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Birth: 20 July 1934, Lalitpur
Death: 20 November 2021, Lalitpur

Prof Dr Janak Lal Vaidya was a scholar dedicated to preserving Nepali heritage by lighting up the depths of the Nepal Bhasha. Born and raised in Lalitpur, Vaidya earned his Master’s degree in Nepali in 1961. Then, in 1984, he became the first person to complete a PhD in Nepal Bhasha Kavya from Tribhuvan University.

Vaidya penned numerous books during his career. He authored Newar Language History, Newar Language Literature, and Nepali Culture Research Study. He also published Satyavati Bibechana, a criticism of Poet Siddhidas Amatya’s short epic (1967), Nepal Bhasha Prachin Kavya Sirjana Prabriti (1986), and then Asha Saphu Kuthiya Abhilekh Granthaya Varnanatmak Dhalah’ in Nepal Bhasha (1991).

Vaidya wrote stories and plays too, including Kalyani (1967), a full-act play and Swoya Chongu Mikha while (1982).

A lover of literature and history, Vaidya researched literary works of Malla kings and queens. He devoted his research to exploring the importance of Nepal Bhasha, digging through significant periods of Nepali history.

Also read: Vijay Bajimaya obituary: Legendary litterateur from lake-city 

He also had quite an appetite for Newari poetry and songs, and hence his fame as the ‘dev’ of modern poetry in Nepal Bhasha. An important figure of the forgotten Newari poetry culture in the modern world, Vaidya cleverly incorporated humor and satire in his works published in numerous journals and newspapers through the years.

His love for Nepal Bhasha didn’t end there. To pass on the rich artistry of the language, Vaidya started teaching in different schools and colleges. He later joined government service as a lecturer at Durbar College, Tahachal in 1962. In 1963, he transferred to teach Nepal Bhasha at Tri Chandra College.

Throughout his life, he won several awards for his contributions to Nepal Bhasha: the Honourable C Class medal (1975), the Dirgha Sewa Padak (1996), Maya Devi Prajna Puraskar (1996), and Pragya Puraskar (1998).

Among the inspirations of this inspiring figure in himself were celebrated literary figures like Dharmaditya Dharmacharya, Chittadhar Hridaya, Prem Bahadur Kasa, Dr Kamal Prakash Malla and Swayambhu Lal Shrestha.

Vaidya became the editor of Bahubhasik Sayamatri around 2000 with the purpose of disseminating the invaluable Nepali heritage to the world through Nepal Bhasha.

Vaidya passed away on 20 November 2021 at the age of 87.

Birth: 5 April 1958, Kaski
Death: 14 November 2021, Kathmandu

In the darkness of the stage at Sarbanam Theater, as the spotlight was turned on, the audience could see just two things. One was a calendar with ‘2014’ written on it and another, in front of it, poet Vijay Bajimaya sitting in his wheelchair. As light gleamed on his wrinkled forehead, Bajimaya recited his poems and, in between, narrated the struggles of his public as well as personal lives.

Until the age of five, Bajimaya was physically fit. But, he was then trampled on by a horse and his legs suffered injuries. He still used to play and run but slowly—with more minor accidents—he couldn’t move his legs and had to resort to a wheelchair. But this didn’t stop his literary progression, nor did it stop him from making the most of his political, social, and business life.

His friendship and close relations with poets and writers inspired him to write. Celebrated litterateurs Sarubhakta, Jagadish Ghimire, Indra Mali, Tirtha Shrestha were his friends and relatives who helped Bajimaya throughout his literary journey.

Also read: Bhairav Prasad Lamsal obituary: The anti-corruption crusader 

Inspired by his friends, Bajimaya started his professional writing career with the poem ‘Prajatantra’ in 1973. He then published ‘Samaya Bhaneko Samaya Ho’ (poem collection), ‘Antatwogatwo’ (story collection). He also worked as a journalist. At the age of 15 in 1972, he became the editor of ‘Fewataal’, a local newspaper. Later, he also wrote and reported for other newspapers. Bajimaya also established a public library at home. 

Before the 80s, poem recitation events were open to all and there were no entry fees. But Bajimaya started implementing a ticketing system for such programs so that writers and poets also got their fair share of earnings.

After 1985, he came to Kathmandu and started a hotel.

For his evergreen contributions to Nepali literature, Bajimaya got multiple awards such as ‘Byathit Kaabya Puraskar’, ‘Yuwa Barsha Moti Puraskar’, ‘Maanshree Puraskar’, ‘Rashtriya Pratibha Puraskar’, and ‘Gazalshree’.

