He was born on 17 March 1928 (5 Chaitra 1984 BS) to father Hari Prasad Lamichhane and mother Raj Kumari in Jaisidewal, Kathmandu.

[2] Considered one of Nepal's foremost essayists of all times, Shankar Lamichhane wrote with a lyrical, musical tempo, unrestrained by the ponderous language that often mars the essays of his elders, peers or followers.

[3] That Lamichhane's fresh, playful style greatly enriched Nepali literature is, however, indisputable.

His collection Abstract Chintan: Pyaz shows off his light touch in dealing with both intimate and metaphysical subjects.

[4][5] He won the prestigious Madan Puraskar for his anthology of essays Abstract Chintan Pyaj.