Bir Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana

Maharaja Bir Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana, GCSI (10 December 1852 - 5 March 1901), was the 11th Prime Minister of Nepal. He is remembered as a statesman who made important reforms and infrastructure improvements. Bir Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana was known as Kailay in his childhood; this name was given by Jung Bahadur. His mother died as soon as he was born and he was taken care by Putali Maharani, wife of Jung Bahadur. He spent his childhood at Thapathali Durbar.

Bir was born to the chief of the Army Dhir Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana (younger brother of Jung Bahadur Rana). He then served from 1885 to 1901 and was invested as Tung-ling-ping-ma-kuo-kang-wang in 1889. During his tenure, he received Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, and the ill-fated Archduke Franz Ferdinand. His successor for three months, at his death in 1901, was his progressive brother Deva Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana.

There were many reforms during Bir Shumsher’s time. Water pipes were laid, English was taught in schools and hospitals were made. He reorganized land tax and created a better administrative body. He sent large number of troops to the British. The British gave him the title of Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India on Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. He was an earnest ruler, a great builder and a lover of music.

He started a new line of succession to the Prime Ministership of Nepal, excluding all others except the legitimate sons of Dhir Shumsher. He established Durbar High School, Bir Hospital, Bir Tower (Ghanta Ghar), Pathshala (School) and a sanitary system. He provided a good supply of drinking water to the towns of Kathmandu in 1891 and Bhadgaon in 1895. He established the Bir Library for the collection and preservation of valuable books and manuscripts, the postal system was reformed and many roads of Kathmandu were broadened.

Maharaja Bir Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana died in 1901, after ruling the country for over 15 years.