Gokarna Paudyal,
Personal Assistant to late Koirala
I started working formally as a personal secretary to GPK from November 26, 1994. After some time, the NC conducted its General Convention. The NC then officially appointed me as Personal Secretary to GPK.
We used to remain in our posts and serve GPK turn by turn day and night. It was my turn to stay with him on the last night. It was around 1 o’clock and GPK had a bout of dry cough. I asked him what help he needed from me? But he didn’t response. He just nodded his head and I couldn’t make out whether it was a negative or a positive response. I then contacted the doctors. The doctors came at around five in the morning. Dr Man Bahadur KC asked us to call in all the family members. I called the family members. They all gathered instantly. The doctors then asked us whether or not to assist GPK’s breathing for one week more. Family members suggested to the doctors, as per GPK’s own wish, not to bother him anymore. I cannot express in words how shocked I was at his demise.
I worked with GPK for about 16 years. During that period, I came to know many things about GPK, including his patriotic spirit. He was a chain smoker and used to smoke 90 cigarettes a day when under tension. Smoking eventually became the cause of his death as he died of lung cancer. I think he was informed about the cancer during his treatment in Singapore but he was told that there was nothing to worry about.
He used to smoke ‘Surya’ cigarettes. I know that some of the Indian leaders used to bring him ‘India King’. GPK used to smoke away happily. He would get up in between 4:30 to 5 a.m. every day. He would update himself on news and current affairs by 6 a.m. through the newspapers. By 6:30, he would start meeting party leaders, cadres and diplomats.
For breakfast, his favorite items were two pieces of peanut, one spoon of Chyawanprash, a boiled or poached egg and a glass of Horlicks.
He would take his launch at around 11 a.m.. Chicken was his favorite meat dish. He used to take a single piece of chicken at his evening meal almost every day. He didn’t like mutton. Plain rice, dal and vegetables were his regular launch items. He used to take just one gulp of rice. One spoonful was enough for him. At lunch, he would take pieces of fried egg also.
After lunch, he used to have solid molasses and curd. He had a habit of sleeping for two hours after lunch. Then he would go to the party office if his condition was good. But in recent years, he was unable to go to party office due to poor health.
He was habituated to tea. He would drink tea every hour. When he was in good health, he used take tea in the morning with Sushil, Shekhar and Shanshanka, Nona and other family members.
In the 16 years of my experience of GPK, I did not ever see him in an angry mood except once. Yes, one day he was angry when he did not find the telephone line in good condition. It was 7 p.m. He ordered us to connect the phone line. But we explained to him that there was a problem and he realized this later. We found that the line was disconnected after a loaded truck collided with the electricity pole.
In the afternoon, if he was at home, he wanted to have mutton biryani. I used to take him mutton biryani and cell roti from my home. “Oh my god, he used to contact me directly to prepare cell roti and mutton biryani for him even on my fast days” recalls Rita Sharma, Paudyal’s wife. He rarely drank. He would drink beer and red wine but only on special occasions and when requested. A sweet made by mixing eggs and spices was another of GPK’s favorite items and I used to take it to him from Shangri-la Hotel twice a week.
GPK loved my son very much. Last Dashain, my son refused to receive tika in GPK’s absence. GPK was in Biratnagar. I tried to persuade him but he didn’t budge. I then phoned GPK and he prevailed on my son to take tika. The same day GPK came to Kathmandu and we received tika from his hand at his residence.
Outside his own party circle, GPK spoke to KP Oli, Pradip Gyawali, Pradip Nepal of the CPN-UML and former prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa. He used to take advice from them in difficult situations.
I think I should share with you some important information that we handled despite the risks and challenges. It was March in 2001. I received a phone call from a Maoist leader. The Maoist leader expressed his party’s interest to meet GPK. They also wanted to know about his views regarding their interests. I explained all this to GPK and he invited Chakra Bastola and Krishna Sitaula to discuss matters. Later, GPK told me to talk some more with the person who called me. Accordingly, I called up Maoist leader Bamdev Chhetri and told him that GPK was interested in holding discussions with the Maoist leaders.
GPK then went to India and met Prachanda and Baburam at an unidentified place for two hours. That was GPK’s first meeting with the Maoist leaders and I think that meeting remained a milestone in accelerating the peace process. Later, Prachanda thanked me at Baluwatar when they joined the peace process. Indeed, GPK was an eminent leader, a towering figure in entire South Asia and a national guardian of our country. I, my wife, son, brother and whole family are deeply indebted to him.
GPK shaved at last moment
GPK had asked us in his last breath to make sure that he was clean-shaven at the moment of his death. We shaved him as per his request just before his death. He had also requested us to change his clothes and we did accordingly.
Shekhar Thapa,
personal secretary to late GPK
I was affiliated with Nepal Student Union during my student life and was active in Biratnagar. Nona Aama (Nona Koirala, GPK’s sister-in-law popularly known as ‘Non Aama’) was impressed by my work. I came into contact with GPK with the help of Nona Aama. She introduced me to him 16 years ago when GPK was in Biratnagar. I then became more familiar with the Koirala family. I started working formally as personal secretary to GPK at the request of Nona Aama after he became prime minister following the successful people’s movement in 2006. I had to brief GPK about daily happenings.
