Paras Shah

Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev (born 30 December 1971) was the Crown Prince of Nepal, the heir apparent to the throne, from 2001 until the Abolition of the Monarchy by the Interim Constituent Assembly in 2008 following Constituent Assembly election.

Paras Shah
Crown Prince of Nepal
Born	(1971-12-30) 30 December 1971 Kathmandu, Nepal
Spouse	Himani Shah
Issue	Purnika Hridayendra Kritika
Full name Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev
House	Shah dynasty
Father	Gyanendra
Mother	Komal
Religion	Hinduism

Early life

Paras is the only son of the deposed King Gyanendra and Queen Komal of Nepal. He has one sister, Prerana. He received his early education at St. Joseph's College in Darjeeling, India; Budhanilkantha School, Kathmandu; and Laboratory School, Kathmandu. He later attended Luther College in Iowa,[1] and the Schiller International University in the United Kingdom studying for an undergraduate degree in Business Administration. However, he did not complete his undergraduate education.[2]

Family

Paras married Himani Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah a member of the Princely family of Sikar on 25 January 2000. They have three children:[2] Purnika Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah (b. 12 December 2000), Hridayendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (b. 30 July 2002) and Kritika Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah (b. 16 October 2004).

Former Crown Prince

On 1 June 2001, Paras was at the Royal Palace during the royal massacre, which resulted in the deaths of King Birendra and most of the Royal Family, including Crown Prince Dipendra. Paras sustained injuries in the massacre and, according to eye witness accounts, saved the lives of at least three royals, including two children, by pulling a sofa over them.[3] Gyanendra, who had held the title of King of Nepal briefly during the 1950s, was again crowned king. Paras, as King Gyanendra's only son, became Crown Prince of Nepal on 26 October 2001.[2]

Styles of Paras, Ex Crown Prince of Nepal
Reference style	His Royal Highness
Spoken style	Your Royal Highness
Alternative style	Sir

In July 2007, the Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala called for then-King Gyanendra to abdicate the throne and for Paras to renounce his dynastic rights in favour of his son, Prince Hridayendra.[4]

Conservation trust controversy

In 2008, the National Trust for Nature Conservation, published a report alleging that the Royal Family had misused funds belonging to the charity. The trust was formerly run by Crown Prince Paras, with King Gyanendra as its patron. The committee alleged that the Royal Family had spent large amounts of trust funds on themselves over several years to finance trips abroad, lavish parties, Queen Komal's health check-ups in the United Kingdom. One trip highlighted in the report was Crown Prince Paras' visit to Austria to donate a pair of Indian Rhinoceros, an endangered species in Nepal, to a zoo. As the charity is now run by maoists, the objectivity of the findings has been questioned.[5]

Brushes with the law

In August 2000, Paras was alleged to have run over and killed Praveen Gurung, a popular singer. A police investigation ensued, but Paras was not charged. An army officer later claimed responsibility for the incident.[3]

Paras was reported to have fired a pistol into the air at a Chitwan hotel on 11 December 2010 under the influence of alcohol.[3] He reportedly opened fire at Rubel Chaudhary, alleging that his family members had conspired to abolish Nepal's monarchy and also attempted to defame Nepal and Nepalis during his confrontations with the prince. He was arrested 3 days later[6] for a court trial to be initiated on 19 December.[7]

In July 2014, Paras was arrested on drugs charges in Thailand for a second time with the possibility of facing five years in prison.[8]

Local newspapers had reported that the police arrested Paras with a green plastic tube used for drugs, and two similar plastic tubes from a BMW vehicle he was riding.[9]

Heart attacks

On 6 September 2007, Paras was rushed to the Military Hospital after he complained of chest pain. Later, at around 11:30 am, he was transferred to the Norvic International Hospital in Kathmandu. He was operated on for about 50 minutes, apparently to treat a "mild heart attack".[10] Doctors performed a balloon angioplasty on him to clear his blocked artery.[11]

On 19 February 2013, Paras was admitted to Samitivej Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand after he suffered a second heart attack.[12] After being in hospital for more than two weeks, Paras gained consciousness on 2 March.[13]

On 28 January 2019 he suffered a third heart attack.[14] Paras was admitted to Norvic International Hospital.

Honours

National honours

• Member First Class of the Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu (23 October 2001)
• Member of the Order of the Footprint of Nepal (7 April 2004)
• King Birendra Investiture Medal (24 February 1975)
• Commemorative Silver Jubilee Medal of King Birendra (31 January 1997)
• Vishista Seva Medal (1999)
• King Gyanendra Investiture Medal (4 June 2001)

Associations

• Golden Pheasant Award of the Scout Association of Japan (12 July 2005)[15][16]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Paras Shah

16. King Prithvi of Nepal 8. King Tribhuvan of Nepal 17. Divyeshwari Rajya Laxmi Devi 4. King Mahendra of Nepal 18. Arjan Singh Sahib 9. Kanti Rajya Laxmi Devi 19. Krishnavati Devi Sahiba 2. King Gyanendra of Nepal 20. Juddha Samsher Jang Bahadur Rana 10. Hari Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana 21. Jetha Bada Maharani Padma Kumari Devi 5. Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi 22. N. Bikram Shah 11. Megha Kumari Rajya Laxmi 1. Paras, Ex Crown Prince of Nepal 24. Juddha Samsher Jang Bahadur Rana (= 20) 12. Agni Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana 25. Jetha Bada Maharani Padma Kumari Devi (= 21) 6. Kendra Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana 3. Komal Rajya Laxmi Devi 14. N. Bikram Shah 7. Shree Rajya Laxmi Devi

References

1. Writer, EMILY GRAHAM Courier Staff. "Nepalese prince at center of storm ex-Luther student". Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
2. Crown ex-Prince Paras profile
3. "Profile: Paras Shah, Nepal's ex crown prince". BBC News. 14 December 2010.
4. Nepal baby prince's baptism by fire
5. Haviland, Charles (27 March 2008). "Nepal royals 'stole charity cash'". BBC. Retrieved 20 April 2008.
6. "Nepal's ex crown prince arrested". CNN. 14 December 2010.
7. Paras fired with illegal pistol Archived 7 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine
8. "India Times". Retrieved 5 May 2019.
9. Former Crown Prince Paras Shah returns to Nepal/
10. "News and Articles from entire network of Kantipur Media Group in English and Nepali". www.ekantipur.com. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
11. "Nepal's prince has heart attack". 6 September 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2019 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
12. "My Republica". Retrieved 5 May 2019.
13. "Read online latest news and articles from Nepal". kathmandupost.ekantipur.com. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
14. The Himalayan Times
15. "List" (PDF). Retrieved 5 May 2019.
16. "ONCE-OVER". The Himalayan Times. 12 July 2005. Retrieved 5 May 2019.

Further reading

• Lancaster, John (19 June 2005). "Game of Golf Stirs Up Criticism of U.S. Role in Nepal". The Washington Post. Retrieved 23 February 2013.

External links

• Royal Court of Nepal

Paras Shah Shah dynasty Born: 30 December 1971
Nepalese royalty
Vacant Title last held by Dipendra	Crown Prince of Nepal 26 October 2001 – 28 May 2008	Succeeded by none, monarchy suspended until new constitution is promulgated
First in line	Line of succession to the Nepalese Throne 1st position	Succeeded by Prince Hridayendra of Nepal