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{{Short description|President of Nepal since 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = 
| honorific_suffix = 
| name = Ram Chandra Paudel
| native_name = {{nobold|रामचन्द्र पौडेल}}
| image = President Ram Chandra Poudel, Official portrait (January 2024).jpg
| caption = Paudel in 2024
| order = 
| office = [[President of Nepal]]
| term_start = 13 March 2023
| vice_president = [[Nanda Kishor Pun]] [[Ram Sahaya Yadav]]
| prime_minister = [[Pushpa Kamal Dahal]] [[K. P. Sharma Oli]] [[Sushila Karki]]{{small| (interim)}} [[Balen Shah]]
| predecessor = [[Bidya Devi Bhandari]]
| successor =
| office1 = [[Leader of the Opposition (Nepal)|Leader of the Opposition]]
| term_start1 = 6 February 2011
| term_end1 = 14 March 2013
| prime_minister1 = [[Jhala Nath Khanal]] [[Baburam Bhattarai]]
| predecessor1 = Pushpa Kamal Dahal
| successor1 = Pushpa Kamal Dahal (2014)
| office2 = [[Speaker of the House of Representatives (Nepal)|Speaker of the House of Representatives]]
| term_start2 = 18 December 1994
| term_end2 = 23 March 1999
| monarch2 = [[Birendra of Nepal|Birendra]]
| deputy2 = Ram Vilas Yadav Lila Shrestha Subba [[Bhojraj Joshi]]
| predecessor2 = [[Daman Nath Dhungana]]
| successor2 = [[Taranath Ranabhat]]
{{Collapsed infobox section begin|Ministerial positions|titlestyle=background-color:lavender}}
| office3 = [[Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal]]
| term_start3 = 1 February 2000
| term_end3 = 13 July 2001
| monarch3 = Birendra
| prime_minister3 = [[Krishna Prasad Bhattarai]] [[Girija Prasad Koirala]]
| predecessor3 = [[Shailaja Acharya]] (1998){{efn|This position was vacant from 23 December 1998 until 1 February 2001.}}
| successor3 = [[Bharat Mohan Adhikari]] (2004){{efn|name=fn1|There was no deputy prime minister from 13 July 2001 until 5 July 2004.}}
| office4 = [[Minister of Home Affairs (Nepal)|Minister of Home Affairs of Nepal]]
| term_start4 = 29 September 2000
| term_end4 = 13 July 2001
| monarch4 = Birendra
| prime_minister4 = Girija Prasad Koirala
| predecessor4 = [[Govinda Raj Joshi]]
| successor4 = [[Chakra Prasad Bastola]]
| office5 = Minister of Education of Nepal
| term_start5 = 10 March 2000
| term_end5 = 20 March 2000
| monarch5 = Birendra
| prime_minister5 = Krishna Prasad Bhattarai
| predecessor5 = Yog Prasad Upadhaya
| successor5 = Amod Prasad Upadhyay
| office6 = Minister of Agriculture of Nepal
| term_start6 = 27 July 1992
| term_end6 = 30 November 1994
| monarch6 = Birendra
| prime_minister6 = Girija Prasad Koirala
| predecessor6 = Shailaja Acharya
| successor6 = [[Radha Krishna Mainali]]
| office7 = Minister of Local Development of Nepal
| term_start7 = 21 March 2000
| term_end7 = 7 February 2001
| monarch7 = Birendra
| prime_minister7 = Girija Prasad Koirala
| predecessor7 = Chiranjibi Wagle
| successor7 = Govinda Raj Joshi
| term_start8 = 29 May 1991
| term_end8 = 30 November 1994
| monarch8 = Birendra
| prime_minister8 = Girija Prasad Koirala
| predecessor8 = [[Mahendra Narayan Nidhi]]
| successor8 = [[C. P. Mainali]]
| office9 = Minister of Information and Communication of Nepal
| term_start9 = 1 February 2000
| term_end9 = 20 March 2000
| monarch9 = Birendra
| prime_minister9 = Girija Prasad Koirala
| predecessor9 = [[Purna Bahadur Khadka]]
| successor9 = [[Jay Prakash Gupta]]
| office10 = Minister of Peace and Reconstruction of Nepal
| term_start10 = 1 April 2007
| term_end10 = 18 August 2008
| president10 = Girija Prasad Koirala {{smaller|(as Acting Head of State of Nepal)}}
| prime_minister10 = Girija Prasad Koirala
| predecessor10 = Position established
| successor10 = Janardan Sharma
{{Collapsed infobox section end|Ministerial positions|titlestyle=background-color:lavender}}
{{Collapsed infobox section begin|Parliamentary offices|titlestyle=background-color:lavender}}
| office11 = Member of the [[House of Representatives (Nepal)|House of Representatives]]
| term_start11 = 22 December 2022
| term_end11 = 9 March 2023
| predecessor11 = [[Krishna Kumar Shrestha]]
| successor11 = [[Swarnim Wagle]]
| constituency11 = [[Tanahun 1]]
| term_start12 = 28 April 2006
| term_end12 = 16 January 2008
| predecessor12 = ''Himself'' (2002)
| successor12 = ''Himself'' (as Member of the Constituent Assembly)
| constituency12 = [[Tanahun 2]]
| term_start13 = 15 December 1994
| term_end13 = 22 May 2002
| predecessor13 = [[Govinda Raj Joshi]]
| successor13 = ''Himself'' (2006)
| constituency13 = [[Tanahun 2]]
| term_start14 = 20 June 1991
| term_end14 = 11 July 1994
| predecessor14 = ''Constituency established''
| successor14 = Govinda Raj Joshi
| constituency14 = [[Tanahun 1]]
| office15 = Member of the [[1st Nepalese Constituent Assembly|Constituent Assembly]] / [[2nd Nepalese Constituent Assembly|Legislature Parliament]]
| term_start15 = 28 May 2008
| term_end15 = 14 October 2017
| predecessor15 = ''Himself'' (as Member of Parliament)
| successor15 = [[Kedar Sigdel]] (as Member of Parliament)
| constituency15 = [[Tanahun 2]]
{{Collapsed infobox section end|Parliamentary offices|titlestyle=background-color:lavender}}
{{Collapsed infobox section begin|Senior party positions|titlestyle=background-color:lavender}}
| office16 = Vice President of the [[Nepali Congress]]
| term_start16 = 2008
| term_end16 = 2016
| predecessor16 = [[Prakash Man Singh]] [[Gopal Man Shrestha]]
| successor16 = [[Bimalendra Nidhi]]
{{Collapsed infobox section end|Senior party positions|titlestyle=background-color:lavender}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|10|06|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Tanahun]], Nepal
| party = [[Independent politician|Independent]] (since 2023)
| other_party = [[Nepali Congress]] (until 2023)
| spouse = [[:simple:Sabita_Poudel|Sabita Poudel]]
| children = 5
}}

