Devyani Rana

Devyani Rana (Nepali: देवयानी राणा) is the second daughter of Pashupati Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and Rani Usha Raje Scindia, daughter of Jivajirao Scindia, the last maharaja of Gwalior, and the wife of Kunwar Aishwarya Singh of Singrauli. News reports in 2001 had suggested that the Crown Prince Dipendra of Nepal wanted to marry her, but his parents, as well as Devyani's mother, did not agree.

Devyani Rana
Kunwarani of Singrauli
Born1973 (age 46–47)[1]
SpouseKunwar Aishwarya Singh of Singrauli
Full name
Kunwarani Devyani Rajya Lakshmi
HouseRana dynasty
FatherPashupati Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana
MotherRani Usha Raje Scindia
ReligionHinduism

Early life

By her father, Devyani was born as a member of the Rana dynasty. Her mother, Usha Raje Scindia, is a daughter of George Jivajirao Scindia, Maharaja of Gwalior.[2] She has one sibling, her older sister, Urvashi Rajya Lakshmi.

Her paternal great-grandfather was Mohan Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana.

She attended Welham Girl's High School, Dehradun, Mayo College Girls School, Ajmer; Lady Shriram College, Delhi and Kathmandu University (MA).

Reports of Crown Prince Dipendra wanting to marry her

Dipendra was in England between 1987 and 1990, and his local guardian was Baronet, Sir Jeremy Bagge,[3] whose son was also at Eton. Bagge's daughter was a friend of Devyani who was also studying in England.[4] Dipendra and Devyani met at the Bagges' Norfolk home, and Dipendra quickly fell in love with her and asked her to marry him. However, Dipendra's parents, and especially his mother Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah (born Rana), opposed the marriage. Devyani's friends also began to suspect Dipendra was sexually assaulting her, although she denied it.[4][5]

According to an article in the 30 July 2001 New Yorker and other published reports, the refusal of Dipendra's parents to consent to this marriage was the cause of the massacre of the royal family in Nepal. However a 2009 report based on an interview with his cousin Paras Shah suggested that there may have been other reasons as well.[6] A book "Maile Dekheko Darbar" by former Secretary to the King Birendra suggests that Dipendra may have had significant personality problems.[7]

Post massacre

Devyani Rana fled to India immediately after the royal massacre to escape media attention. In 2004, Rana obtained a second master's degree from the London School of Economics. She was reported to have been working for the United Nations Development Programme in India in 2012.[8]

Personal life

On 23 February 2007, Rana married Kunwar Aishwarya Singh of Singrauli, the son of Raja Bhuvneshwar Prasad Singh and Rani Veena Singh, a royal from the erstwhile state of Singrauli and the grandson of former Indian Human Resources Minister Arjun Singh, a royal from the erstwhile state of Churhat.[9] The wedding took place at the Scindia Villa, New Delhi.[10]

In 2017, it was reported that Devyani Rana had become an active member of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N).[11]

Ancestry
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References
  1. "RootsWeb.com Home Page". freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  2. Soszynski, Henry. "CHURHAT". members.iinet.net.au. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  3. Eton's royal connection BBC News, 2 June 2001
  4. Dipendra and Devyani Nepali Times, 20 June 2001
  5. Amy Willesee & Mark Whittaker (2004). Love & Death in Kathmandu A Strange Tale of Royal Murder, 1st U.S. ed. New York : St. Martin's Press, 2004. ISBN 1-84413-558-6 / 1-84413-558-6
  6. Failed arms deal 'sparked' Nepal royal massacre, Thomas Bell, The Telegraph, 30 Mar 2009
  7. Dipendra's troubled childhood Translated excerpt from book, Maile Dekheko Darbar by former Military Secretary to King Birendra Vivek Kumar Shah, Nepali Times, 27 MAY 2011
  8. Indian royals occupy new place in society, Murali Krishnan, ABC< 9 Oct 2012
  9. CHURHAT (Thikana) Archived 2009-05-22 at the Wayback Machine
  10. "Happy Marriage Devyani!". 23 February 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  11. Nepal: 15 years after royal palace massacre, late prince’s fiancee eyes political role, Yubaraj Ghimire, February 12, 2017
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