In the beginning, I felt somehow uneasy working with a towering figure like GPK but slowly I became familiar with his nature and his habits. When I came in close contact with GPK, I found in him a Sanubuwa rather than a political leader. I am happy that I got an opportunity to work with such a towering personality and national guardian till his last breath. The nation lost a guardian, and a mature and experienced leader. But I lost my father. Such is the result of my four-year stint with him. I worked with him as a family member from early morning till night during this period.
He treated us like his own sons. He used to call me Thapa. He used my last name because my first name Shekhar was similar to that of GPK’s nephew, Dr. Shekhar Koirala. So, perhaps to avoid any confusion, he called me Thapa.
He was worried more about the nation than the party. He used to say that the party won’t exist if the nation doesn’t exist. In the beginning, government agencies reported that the NC would become the largest party through the Constituent Assembly election. But just before the election, GPK received a report that the NC would be defeated in the polls. But he was fully determined and didn’t deviate because of any information at the last moment from holding the polls. He decided to conduct the CA election, whatever the result. He was firmly committed to bringing the Maoists into the peace process and wanted to end violence. He used to say that bringing the extremist communist force into the peace process was more important than winning the elections. “We can win the election tomorrow if we are able to bring the extremist force into the peace process today,” Thapa recalls GPK remarking.
He, however, never imagined that the NC would win only 37 seats in the CA direct election. He was a bit shocked by the results but not frustrated. There were several attempts to influence him before the declaration of the Republic. But he was fully determined about the Republic. I received hundreds of phone calls from various pressure groups who wanted to talk to GPK. GPK had asked me not to pass him any of the calls. That is why he didn’t receive call and he ignored all the pressure. He was accustomed to handling pressure easily.
He was never excited by admiration nor did he overreact to any criticism. He loved to learn of his weaknesses rather than feel admired. I never saw him in an angry mood even when seeing his enemies. He never hesitated to take risky decisions. He used to deal with the people with a positive attitude. He used to suggest to us to make our attitude positive before dealing with anyone.
He stressed on need of national consensus, unity and nationalism till his last breath. He reminded Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal to forge national consensus and unity just before he breathed his last. He urged them to sort out the differences through national consensus and national unity. I heard slogans like ‘GPK’s crusade: peace and constitution’ during his funeral procession. Taking the ongoing peace process to a positive end and promulgating the constitution on time will be the real tribute to GPK.
Mahendra Prasad Marasini,
Inspector, Nepal Police
I was assigned to the prime minister’s residence at Baluwatar nearly 14 years ago. In the beginning, I worked for about eight months with then prime minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand. I spent the rest of the time providing security to GPK. GPK became prime minister five times. And I provided security for him all the time. In the beginning I was an assistant sub-inspector of Nepal Police. Resham Thaksu was in command of GPK’s security. Later Thaksu introduced me to GPK and I handled the security for him after Thaksu was transfer to the Armed Police Force (APF). Resham taught me about GPK’s habits and nature before he joined the APF.
My first day with GPK is still fresh in my mind. That day, he asked me some questions like ‘What is your education background? Have you taken any security related training? ‘
I found him satisfied with my answers. He used to ask me the Nepali and English dates while inside his vehicle almost every day. I think he asked me such questions to test my ability and whether I was up to date. Providing security to VIPs is quite a sensitive task. But I took risks and became ready to bear all the challenges. I had to maintain the credibility of the entire police organization by providing credible security to the VIP. GPK, almost every day, used to ask me about the security sensitivity before leaving the house. He was well aware of the security situation. I know most VIPs don’t care much about security sensitivity. But GPK was quite different. Only rarely did he insist on moving out even in a difficult security situation. He was not a hot-tempered leader. I found him in an angry mood only once. Six years ago he wanted to go to Bhairahawa from Kathmandu. I informed security agencies and security personnel deployed at the airport. We reached the airport. But security personnel blocked us at the taxi parking point. They insisted GPK walk and not move ahead in his vehicle. At that time GPK was really angry. He asked me whether I had informed the security officers. We turned back to the main gate of the airport. GPK phoned then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and then Home Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka. They apologized for what the security personnel did. They immediately requested GPK to go back to the airport and go on to Bhairawa. But he didn’t go back to the airport. We reached Maharagunj. The next day, the Nepal Student Union protested and chanted slogans against the then government.
After then king Gyanendra’s first move on October 4, 2002, GPK had to attend a program in Chitwan. We went there and attended the program. We returned to Kathmandu airport via helicopter. But the helicopter landed at a corner of the airport and not at the usual place. Police personnel came with a dog and checked the helicopter and GPK.
At that moment, GPK was so furious. “Why this action against me? Why did the helicopter not land at the right place and why in the corner?” GPK asked. GPK asked pilot Hira Dahal why he landed in the corner? GPK was frustrated by that incident.
I remember another incident, in Pyuthan. GPK went there via helicopter to address a NC program. The helicopter landed. But students from All Nepal National Free Student Union pelted stone at the helicopter. The mob started pelting stones at the helicopter indiscriminately. I held GPK and took him inside the helicopter. The pilot took off and we saved GPK.
GPK used to say that the police administration shouldn’t be weak and politicized. I was given love and inspiration as a VIP security officer. I am deeply shocked by the death of national guardian GPK. I was very much shocked while returning from the cremation site.
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