The Leaders

11th century, reigned c. 1039–1047 A.D.

Bhaskaradeva

King of Nepal (Thakuri dynasty, early medieval period)

Thakuri dynasty (Nuwakot Thakuri line, ascribed)

1696–1722

Bhupatindra Malla

King of Bhaktapur

Malla Dynasty

563 BCE - 483 BCE

Gautam Buddha

Founder of Buddhism & Spiritual Awakener of the World

Shakya Clan of Kapilvastu (Ancient Kingdom in Lumbini, Nepal)

c. 1382–1395 A.D.

Jayasthiti Malla

Paramount Ruler of the Valley

Malla Dynasty

c. 1428–1482

Jayayakshya Malla (Yaksha Malla)

King of Kathmandu Valley

Malla Dynasty

1560–1574

Mahendra Malla

King of Kantipur

Malla Dynasty

1885–1967

Mohan Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana

Field-Marshal, Last Rana PM

Rana Oligarchy

1697–1743

Nara Bhupal Shah

King of Gorkha

Shah Dynasty

1624–1674 A.D.

Pratap Malla

King of Kantipur (1641-1674)

Malla Dynasty

1757–1797

Prince Bahadur Shah

Regent and Prince

Shah Dynasty

1775–1806

Rana Bahadur Shah

King and Mukhtiyar

Shah Dynasty

1484–1520 A.D.

Ratna Malla

Founder King of Kantipur

Malla Dynasty

Mythic sage of the late Vedic era (Dvapara Yuga, dates historically unknown)

Vedavyasa (Vyasa)

Legendary Sage, Compiler of the Vedas and Author of the Mahabharata

Vedic sage associated with the Kuru dynasty of Hastinapur; revered across the Hindu world including Nepal

c. 800 BCE (traditional) – Legendary era

Yalambar (King Yalamber)

First Kirat King of Nepal and Legendary Mahabharata-Era Warrior

Kirat Dynasty of Himalayan Eastern Nepal

Fl. late 6th–early 7th century; reigned c. 605–621 CE

Amshuverma

King of Nepal (Licchavi era) and Mahasamanta

Not applicable (pre-modern Licchavi polity)

Reigned c. 1200–1216 A.D.

Ari Malla

King of Nepal Mandala (Kathmandu Valley), first Malla ruler

Malla dynasty (founding ruler)

1888–1960

Baber Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana

Senior Rana general, Commanding General of the Nepalese Army, and Minister of Defence in the 1951 Congress–Rana coalition cabinet.

Rana oligarchy

c. 1751 – 1816

Bada Kaji Amar Singh Thapa

National Hero; Western Front Supreme Commander of the Kingdom of Nepal

Kingdom of Nepal (Shah monarchy, Bagale Thapa clan)

1789–1823

Balbhadra Kunwar

Captain in the Gorkha Kingdom’s army and later General in the Sikh Empire’s army.

Gorkha Kingdom military; later Sikh Empire service

1741–1815

Bhakti Thapa Chhetri

Sardar (Supreme Commander)

Kingdom of Nepal (Gorkhali Empire)

1865–1932

Bhim Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana

Rana Prime Minister

Rana Dynasty

1775–1839

Bhimsen Thapa

De facto Ruler of Nepal

Shah Dynasty Loyalist

1852–1901

Bir Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana

Prime Minister of Nepal

Rana Dynasty

1914 - 1982

Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala

Nepali Congress

1863–1929

Chandra Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana

Fifth hereditary Rana Prime Minister of Nepal (1901–1929)

Rana oligarchy (Shumsher‑Rana family)

1862–1914 (Prime Minister: 5 March 1901 – 27 June 1901)

Dev Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana

Fourth Rana Prime Minister of Nepal; reformist ruler and Maharaja of Lamjung and Kaski remembered for pioneering education and press reforms during a brief 114‑day premiership.

Rana oligarchy (hereditary prime ministerial regime under the Shah monarchy)

1799–1816

Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah

King of Nepal

Shah Dynasty

Born 7 July 1947; King of Nepal 1950–1951 (child monarch) and 2001–2008

Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev

Former King of Nepal (last reigning monarch), influential symbolic figure in contemporary Nepali political and cultural discourse.

Shah dynasty (non‑partisan monarch, later informal royalist influence in multiparty politics)

Fl. early 8th century; reigned c. 713–733 CE

Jayadeva II

King of Nepal (Licchavi period)

Licchavi dynasty (monarchical rule)

1875–1952

Juddha Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana

Seventh Rana Prime Minister (Shree Teen Maharaja) of Nepal, de facto head of state (1932–1945).

Rana Regime (non-party autocracy)

1817–1877 (life span); de facto ruler of Nepal 1846–1877

Jung Bahadur Rana

8th Prime Minister of Nepal and first Shree Teen Maharaja of the Rana dynasty

Rana regime (hereditary prime ministerial oligarchy)

1945–2001 (reigned 1972–2001)

King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev

10th King of the Shah dynasty of Nepal; absolute monarch (1972–1990) and later constitutional monarch (1990–2001) during Nepal’s transition from partyless rule to multiparty democracy.

Non-partisan monarch (Panchayat system until 1990; constitutional monarchy thereafter)

1924–2011

Krishna Prasad Bhattarai

Founding Leader

Nepali Congress

1952–1993 (Active: 1970s–1993)

Madan Kumar Bhandari

General Secretary and chief ideologue of CPN (UML), principal architect of People’s Multiparty Democracy, and leading communist figure of late 20th-century Nepal.

Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) – CPN (UML)

1920–1972 (Reigned 1955–1972)

Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev

King of Nepal (1955–1972), architect of the Panchayat system and central figure of mid‑twentieth‑century Nepali state‑building.

Non-party royal autocracy (Panchayat system)

1912–1997

Matrika Prasad Koirala

Pioneer of Nepali Democracy

Nepali Congress (initially), later Rastriya Praja Party

7th‑century Licchavi monarch; reigned 643–679 A.D.

Narendradeva

King of Nepal (Licchavi period)

None (hereditary Licchavi monarch)

1882–1961

Padma Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana

15th Rana Prime Minister

Rana Dynasty

1924–1978

Pushpa Lal Shrestha

Founding General Secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal and leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Pushpa Lal)

Communist Party of Nepal; Communist Party of Nepal (Pushpa Lal); previously Nepali Rastriya Congress

1722-1769 A.D.

Ranajit Malla

King of Bhaktapur (Last Malla)

Malla Dynasty

1825–1885

Ranodip Singh Kunwar

2nd Rana Prime Minister

Rana dynasty

c. 590–604/605 CE (reign)

Shivadeva I

Licchavi king of Nepal, transitional monarch before the rise of Amsuvarma

Licchavi dynasty (monarchy)

c. 1590s – 1661

Siddhi Narasimha Malla

King of Patan (Lalitpur)

Malla Dynasty

1560–1613 A.D.

Trailokya Malla

King of Bhaktapur

Malla Dynasty

1906-1955

Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah Dev

8th Shah King, Father of Democracy

Shah Dynasty (Supported Nepali Congress and Democracy Movement)

1713–1757 A.D.

Vamshidhar "Kalu" Pande

Commander-in-Chief and Prime Minister equivalent

Gorkha Kingdom (Shah Dynasty)

1915 - 1997

Ganesh Man Singh

The Supreme Leader

Nepali Congress

Reign c. 464–505 A.D. (5th century).

Manadeva I (Mandev )

Licchavi king of Nepal and first fully documented historical monarch

Licchavi dynasty (hereditary Hindu monarchy).

1723 - 1775

Prithvi Narayan Shah

The Unifier

Kingdom of Gorkha