Bidya Devi Bhandari

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Lore & Background

Bidya Devi Bhandari was born on 19 June 1961 in Mane Bhanjyang, Bhojpur, to Ram Bahadur Pandey and Mithila Pandey. She completed her school education in Bhojpur and pursued higher education in Biratnagar, Morang. Her political career began with membership in a leftist student union, and she joined the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist) in 1980. She was active in politics from an early age, serving as an in-charge for the Eastern Zone Committee of ANNFSU from 1979 to 1987 and as chairperson of the women's wing of GEFONT from 1993 until being elected a central committee member of the CPN (UML) in 1997. Bhandari was first elected to parliament in a by-election in January 1994, caused by the death of her husband, the sitting member from Kathmandu–1, where she defeated former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. She served as Minister for Environment and Population in 1997 and as Minister of Defence from 2009 to 2011, the first woman to hold that office. She was elected vice-chairperson of the CPN (UML) and later became president on 28 October 2015, defeating Nepali Congress' Kul Bahadur Gurung. She was re-elected in 2018. After her presidency, she renewed her party membership and re-entered active politics in July 2025.

Reader's Guide

Bidya Devi Bhandari's significance lies in being Nepal's first female head of state, serving as president from 2015 to 2023. Her political career spanned decades, including roles as minister of defence and minister of environment and population, and she was an active campaigner for environmental awareness and women's rights. Her presidency was marked by controversy, including accusations of partisan stances, such as holding onto the National Assembly election ordinance, approving the dissolution of the House of Representatives, and initially refusing to appoint Sher Bahadur Deuba as prime minister despite a majority showing. The Supreme Court later ruled her dissolution of parliament unlawful and ordered Deuba's appointment. Bhandari also faced criticism for using luxury vehicles. In 2016, Forbes placed her at number 52 on its list of the world's 100 most powerful women. Her legacy is complex, reflecting both historic firsts for women in Nepali politics and contentious constitutional actions.

Did You Know?

• Bhandari was first elected to parliament in a January 1994 by-election caused by the death of her husband, the sitting member from Kathmandu–1, defeating former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai.
• In June 2017, she visited the International Union for Conservation of Nature headquarters in Gland, Switzerland, and met with director general Inger Andersen to discuss nature conservation and sustainable development.
• Forbes placed her at number 52 on its list of the world's 100 most powerful women in 2016.
• On 12 July 2021, the Supreme Court ruled her dissolution of parliament unlawful and ordered her to appoint Sher Bahadur Deuba as prime minister within 28 hours.
• She renewed her membership in the CPN (UML) and re-entered active politics in July 2025.

From Student Activist to National Leader

Bidya Devi Bhandari's political roots trace to Bhojpur, where she was born in 1961 to Ram Bahadur and Mithila Pandey. After local schooling, she pursued higher education at Mahendra Morang Adarsha Multiple Campus in Biratnagar, where she was elected treasurer of the students' union. She entered party politics in 1978 as a Youth League activist of the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist), receiving full membership in 1980. By 1993 she chaired the women's wing of GEFONT, and in 1997 she joined the central committee of the CPN (UML). Her first parliamentary victory came in a January 1994 by-election for Kathmandu–1, where she defeated former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. She then captured the Kathmandu–2 seat in the 1994 general election, unseating house speaker Daman Nath Dhungana, and held it again in 1999. After losing a direct seat in the 2008 Constituent Assembly, she entered parliament via the proportional system and became Nepal's first female defence minister under Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. At the party's eighth general convention in Butwal, she was elected vice-chairperson of the CPN (UML) and re-elected to that role, a position reflecting her close ties to party chairman KP Sharma Oli.

Breaking Barriers: Nepal's First Female President

On 28 October 2015, in an indirect parliamentary vote, Bidya Devi Bhandari was elected as Nepal's second president, defeating Nepali Congress candidate Kul Bahadur Gurung with 327 votes to 214. The result made her the first woman to hold the country's highest office. She secured a second term in 2018, defeating Congress's Kumari Laxmi Rai. Her presidency carried a strong environmental dimension: in June 2017 she travelled to the International Union for Conservation of Nature headquarters in Gland, Switzerland, where she met director general Inger Andersen to discuss expanded collaboration on nature conservation and sustainable development. This reflected a longer commitment to environmental issues that dated back to her 1997 tenure as Minister for Environment and Population. Her advocacy for women's rights was equally prominent; she had served as chair of the All Nepal Women's Association before her presidential bid. Her international recognition grew steadily, and in 2016 Forbes placed her at number 52 on its list of the world's 100 most powerful women. Her dual legacy as a trailblazer for gender representation and a champion of ecological policy defined much of her time in office.

Constitutional Crises and Partisan Accusations

Bhandari's presidency was marked by repeated accusations of partisan conduct. In the aftermath of the 2017 legislative elections, she was criticised for retaining the National Assembly election ordinance, which delayed the formation of a new government. She also held the nominations of three National Assembly members sent by the outgoing Deuba government while immediately approving those submitted by incoming Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. A more serious controversy erupted when she approved a citizenship ordinance brought by the Oli government, which the Supreme Court had ruled required parliamentary debate. The most consequential crisis came in 2021, when she refused to appoint Sher Bahadur Deuba as prime minister despite a majority of 146 MPs signing a recommendation, instead dissolving parliament in support of Oli. On 12 July 2021, the Supreme Court declared the dissolution unlawful and ordered Deuba's appointment within 28 hours under Article 76(5) of the Constitution. The following day, Bhandari issued the appointment, initially without citing any constitutional article, before the letter was revised to reference Article 76(5), marking Deuba's fifth term as prime minister. She also faced criticism over the use of luxury vehicles for presidential duties.

Personal Life, Loss, and Return

Beyond her public career, Bhandari's personal life was shaped by a profound loss. She was married to Madan Bhandari, a prominent Nepalese communist leader, who died in a car accident near Dasdhunga, Chitwan, in 1993. The couple had two daughters, Usha Kiran Bhandari and Nisha Kusum Bhandari. She is also related to Nepali Congress leader Gyanendra Bahadur Karki. Madan's death left her to balance single motherhood with an already demanding political career, including her 1994 by-election victory in his former Kathmandu–1 constituency. Her advocacy work extended well beyond formal office; as chair of the All Nepal Women's Association and as a long-time campaigner for women's rights and environmental awareness, she built a reputation as a public advocate for social causes. After completing her presidential terms, Bhandari renewed her membership in the CPN (UML) and re-entered active politics in July 2025, signalling that her engagement with Nepal's political life was far from over.

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