Kumar Pradhan was an Indian historian and writer whose research interests include the History of the Eastern Himalayas, Genealogical studies and the Nepali literature. Pradhan has also edited and written a number of literary journals and anthologies and published learned articles in Nepali. He was the chief editor of Sunchari Samachar and other prominent Nepali newspapers.
Early life and education
Pradhan was born on 7 May 1937 at Kurseong in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. He started his schooling at Ramkrishna Vidyalaya, St Alphonsus Missionary School Darjeeling, Govt College Darjeeling and completed his Masters in History from Calcutta University in Kolkata. He received his PhD in history from Calcutta University
Career
Pradhan started his career as a teacher from St Robert’s High School Darjeeling and became the lecturer in the history department of Darjeeling Government College and finally made the Principal of Kurseong College in 1984. He was the author of ‘The Gorkha Conquests: The Process and Consequences of the Unification of Nepal with Particular Reference to Eastern Nepal’. He was also the author of ‘A History of Nepali Literature’, published by the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, in the Sahitya Akademi Histories of Literature Series. His work, Pahilo Pahar, was awarded the Bhanubhakta Puraskar in 1983 by the Nepali Academy instituted by the Government of West Bengal. He received the Nepali Sahitya Sammelan Puraskar in 2002, and the Aam Smriti Puraskar, an award given every three years for contributions to the Nepali language and literature, instituted by Nepali Sahitya Parishad in 2003. He was retired in 1996 and took the charge of the editor in his Nepali vernacular daily ‘Sunchari Samachar’. He also took the charge of the editor of nepali daily ‘Himalaya Darpan’ when Sunchari was closed on 26 January 2008 due to internal problem. He resigned from the daily on September 2013 to take rest due to health problems.
Personal life
Dr. Pradhan was married Poornima Pradhan and they blessed with daughters Indira Pradhan and Manasa Pradhan and sons Somendra Pradhan and Gehendra Pradhan.
Awards and recognition
Bhanu Puraskar awarded by Nepali Academy, Govern-ment of West Bengal for his book Pahilo Pahar.
Kunchanjangha Puraskar awarded by Siliguri Journal-ist Club for his contribution in the field of journalism.
Nepali Sahitya Sammelan Puraskar, awarded by Nepali Sahitya Sammelan, Darjeeling for his contribution in the field of Nepali language and literature.
Agam Smriti Puraskar, awarded by Nepali Sahitya Parishad, Sikkim for his contribution in the field of Nepali language and literature.
Kunchanjangha Kalam Puraskar, awarded by Press Club of Sikkim for his contribution in the field of journal-ism.
Contributions of Kumar Pradhan
Thesis Pradhan, Kumar. 1982. The Process and Consequences of the Unification of Nepal, with Particular Reference to Eastern Nepal AD 1750-1850. Department of History, Calcutta University.
Books and Edited Volumes
ed. 1971. Baarta Haru.. Darjeeling: Nepali Sahitya Parishad.
1991. Gorkha Conquest: The Process and Consequences of the Unification of Nepal, with Particular Reference to Eastern Nepal. Calcutta: Oxford University Press .
2000. Translated Birendra Subba’s poems into English. Published in Signatures: One Hundred Indian Poets, edited by K. Sachidanandan. New Delhi: National Book Trust.
2009. Translated Remika Thapa’s poems into English. Published in Voices from the Margin, Man Prasad Subba and Remika Thapa. Siliguri: Sunchari Prakashan.
Edited Journals and Newspapers
Kamal. Nepali Literary Journal published from Darjeeling.
Hamro Sansaar. Nepali Monthly Journal published from Calcutta.
Maalingo. Nepali Literary Journal published by
Nepali Sahitya Sammelan, Darjeeling.
Hamro Patrika. Nepali Monthly Journal published from Siliguri.
Sunchari Samachar. Nepali News daily published from Siliguri.
Himalaya Darpan. Nepali News daily published from Siliguri.
