National 10 (Spotlight Weekly)

Death Of A Legend

The scholar will be remembered for shedding new light on key characters and events of history

By A CORRESSPONDENT

Frank and bold, Naya Raj Panta never compromised on his views. His copious research helped to clarify many controversial aspects of the Licchivi Era and other parts of Nepalese history. Despite his scholarly contributions, Panta did not receive the recognition he deserved.

Although he served as a member of the Royal Nepalese Academy (RNA) for quite some time, Panta spent most of his life in his own distinctive way of thinking and writing.

Thanks to his first-hand research into the history of Nepal, Panta confronted much controversy. He claimed that some historians copied his works without giving him any credit. In an interview with Gorkhapatra in 1989, Panta accused late politician and historian Dr. Dilli Raman Regmi of lifting parts of Licchivi history from his research. If Panta was blunt at times, it was because he always stood for the cause of truth.

Panta encountered very bad days. Following the restoration of democracy in 1990, some so-called scholars and intellectuals warned him of dire consequences unless he resigned as a member of Royal Nepal Academy. All his colleagues, including poet and chancellor Madhav Prasad Ghimire, resigned. Panta took his stand, saying his appointment was not made on grounds of political affiliation.

Be it with the King, political leaders or chauvinist intellectuals, Panta dealt with equal firmness. Although he suffered from many health ailments, Panta continued his research and study as a life member of the RNA.

When Nepalese historians were producing tomes based on make-believe stories and documents provided by foreigners, Panta worked hard to correct factual errors relating to events and characters. Along with late great historian Baburam Acharya, Panta uncovered many facts of the country's past.

Panta's objections to the state's selection of national heroes irritated many of his contemporaries. But he always came up with rational arguments. He argued that the modality of selecting national heroes was irrational and haphazard.

For his scholarly contributions to Nepalese history, Panta was conferred an honorary doctorate by Tribhuvan University. Panta, who died at the age of 90 at his residence in Patan, remained a scholar of literature, history and astronomy and mathematics. Nepal, which has many mysteries and incidents that remain to be uncovered, has lost an honest and hard-working son whose absence will be hard to fill.

RISHIKESH SHAHA
Champion And Critic

By A CORRESSPONDENT

One of Nepal's few internationally acclaimed scholars, Rishikesh Shaha was active as a historian, constitutional and foreign relations expert, and human right activist. His career saw many ups and downs and swings from one end to the other.

Shaha, who headed the panel that drafted the Constitution of Nepal 2019 that introduced the Panchayat system, was later sent to prison for violating it.

Shah : Man of many dimensions

From foreign minister to Nepal's first ambassador to the United Nations, Shaha fulfilled many diplomatic assignments with distinction.

In the latter part of his life, Shaha joined the opposition camp in the movement to overthrow the Panchayat system he helped institutionalize. Founder president of Human Rights Organization of Nepal, Shaha wrote numerous books on the history, foreign policy and contemporary issues of Nepal.

Had Shaha maintained a firm stand on political and other issues, he would have been seen in a less controversial perspective. The first part of his life was attached to power, while the second was spent in opposition ranks.

Shaha gained international prominence when he was appointed to lead a commission to investigate the cause of the plane accident at Congo that killed UN secretary-general Dag Hammarskjold. Critics say Shaha's flaw was that he always swung his opinions from one extreme to another. In the death of Shaha, 77, Nepal has lost a scholar, human rights activists and historian who made news at home and abroad for both what he supported and opposed.