Bajimaya, who remained a bachelor for life, died on 14 November 2021, at the age of 63, at his residence in Kathmandu. His funeral was held in his hometown of Pokhara. 

Birth: 15 June 1940, Kathmandu
Death: 28 October 2021, Kathmandu

A revered name in Nepali judiciary, Bhairav Prasad Lamsal was best known for his strong public stand for the prosecution of around 600 persons, including government officials, judges and politicians—all of whom were shown to own illegal properties by an investigation panel he headed.

Lamsal was born in Kathmandu's Chuchepati, Chabahil. In 1961, aged 21, he entered the judicial service as a public prosecutor. While working in the courts of Nepalgunj, Biratnagar, Janakpur and in other districts, Lamsal started earning a name for his honesty and hard work.

In 1987, he was appointed an additional judge at the Madhyamanchal Chetriya Adalat, paving the way to his becoming the Chief Judge of Nepalgunj Appellate Court on 15 June 1992.

A fearless judge, he stepped into the Supreme Court on 1 August 1997 as a temporary judge; his stay was made permanent on 19 March 1999. He later became an ex-officio member of the Judicial Council and Judicial Service Commission before retiring from the Supreme Court as a judge in 2005. In his decade at the court Lamsal was noted for his judgment based on elaborate reasoning that left no room for any conflict of interest.

Also read: Obituary | Badrinath Shrestha: A thorough democrat 

He believed one of the main reasons for the country’s unchecked corruption was the failure of high-ranking state employees to disclose their property details. Inspired by him, in 2002 the then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba formed the Judicial Commission on Property Inquiry, under Lamsal’s chairmanship. 

The Lamsal commission was tasked with combing through property details of almost 42,000 government officials. Among those, the commission found the details of about 600 officials suspicious.

The Lamsal Commission, after working on the report for over a year, handed it over to King Gyanendra in 2003, demanding immediate investigation into the assets of those suspected of engaging in foul play. But the report became a political hot potato, as it was repeatedly passed between the Council of Ministers, the Judicial Council and the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority. (In 2004, the CIAA separately found out that 27 judges at the time owned illegal assets.)

The report brought out the truth of corruption among government officials, politicians and judges and yet no action was taken against them. In fact, the report was never made public.

On 22 July 2005 Lamsal was appointed a legal member of the Judicial Council.

Lamsal passed away on 28 October 2021 at the age of 84. He was suffering from heart problems and later caught pneumonia. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son.

Badrinath Shrestha came into limelight after the third general convention of Nepal Student Union (NSU) when he was elected joint secretary of the Tribhuvan University committee.

A member of one of the most popular families of Dharan and a close relative of Ganesh Man Singh, Shrestha took part in all democratic movements of his time. Whether the 1990 people’s movement or the 2006 revolution, Shrestha was always at the frontline of the fight for democracy. He was detained several times for taking part in protests.

After 1990, Shrestha started his career in administration as member-secretary of the National Sports Council. He is widely hailed for his calm yet bold approach to decision-making. Although he was aligned with a political party, his work reflected no political bias.

When Nabin Prakash Jung Shah was appointed vice-chancellor of TU in 2001, Shrestha was called to join his advisory team. Before that, he had worked as assistant dean of the Food Technology department of Central Technical Campus, also known as Hattisar Campus. During Shrestha’s time in the VC's office, the post of exam controller of TU became vacant, and he was transferred there.

Also read: Obituary | Ramesh Maharjan: Gem of a businessman

When Shrestha entered the office of the exam controller in Jamal,  it was a total mess. Shrestha commissioned a separate building in Balkhu. Shah remembers Shrestha as a determined and passionate person. “Police apprehended both of us during the 2006 movement and detained us for 18 days,” Shah recalls.

Bipin Dhoj Karki, former exam deputy controller at Tribhuvan University, remembers Shrestha as a friendly person, both at personal and professional level. “His decisions were universally accepted as he sought advice from every staff member, no matter their position,” Karki adds.

Twelve years after retiring as exam controller, he was made the chairman of the Service Commission of Purbanchal University. As soon as his tenure ended, Shrestha traveled to Australia to visit his daughter—just before the Covid-19 pandemic. But his vacation was extended for an extra two years because of the lockdown and travel restrictions.

Soon after he returned to Nepal, he suffered from liver-related problems and was referred to a hospital in New Delhi, India. Shrestha passed away on October 16, three days before his 75th birthday. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.