'''Ram Chandra Paudel'''{{efn|{{Langx|ne|रामचन्द्र पौडेल|Rāmacandra Pauḍel}}; {{IPA|ne|rämt͡sʌn̪d̪rʌ‿pʌu̯ɽel|IPA}}}} (born 6 October 1944) is a Nepalese politician serving as the third [[president of Nepal]] since 2023. A former senior leader of the [[Nepali Congress]], Paudel previously served as the [[Speaker (politics)|speaker]] of the [[House of Representatives (Nepal)|House of Representatives]] from 1994 to 1999, and was the [[Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal|deputy prime minister]] and [[Ministry of Home Affairs (Nepal)|Minister for Home Affairs]] from 1999 to 2002. First elected to [[Federal Parliament of Nepal|parliament]] in [[1991 Nepalese general election|1991]], he served in numerous other ministerial positions and was the [[Leader of the Opposition (Nepal)|Leader of the Opposition]] from 2011 to 2013, as the parliamentary party leader of the Nepali Congress.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Paudel caps his career with presidency |url=https://kathmandupost.com/national/2023/03/10/paudel-caps-his-career-with-presidency |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=kathmandupost.com |language=English}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Ram Chandra Paudel was born on 6 October 1944 in a [[Bahun]] farming family in the remote village of [[Satiswara]], located in the present-day [[Vyas Municipality]] of [[Tanahun District]]. He completed his secondary education ([[School Leaving Certificate (Nepal)|SLC]]) from Nandi Ratri Secondary School in Kathmandu and studied [[Sanskrit literature]] at the [[Nepal Sanskrit University]] from 1963 to 1967.<ref>{{Cite web |title=१४ वर्षको बन्दी जीवनदेखि राष्ट्रपतिसम्म |url=https://gorkhapatraonline.com/news/56856 |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=GorakhaPatra}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=रासस |date=2021-06-14 |title=संस्कृत भाषाको पुनर्जागरण गर्नुपर्छः रामचन्द्र पौडेल |url=https://deshsanchar.com/2021/06/14/521649/ |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=देशसञ्चार |language=en-US}}</ref> He also completed a [[Master of Arts|MA]] in [[Nepali literature]] from the [[Tribhuvan University]] in 1970, appearing in his examinations while being detained in prison for anti-Panchayat activities.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=वामपन्थी राजनीति छाडेर कांग्रेसमा होमिएका रामचन्द्र, यस्तो छ बेलथुम्कीदेखि शीतलनिवाससम्मको यात्रा :: शिलापत्र संवाददाता :: Shilapatra शिलापत्र - खबरको स्थायी ठेगाना |url=https://shilapatra.com/detail/107292 |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=shilapatra}}</ref>

