Birendra

Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (28 December 1947 – 1 June 2001) was the King of Nepal from 31 January 1972 until his assassination in 2001. He was the eldest son of King Mahendra and Queen Ratna, and succeeded his father upon his death.

Birendra was educated in Nepal and abroad, studying at the Great Britain's Berkeley School in Kent and later at the Gombu Monastery in Darjeeling, India. He also attended the Damansara School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the Wattenshall campus of Bath University in the United Kingdom. Birendra was crowned King at the age of 24 and had his coronation ceremony on 24 April 1972.

During his reign, Birendra oversaw several major projects, including the development of the tourism industry, the expansion of the hydroelectric power system, and the improvement of transportation infrastructure. He introduced the concept of "Panchayat" democracy, a system where local councils were established to promote decentralization of power.

Birendra married Queen Aishwarya on April 4, 1970. They had two sons, Crown Prince Dipendra and Prince Nirajan. Birendra was known for his efforts to modernize and liberalize Nepal's politics, but he faced opposition from traditionalists who disagreed with his reforms.

Birendra was assassinated along with several members of his family, including Queen Aishwarya, on 1 June 2001, at his palace in Kathmandu. The cause of the assassination is a subject of debate, but it is widely reported that Crown Prince Dipendra was responsible for the attack. Dipendra died the same day from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.