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Who is Ram Chandra Paudel?
The third President of Nepal, Ram Chandra Paudel is a veteran Nepali Congress leader. He was elected the President after defeating Subash Chandra Nembang of the CPN-UML.
President Paudel has traversed a long political journey, from being a former Speaker, a lawmaker six times, and a minister five times, to make it to Nepal's highest state position.
Personal life and education
Personal life and education
President Poudel was born in September 1944 into a higher-class farmer's family in western Nepal. He is married and has five children: four daughters and one son.
The President completed his MA in Nepali literature from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan University in 1970. He had appeared for his A examination while he was being detained as an anti-panchayat leader. In 1967, Poudel pursued SASTRI in Sanskrit literature.
Political career
The 78-year-old veteran Nepali Congress leader was elected from the Tanahu-2 constituency in the 2008 Constituent Assembly elections.
In 2009, Paudel was elected as the Leader of the Parliamentary Party of the Nepali Congress.
After the death of Nepali Congress president Susil Koirala, Poudel served as the Acting President of the party, and has been actively involved in party organization for many years as a central committee member and vice president.
Interestingly, Paudel had lost the intra-party election but was elected the President of Nepal by the Electoral College on March 9. A total of 884 members make up the Electoral College, including 275 members of the House of Representatives, 59 of the National Assembly and 550 of the seven provincial assemblies.
Jail years
President Poudel spent nearly 15 years as a prisoner of conscience on various occasions. He was an opponent of the dictatorial panchayat regime, while also leading campaigns against the King's directly imposed ruling system.
Honours
In 2020, Poudel received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun from Japan for his contributions in enhancing ties between two countries.
He has also received numerous literary awards at various debates and essay competitions. Poudel frequently writes on political and theoretical affairs, which have been published in national vernaculars.
The Nepali President has also received the Mahendra Bikram Shah Prize in 1987 for an article entitled "Human Rights Condition in Nepal".
Adoption of the Constitution in Nepal
Nepal had adopted the practice of the President System with the establishment of a republic as an outcome of the 2006 April Uprising which led to the demolition of the 240-year-old monarchy.
According to the Constitution of Nepal, there would be a President in the country and the President as a patrol of the Constitution shall work to promote national unity. It is the President's main responsibility to comply with and protect the Constitution.
The term of the President in Nepal is five years from the date of his/her election to the post, and the person can not be elected as a President for more than two terms.
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