Bidya Devi Bhandari

Bidya Devi Bhandari was a leader in Nepal. She was the first woman to be president there.

She worked in many big jobs. She helped take care of the earth. She also worked to help women.

Long ago, her husband died in a car crash. This led her to join the group that runs the land. She worked very hard in politics.

She was even a minister for defense. This was a very important job.

She was a very powerful woman. Many people know her name.

Bidya Devi Bhandari is a leader from Nepal. She was the first woman to be president of her country. She held this top job from 2015 to 2023.

Bhandari grew up in a place called Bhojpur. She was active in politics from a young age. In 1994, she was elected to the parliament. This happened after her husband, a leader named Madan Bhandari, died in a car accident.

She worked in many important roles. She was a minister for the environment and for population. She was also the first woman to be the minister of defence. This is the job that looks after a nation's military.

Bhandari was a very strong leader. In 2016, a group called Forbes named her one of the most powerful women in the world. She also worked to help women and the earth. She met with leaders in Switzerland to talk about nature. She is still active in politics today.

Bidya Devi Bhandari is a famous leader from Nepal. She made history as the first woman to hold the office of president. She served in this top role from 2015 until 2023.

Her work has touched many parts of her country. She has also been a leader in protecting nature and helping women. In 2016, Forbes magazine named her number 52 on its list of the 100 most powerful women in the world.

Bhandari's journey into politics started very early in her life. She joined a student group in 1978 in her home area of Bhojpur. Later, she became a member of the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist) in 1980. She also led a group for women called the All Nepal Women's Association. While studying at a college in Biratnagar, she was elected treasurer of the students' union. These early roles helped her learn how to lead people and organize groups.

Her path to the parliament began with a very difficult moment. Her husband, Madan Bhandari, was a popular leader who died in a car accident in 1993. Following his death, she ran in a special election in January 1994. She won that election and joined the parliament for the Kathmandu–1 area. She won again in the 1994 general election from Kathmandu–2. She even served as the Minister of Environment and Population in 1997.

Bhandari held many important jobs for the government of Nepal. Between 2009 and 2011, she was the Minister of Defence. She was the first woman to ever hold that specific office. In 2015, she was elected president through an indirect election in parliament. She received 327 votes and defeated Kul Bahadur Gurung, who had 214 votes. She was re-elected to her presidency in 2018 after defeating Kumari Laxmi Rai.

Even as a leader, she faced many hard jobs and disagreements. Some people accused her of being too close to certain political parties. In 2021, the Supreme Court of Nepal had to step in regarding her decisions. The court said some of her actions regarding the parliament were not lawful. She also faced criticism for using luxury vehicles for her official duties. Despite these challenges, she remains a major figure in the history of Nepal.

Bidya Devi Bhandari is a prominent political figure from Nepal. She made history by becoming the first woman to serve as the president of the country. She held this high office from 2015 until 2023.

Her career has spanned many different roles in the government. She has also been a strong advocate for women's rights and environmental protection. In 2016, Forbes magazine ranked her as number 52 on its list of the 100 most powerful women globally.

Bhandari was born on June 19, 1961, in Mane Bhanjyang, Bhojpur. Her parents were Ram Bahadur Pandey and Mithila Pandey. She finished her early schooling in Bhojpur before moving to Biratnagar, Morang, for higher education. Her entry into politics began with a leftist student union. In 1978, she became an activist for the Youth League of the CPN (ML) in Bhojpur. She later joined the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist) as a full member in 1980. During her college years at Mahendra Morang Adarsha Multiple Campus, she served as the treasurer of the students' union.

Her rise in national politics was marked by both leadership and personal tragedy. In 1993, her husband, Madan Bhandari, died in a car accident near Dasdhunga, Chitwan. He was a well-known communist leader in Nepal. Following his death, she entered a by-election in January 1994 for the Kathmandu–1 seat. She won the election by defeating former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. She was then elected again in the 1994 general election from Kathmandu–2, defeating house speaker Daman Nath Dhungana. She served as the Minister for Environment and Population in 1997 under Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand.

Bhandari held several other significant government positions over the years. From 2009 to 2011, she served as the Minister of Defence. This was a historic role because she was the first woman to hold that office. After losing the 2008 Constituent Assembly poll, she was later nominated through a proportional electoral system. She also served as a minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. Within her political party, the CPN (UML), she became the vice-chairperson. She was considered a very close associate of the party chairman and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

In 2015, Bhandari reached the highest level of government through an indirect election. This type of election happens within the parliament rather than by a direct vote from all citizens. On October 28, 2015, she was elected as Nepal's second president. She received 327 votes, while her opponent, Kul Bahadur Gurung of the Nepali Congress, received 214 votes. She secured a second term in 2018 after defeating Kumari Laxmi Rai. Her presidency was a major milestone for women in Asian politics.

Her time in office was not without significant political controversy. Critics accused her of being partisan, or favoring one political side over others. For example, she was criticized for how she handled appointments to the National Assembly. She also faced scrutiny regarding a citizenship ordinance brought by the KP Sharma Oli government. In 2021, the Supreme Court of Nepal intervened in her political decisions. The court ruled that her decision to dissolve the parliament was unlawful. The court ordered her to appoint Sher Bahadur Deuba as the next prime minister within 28 hours. This ruling was supported by 146 members of parliament.

Beyond her political roles, Bhandari has focused on international cooperation for nature. In June 2017, she visited the International Union for Conservation of Nature in Gland, Switzerland. There, she met with Director General Inger Andersen. They discussed how to work together on nature conservation and sustainable development. This shows how her work connected local Nepali issues to global environmental goals. Even after her presidency ended, she remained active in the political landscape of Nepal.