Nepal’s Problematic Son

The son of Nepal’s Maoist chief was forced to return a government grant after news of it leaked and sparked outrage.

Among the many things that turned commoners against Nepal’s ousted monarchy, there was also King Gyanendra’s high-rolling son Prince Paras. An alcoholic with a fiery temper, the young prince had even run over and killed a popular singer. It now turns out things haven’t changed too much in the country. On 18 March, Prakash Dahal—son of Prachanda, Nepal’s Maoist chief—was forced to return a government grant of $250,000 for a Mount Everest expedition, after news of it leaked and sparked outrage. More bad press followed when Dahal, who holds no government position, suggested that the money should be given to families of the 16,000 killed in the country’s 10-year civil war instead. This is not the first time that Prakash Dahal has made news. On 22 March 2009, while the then Prime Minister Prachanda was holding a meeting with Kathmandu University’s vice chancellor, Dahal invited security personnel and party cadres to that hotel. He served them alcohol and partied while his father attended the meeting. His photo was on the frontpage of a newspaper the next day, in which he was lying in the hotel’s lobby, apparently drunk and exhausted after all the revelry.

About The Author

Lhendup Bhutia