==Political career==

=== Early years and student politics (1960s and 1970s) ===
Paudel got into politics aged just 16 when he joined the protests and movement against the [[1960 Nepal coup d'état|dismissal]] of the [[B.P. Koirala cabinet, 1959|B.P. Koirala-led government]] and imposition of [[Panchayat (Nepal)|Panchayat rule]] by [[Mahendra of Nepal|King Mahendra]] in December 1960, and participated in numerous Congress-led armed struggles for the restoration of democracy in the 1960s. A key campaigner for the students’ movement in Nepal, he was elected president of the student union at the Saraswati Campus in 1967 and elected general secretary of the Democratic Socialist Youth League in 1968.

Paudel, became a member of the [[Arjun Narasingha K.C.]] led Student Rally Coordination Committee along with [[Sher Bahadur Deuba]].<ref name=":12">{{Cite news |title=पाँचौँ पटक प्रधानमन्त्री बनेका शेरबहादुर देउवा को हुन्? |url=https://www.bbc.com/nepali/news-57818500 |access-date=2024-07-19 |work=BBC News नेपाली |language=ne}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=को हुन् देउवा ? के चाहन्छन् उनी ? |url=https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2021/07/990197 |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=Online Khabar |language=en-US}}</ref> He took initiatives in organizing the [[Nepal Student Union]], the Congress party’s student wing established in 1970, and was the union's founding central committee member.

=== Party politics (1970s – 2023) ===
Paudel entered into mainstream party politics in 1977, when he was elected member of the Nepali Congress Tanahun district committee. He was elected vice-president of the district committee in 1979, and president in 1980. Paudel was appointed coordinator of the Nepali Congress's Central Publicity Committee in 1983, and was appointed member of the party's central committee and chief of the party's central level publicity bureau in 1987.

Paudel was first elected to parliament from [[Tanahun 1 (constituency)|Tanahun 1]] in the [[1991 Nepalese general election|1991 general election]], and served as the Minister for Local Development and Agriculture from May 1991 to 1994.

In the [[1994 Nepalese general election|1994 general election]], he switched seats and was elected from [[Tanahun 2 (constituency)|Tanahun 2]], a seat he then held consecutively until 2017. Paudel was elected speaker of the House of Representatives following the election, and served until 1999. Following the [[1999 Nepalese general election|1999 general election]], he was appointed deputy prime minister and Minister for Home Affairs, and he served in those positions until 2002.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Ram Chandra Paudel elected new President of Nepal |url=https://theannapurnaexpress.com/news/ram-chandra-paudel-elected-new-president-of-nepal-39370 |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=The Annapurna Express |language=en}}</ref>
Paudel was elected general secretary of the Nepali Congress following the party's general convention in 2006. He played an important role in the peace process as the coordinator of the Peace Secretariat after the end of the civil war, and served as the Minister for Peace and Reconstruction from 2007 to 2008.<ref name=":1" /> Paudel was elected vice-president of the Nepali Congress in 2008, and defeated former prime minister [[Sher Bahadur Deuba]] to become Congress' parliamentary party leader following the [[2008 Nepalese Constituent Assembly election|2008 Constituent Assembly election]]. Paudel contested the prime ministerial election in parliament in 2010, but was not elected even after 17 rounds of election.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-10 |title=Ram Chandra Paudel Failed to Become Nepal Prime Minister 17 Times, But Won President Polls in First Attempt |url=https://www.news18.com/world/ram-chandra-paudel-failed-in-nepal-general-election-17-times-won-president-polls-in-first-attempt-7262011.html |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=News18 |language=en}}</ref> He served as the Congress party's acting president after the death of [[Sushil Koirala]] in 2016, but was defeated by Deuba in the party's 13th general convention later in the year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-16 |title=Koirala's death sparks leadership tussle in Nepali Congress |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world/koirala-s-death-sparks-leadership-tussle-in-nepali-congress/story-1cm5vdQrfpUTtFvb6rldXN.html |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-03-07 |title=Sher Bahadur Deuba elected Nepali Congress president |url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/sher-bahadur-deuba-elected-nepali-congress-president |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=The Himalayan Times |language=en}}</ref>

