Dhir Shumsher was the youngest brother of Jang Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, who rose to premiership of Nepal after the murders of influential persons – Mathabarsingh Thapa and Gagan Singh Bhandari and the Kot Massacre.

Onwards, he became the Commander-In-Chief of the Nepalese Army and was the stronghold behind the premiership of Shri Tin Maharaja Ranodip Singh Bahadur Kunwar Rana.

He protected the premiership of his brother from a coup attempt by Jagat Jung Rana, eldest son of Jang Bahadur and Crown Prince Trailokya of Nepal in 1881–82 known as "38 Saalko Parva".

His death in 1884 paved way for the consolidation of power by his 17 sons (Shamsher Ranas) through the murder of Premier Ranodip Singh Kunwar.

[9] In his Paris tour, he received minor injuries when he was struck by a bullet from a young girl who misfired a shot from Jang Bahadur's pistol.

[16] On 3 April 1855, General Dhir Shumsher defeated a small Tibetan forces at Chusan and captured the Kuti front and further advanced to Suna Gompa.

[16] On 5 November 1855, the Tibetan forces under General Kalon Shatra launched two simultaneous attacks in on the Nepalese camps at Kuti and Dzongka.

[18] In December 1855, Dhir Shumsher recaptured Kuti with the reinforcements sent by Jung Bahadur[18] through a multi-directional assault on the Tibetan forces.

[21] The Gorkhali forces restored the British authority in Lucknow and Gorakhpur and also succeeded in Bihar, Azampur, Jaunpur, Allahabad and Oudh.

[26] Dharmakachari, the anti-corruption court,[note 3] held Ranoddip Singh and Jagat Shamsher guilty of taking bribes.

[33] Dhir Shumsher immediately informed his brother Prime Minister Ranodip Singh Kunwar in Terai camp to arrest the conspirators in his entourage.

[33] Also, Dhir Shumsher arrested conspirators in Kathmandu on Magh Badi 2, 1938 Vikram Samvat with the help of Bam Bikram, a member of the conspiracy group.

[35] A lot of nobles and courtiers were beheaded, imprisoned and degraded from their caste after the Prime Minister Ranodip Singh returned on Magh Badi 11, 1938.

[36] Historians John Whelpton, Ishwari Prasad contended that Dhir Shumsher was the main support to the administration of Prime Minister Ranodip Singh Kunwar.

[40] As a Commanding General, Dhir Shumsher directed Subba Jayashankar Pande with the reduction of land taxes in Dang on Baisakh Badi 2, 1936 (Vikrama).

[41][note 6] On Ashadh Badi 10, 1938 (Vikrama), he also redirected Subba Pande to collect land taxes of the occupied wastelands in the region.

[52] One of daughter of Dhir Shumsher, Princess Khadga Divyeshwari Devi was married to Chautariya Lakshmi Narayan Shah of Salyan.

Indian Historian Ishwari Prasad opines that Dhir Shumsher "…possessed the qualities of a soldier and a statesman and was fully acquainted with the condition of Nepal.

I know of no one I would rather have by my side in a row than the young Colonel, and his brother Jung evidently thought so too when he chose him to assist in the capture of the conspirators in the attempt on his life.

[55] Historian Ishwari Prasad writes about:A sagacious and farsighted military leader, Dhir was man of extraordinary commonsense and political insight and enjoyed fully the confidence of his intrepid and statesman like his brother.

There was no matter of administrative details with which he was not acquainted and his intimate knowledge of the affairs of Nepal and his power of quick and correct decision entitled him to be regarded as a pillar of the state by his contemporaries.