Jayatu Sanskritam

Jayatu Sanskritam movement
One of the leaders of the Jayatu Sanskritam student movement, Pandit Ram Prasad Neupane, received felicitation for his work towards bringing democracy in Nepal.
Date1-15 June 1947
Location
Nepal
Parties
Tin Dhara Pakshala
Lead figures

Ram Prasad Neupane

The Jayatu Sanskritam movement begin in 1947 AD(BS 2004), started by students of the Tin Dhara Pakshala Sanskrit School in Nepal. They demanded democracy, basic welfare, and the inclusion of modern subjects in their curriculum.[1] It was the first student uprising in Nepal's history,[2] and led to the Revolution of 1951 and the fall of the Rana dynasty.[3]

Started by students of the Tin Dhara Pakshala hostel, and later also included students at a Rajkiya Sanskrit Vidyalaya school near the Ranipokhari; the protests centred around restrictions on education, as the only subject allowed in the Sanskrit schools was the study of Sanskrit. This contrasted with the wider educational opportunities and higher status of students related to the ruling Rana clan.[3]

The protestors became known for the slogan they would call, jayatu Sanskritam ("victory to the cause of Sanskrit").[4]

On 1 June 1947, the students submitted a written demand to Prime Minister Padma Shumsher requesting courses in geography, history, economics and political science. When the government ignored their demands, the students went on strike.[5] The students continued to agitate for educational and social equality, including waving anti-Rana flags in protest.[6] The strike lasted until 15 June, when the government agreed to expand the curriculum offered to the students. Although the protests were placated by promises from Prime Minister Padma Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana, his military commander-in-chief Mohan Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana ordered arrests and imprisonments, and forcefully deported forty-two students, who were identified as leaders of the movement.[3][7] From India, many of these exiles joined Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala and others agitating for the establishment of democracy in Nepal, which led to the 1951 revolution and the overthrow of the regime.[8]

  1. ^ Readings on Governance and Development, Volume 6. Institute of Governance and Development. 2002. p. 27. ISBN 9789994688005. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  2. ^ Gautama, Rājeśa (5 January 2005). Nepali Congress. Adroit Publishers. pp. 138–140. ISBN 978-8-187-39261-3.
  3. ^ a b c Snellinger, Amanda Therese (2018). Making New Nepal: From Student Activism to Mainstream Politics. University of Washington Press. pp. 35–36. ISBN 9780295743097. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  4. ^ Rana, Pramode Shamshere J. B. (1999). A Chronicle of Rana Rule. R. Rana. p. 172. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  5. ^ "Jayatu Sanskritam marked". República. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  6. ^ Dahal, Dev Raj; Nepal), Centre for Development and Governance (Kathmandu (2001). Civil society in Nepal: opening the ground for questions. Center for Development & Governance. p. 27. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  7. ^ Shaha, Rishikesh (1990). Modern Nepal: A Political History, 1769-1955. Riverdale Company Pub. p. 180. ISBN 9780913215661. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  8. ^ "Jayatu Sanskritam marked". The Himalayan Times. Rastriya Samachar Samiti. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2018.