Bir Bhadra Thapa


Bir Bhadra Thapa or Birabhadra Thapa also spelled Virabhadra or Virbhadra, was a politician, courtier and military officer in the Gorkha Kingdom during the 18th century. His grandson Bhimsen Thapa went on to become the Mukhtiyar of Nepal and founder of Thapa dynasty.

Career

When King Prithvi Narayan Shah annexed Nuwakot in 1744, he was one of the influential Bharadars. After the conquest of Naldum area, he along with Commander Shivaram Singh Basnyat conquered Sanga, Panauti, Sankhu and adjacent areas. The Gorkhali chronicle states that he was the commander of the Gorkhali forces. He commanded the Gorkhali troops during the capture of Kavre and Palanchowk with fellow commanders Chautariya Daljit Shah and Kaji Harka Pantha. He was deployed to Kaski allowing two Brahmins from there to reside in Kathmandu as a part of friendly diplomacy with the Kaski Kingdom. He commanded troops near the hill in Sindhuli against the English advance of Major Kinloch.

Personal life

He belonged to Bagale Thapa clan that migrated eastwards from Jumla. The Thapa genealogy states that Birabhadra was a grandson of Vikrama Thāpā and son of Vijai Thāpā. However, the Sardari annual reinstatement letter of his youngest son Amar Singh Thapa on Chaitra 1855 B.S. mentioned him to be a son of Bikram Thapa of Bagale clan of Gorkha. Thus, Historian Baburam Acharya contends that Vijai Thāpā could be an imaginary figure. Similarly, the Sundhara Inscription of his grandson Bhimsen Thapa, states that he was the son of Vikrama Thapa.
He was the patron of leading Thapa Chhetri group in the Royal Court. He had three sons; Jeevan Thapa, Bangsha Raj Thapa and Amar Singh Thapa. His eldest son died in the Battle of Kantipur with powerful Kaji Kalu Pande. The seven sons of Amar Singh Thapa - Bhimsen Thapa, Nain Singh Thapa, Bakhtawar Singh Thapa, Amrit Singh Thapa and Ranabir Singh Thapa, all participated and contributed in the expansion and unification of Nepal.