Bhadrakali Mishra

[11] While in exile, Mishra with his family lived in Patna, Bihar, India and served as the General-Secretary-in-exile of the Nepali Congress as all political activities were banned in Nepal.

Either during his final years of school or shortly thereafter, he was married to the daughter of Bishwanath Prasad Mishra, a renowned criminal lawyer from Chhapra, India.

[9][18] On 9 August 1942, during one such protest in Patna, Bhadrakali Mishra was arrested and imprisoned at the Bankipur Jail along with senior leaders such as Dr. Rajendra Prasad,[9] who incidentally was a close friend of his father-in-law.

[9][19] In 1948, Bhadrakali Mishra served as a personal assistant to Gandhi and travelled with him on visit to a number of villages in Bihar that were affected by the communal violence erupting after the partition of India.

[9][10] Sometime in 1948 or 1949, Bhadrakali Mishra returned to Nepal and in 1950, established Lok Sewak Sangh along Gandhian lines (translation: Association of the Servants of the People) in Janakpurdham.

The Sangh organized prayer meetings, cleaned temples and other public places, and worked to provide relief to people affected by natural disasters, such as fires.

This incident sparked protests which far-flung and ill-staffed police posts could not contain and the local administration capitulated and released those who were arrested, including Mishra.

A number of factors that included Mishra's closeness to the prominent leaders of the Indian Freedom Struggle, an Indian ambassador who knew of his history with the struggle,[22] King Tribhuvan's strong inclination and belief in democracy, and Mishra's presence in Kathmandu propelled him to a central position and a key figure in the movement.

In his autobiography, Atmabrittanta, BP Koirala wrote of his disagreements with Bhadrakali Mishra due to the latter's opposition to Nepali Congress starting an armed struggle for overthrowing the Rana Regime.

Koirala added that Mishra continuously insisted that the struggle should fully be along Gandhian lines, including at formal party meetings.

[25] The King, assisted by Mishra and other close confidants, held a number of meetings with very senior and influential people and garnered overwhelming support for his efforts to establish democracy in Nepal.

[2][29] He also undertook official trips to China, India and East Pakistan (now: Bangladesh) to explore avenues of strengthening Nepal's connectivity with its neighbours.

On 25 January 1961, the Nepali Congress, then in exile, held a general convention in Patna, Bihar and Subarna Shamsher, its senior leader, formally announced a struggle against the autocratic King and his regime.

About a month later, on 26 February 1961, Bhadrakali Mishra formally merged his own party, the Nepal Praja Praishad with the Nepali Congress.

Koirala and Ganesh Man Singh however decided to return to Nepal to seek national reconciliation on terms more acceptable to the Nepali Congress.

[38] Following the pardon, Mishra briefly visited his hometown, Pipra, to perform some religious services on the death of a family member and thereafter returned.

However, despite the 1976 royal pardon, a single member bench of the Supreme Court of Nepal, in February 1977 passed death sentences on a number of senior political leaders, including Bhadrakali Mishra, Girija Prasad Koirala and Ganesh Man Singh for their involvement in an attack on the district of Okhaldhunga.

[41] "Today's Rising Nepal carried the news of confirmation by the Supreme Court of death sentences passed by one man tribunal.

He questioned the fairness of the vote and expressed particular concern on the issue of citizenship for the Nepali population inhabiting the Terai region as it practically disenfranchised close to two million people.

[41] Following the amnesty, Mishra would visit Kathmandu frequently but remained in India where he continued to advocate for greater political and civil freedom in Nepal.

[12] (See also People's Movement I (1990)) In late December 1990, Mishra was granted an audience by King Birendra at the Narayanhiti Palace where the two reportedly discussed the establishment of democracy and transition from an absolute to constitutional monarchy.

[46] In May 1991, Mishra traveled as the personal representative of King Birendra to pay respects on the death of former prime minister of India Rajiv Gandhi.

Mishra's was the first official visit to any part of Tibet Autonomous Region of China by a senior Nepalese dignitary since the establishment of democracy in Nepal (in 1990).

[50] Following the end of his term as the Chairman of the Royal Privy Council Standing Committee, Bhadrakali Mishra returned to his village Pipra in the Terai.

He also accompanied local NGO workers to rural Terai villages to speak to parents and impress upon them the need to educate their children, particularly their daughters.

[13] From 2003 onwards, owing to poor health and the need for regular medical care, Bhadrakali Mishra moved back to Kathmandu and lived with his son Ajay and his family.

Condolence messages were also delivered by the Ambassadors of China, Japan and India, and numerous political activists and civil society members.

One of his cousins, Shyam Nandan Prasad Mishra, served as the Minister of External Affairs of India from 28 July 1979 to 13 January 1980.