath of Khapangi’s  accident mainly to help him raise treatment money, works to preserve and disseminate his work. As of 2016, the foundation is led by Bhabesh Bhumari.