Madhav Prasad Ghimire

Rashtrakavi (National Poet) Madhav Prasad Ghimire
Native name	माधव प्रसाद घिमिरे
Born	(1919-09-23)23 September 1919[1] Lamjung, Nepal
Died	18 August 2020(2020-08-18) (aged 100) Kathmandu, Nepal
Occupation	poet songwriter playwright
Language	Nepali
Genre	epic poetry musical drama essays songs
Subject	nature romance patriotism
Years active	1934–2020
Notable works	Malati Mangale, Shakuntala, Himalwaari Himalpaari, Gauri
Notable awards	Gorkha Dakshinbahu Tribhuwan Pragya Puraskar Sajha Puraskar
Spouse	Gauri Ghimire (née Pokharel) (1933–34 to 1947–48), Mahakali Ghimire (1948–2020; his death)
Children	8

Madhav Prasad Ghimire (Nepali: माधव प्रसाद घिमिरे; 23 September 1919 – 18 August 2020) was a Nepali poet and scholar. He was honoured as the Rashtrakavi (National Poet) by the Government of Nepal in 2003. Some of his acclaimed works include Gauri, Malati Mangale, Shakuntala and Himalwari Himalpari.^[2][3][4]

Born in Lamjung, and educated in Kathmandu and Banaras, Ghimire had a career in literature spanning 86 years in which he wrote epic poems, plays and essays, composed popular songs like "Gaucha Geet Nepali" and "Nepali Hami Rahaula Kaha", and contributed to and edited literary journals and newspapers. He was the Vice Chancellor of the Royal Nepal Academy for 10 years and Chancellor for two more. He was composing another one of his epics, Ritambhara, when he died of respiratory problems in August 2020, aged 100. He was a recipient of the Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu, Tribhuwan Pragya Puraskar and Sajha Puraskar, among others.