Having decided to switch back to his old seat of Tanahun 1, Paudel was defeated by [[Krishna Kumar Shrestha]] of the CPN (UML) in the [[2017 Nepalese general election|2017 general election]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sen |first=Sandeep |date=2017-12-10 |title=NC senior leader Poudel defeated in Tanahun 1 |url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/nepali-congress-senior-leader-ramchandra-poudel-defeated-tanahun-1 |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=The Himalayan Times |language=en}}</ref> He remained active in party politics, and was elected from Tanahun 1 in the [[2022 Nepalese general election|2022 general election]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=NC leader Paudel elected as HoR member from Tanahun-1 |url=http://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/133874/ |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=My Republica |language=en}}</ref>

=== Detentions ===
Paudel spent over 15 years as a prisoner of conscience on various occasions, mostly for being an opponent of the panchayat system. He was detained on the following occasions:{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

* For 10 months in 1962 in connection with the armed seizure of [[Bharatpur, Nepal|Bharatpur]] by Nepali Congress.
* For 12 months in 1964 in connection with student movements in Kathmandu.
* For 6 months in 1966 for being involved in a movement to oust the then-Deputy inspector General of Police.
* For 14 months in 1967 in connection with organisational activities of DSYL in Pokhara.
* For one year in 1969 in connection with the reorganization of DSYL in western Nepal.
* For 3 months in 1970 for being involved in the organization and inauguration of Nepal Student Union.
* For 4 years from 1971 to 1975 for being involved in revitalizing political activities after the release of [[BP Koirala|B.P. Koirala]].
* For 10 months in 1977 for being involved in the Patan Conference of the Nepali Congress, where a decision was taken to launch a civil disobedience movement (''Satyagraha'') for the restoration of democracy and release of its ailing leader, B.P. Koirala.
* For 6 months in 1979 for taking a leading role in anti-Panchayat movements
* For 6 months in 1981 in connection with the boycott of [[1981 Nepalese general election|Panchayati elections]].
* For 9 months in 1985 in connection with the civil disobedience movement (''Satyagraha'').
* For 3 months in 1988 on a charge of publishing a Nepali Congress organ and for breaching the ''Publication Act''.
* For 5 months in 1989 on a charge of organizing and inspiring people to take part in movement for restoration of democracy.
* For about one and half years from 2003 to 2005 during the King's direct rule.

== Presidency (2023–present) ==

Paudel was the candidate from Nepali Congress and its 10-party alliance for the 2023 presidential election, and was [[2023 Nepalese presidential election|elected president on 9 March 2023]], defeating former speaker [[Subaschandra Nemwang|Subas Chandra Nemwang]] of the [[Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)|CPN (UML)]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eight political parties to support Congress candidate in presidential election |url=https://kathmandupost.com/politics/2023/02/24/eight-political-parties-to-support-congress-candidate-in-presidential-election |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=kathmandupost.com |language=English}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-09 |title=Nepal elects new president amid political uncertainty |url=https://apnews.com/article/nepal-president-parliament-vote-kathmandu-e1fb6b22fb61995262574c3bc4ad14e7 |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}</ref> He disassociated himself from all party responsibilities and resigned as an active member of the Nepali Congress after being elected president.<ref>{{Cite web |title=President-elect Paudel separates himself from party responsibilities |url=http://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/137539/ |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=My Republica |language=en}}</ref> Paudel resigned as member of Parliament before assuming office as president on 13 March 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=President Paudel resigns as HoR member |url=https://english.khabarhub.com/2023/13/296505/ |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=Khabarhub |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=President Paudel assumes his office, resigns from the post of HoR member |url=http://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/137592/ |access-date=2023-03-25 |website=My Republica |language=en}}</ref>

