ABOUT
SAHANA PRADHAN
Late Shahana Pradhan, a high personality of the leftist democratic movement of Nepali politics, was born on 27th Asaar 1984 BS in Kathmandu. She had to pass through the extreme struggle during her childhood due to the social structure, social consciousness and political structure of the time, however, she had taken birth in the capital city of Nepal. She was the idealistic fighter of the undemocratic political structure, social evils and gender discrimination prevalent rampantly in the then Nepali society. Her unflinching thought was above the vested interest along with a person, family, caste, ethnicity, region, gender and political thought. She was a social campaigner whose simple life, high thinking, unflinching ideal and struggling political ideology were/are the guiding principles of Nepali society and the nation. More than an individual person, Pradhan was a multidimensional personality equivalent to an institution during her life and even it is true at present.
During the Rana regime in Nepal, access to education for public was impossible. Limited education institutions along with Durbar High School were only accessible to the Ranas and their relatives. Therefore, Pradhan acquired her education in Burma where she stayed with her father. In 2001 BS, Pradhan returned home country from Burma due to the Second World War and she plunged into movement for democracy, civic rights and rights for women education in Nepal. She organized women and students in the democratic movement in 2007 BS and fought for democracy in the country. She kept on fighting throughout her life against the suppression of single party system of Panchayat after 2017 BS. In the course of being active in the revolution of political transformation, she tied up in the conjugal knot with Pushpalal Shrestha, the founder General Secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN).
She struggled incessantly against Panchayati system despite her poverty and vicinity of scarcity in her livelihood. She led in the capacity of the President of the Joint Leftist Forum (Samyukta Baammorcha) in the historical revolution of 2046 BS. She led the active role in the decision making positions in the parties and the governments after 2046 BS. She played vital role in the capacity of the Secretary of the Communist Party Marxism, Central Committee Member, Pollitt Beuro Member and Standing Committee Member of the CPN, UML. Similarly, she worked in the capacity of the President of the CPN, ML. Likewise, Pradhan played vital roles in decision making level of the governments in the capacity of the Member of Parliament, the Minister of Industry, the Minister of Women and Children and the Minister of Foreign Affairs at different times. Likewise, she shouldered the responsibility the President of the Women Protection Pressure Group along with the President of the Inter-party Women Network by taking the frontline of the leadership. She died on 6th Asoj 2071 BS while remaining active continuously in the democratic movement of Nepal.