There were reports that Paudel had resigned as a result of the [[2025 Nepalese Gen Z protests|2025 Gen Z protests]].<ref name="09092025IndiaTV">{{cite news |last1=Sheoran |first1=Abhishek |title=President Ram Chandra Poudel resigns as violent protests push Nepal on edge |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world/nepal-president-poudel-resigns-as-ardent-protests-push-kathmandu-on-edge-2025-09-09-1007427 |access-date=9 September 2025 |work=India TV |publisher=Independent News Service |date=9 September 2025}}</ref> He denied those reports and the [[Nepali Army]] confirmed that Paudel did not resign.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nepalese President's Resignation: New Statement Made in Kathmandu |url=https://unn.ua/en/news/nepalese-presidents-resignation-new-statement-made-in-kathmandu |access-date=9 September 2025 |work=Ukrainian National News (UNN) |date=9 September 2025 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/topstories/nepal-protests-latest-ramchandra-paudel-hasnt-resigned-says-nepalese-army/ar-AA1Mca1T?ocid=BingNewsVerp|title=Nepal protests latest: Ramchandra Paudel hasn't resigned, says Nepalese Army|publisher=MSN|accessdate=10 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2025/09/09/nepal-army-confirms-president-ram-chandra-poudel-has-not-resigned-warns-protesters-against-taking-unfair-advantage.html|title=Nepal Army confirms President Ram Chandra Poudel has not resigned, warns protesters against taking 'unfair advantage'|publisher=The Week|accessdate=10 September 2025|date=10 September 2025}}</ref> His [[official residence]] as president, the [[Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kathmandu|Rastrapati Bhawan]], was also set ablaze during the protests.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-09 |title=Nepal’s prime minister resigns as protests against the government and corruption rage on |url=https://apnews.com/article/nepal-protest-social-media-ban-89cf500969536cf2a35c3fb884cfa620 |access-date=2025-09-09 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Paudel is married to [[:simple:Sabita_Poudel|Sabita Poudel]], who became Nepal’s first First Lady. and the couple have five children: four daughters and one son.

=== Publications ===
Paudel is an active writer and his political and theoretical affairs are frequently published in national vernaculars, including:{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

* ''What Nepali Congress Says'' (1976)
* ''Satyagraha – Why and How'' (1984)
* ''Democratic Socialism – A study'' (1990)
* ''Journey of Faith'' (1996)
* ''Abhisapta Itihas'' (2004)
* ''Socialism – In New Context'' (2012)
* ''Agricultural Revolution and Socialism'' (2013)
Paudel received the ''Mahendra Bikram Shah Prize'' for an article titled "Human Rights Condition in Nepal" in 1987.<ref name=":0" />

==Honors==
* {{flag|Japan}}: [[File:JPN Kyokujitsu-sho 1Class BAR.svg|60px]] Grand Cordon of the [[Order of the Rising Sun]] (29 April 2020) {{ndash}} ''for contributions in enhancing [[Japan–Nepal relations|Nepal-Japan ties]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Congress leader Ram Chandra Paudel to receive Japanese honours |url=https://kathmandupost.com/miscellaneous/2020/04/30/congress-leader-ram-chandra-poudel-to-receive-japanese-honours |access-date=2021-02-12 |website=kathmandupost.com |language=English |archive-date=10 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310091719/https://kathmandupost.com/miscellaneous/2020/04/30/congress-leader-ram-chandra-poudel-to-receive-japanese-honours |url-status=dead }}</ref>''

== Notes ==
{{notes}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.facebook.com/RCPaudelNepal Facebook page]
*{{Official website|english.presidentofnepal.gov.np}} of the [[President of Nepal]]
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Bidya Devi Bhandari]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[President of Nepal]]|years=2023–present}}
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{{s-end}}

{{Heads of State of Nepal}}
{{Heads of state of republics}}
{{Current Socialist rulers}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poudel, Ram Chandra}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Tanahun District]]
[[Category:Nepali Congress politicians from Gandaki Province]]
[[Category:Speakers of the House of Representatives (Nepal)]]
[[Category:Government ministers of Nepal]]
[[Category:Interior ministers of Nepal]]
[[Category:Grand Cordons of the Order of the Rising Sun]]
[[Category:Nepal MPs 1991–1994]]
[[Category:Nepal MPs 1994–1999]]
[[Category:Nepal MPs 1999–2002]]
[[Category:Members of the 1st Nepalese Constituent Assembly]]
[[Category:Members of the 2nd Nepalese Constituent Assembly]]
[[Category:Nepal MPs 2022–2025]]
[[Category:Candidates for President of Nepal]]
[[Category:Presidents of Nepal]]
[[Category:Leaders of the opposition (Nepal)]]

Ram Chandra Paudel - Revision history

CoralRaphael599 at 16:18, 20 May 2026