Ram Prasad Khanal

Ram Prasad Khanal (Nepali: रामप्रसाद खनाल) is a Nepalese musician, distinguished class singer, and folk-music activist.[1][2] He is working for the growth and development of Nepali folk music for decades. He is an author, journalist, artist, actor, composer, and radio and TV program producer, director and presenter. He serves as President[3] of International Artists Forum.[4] He has mainly been known for his Nepali folk and duet songs and his activism in the field of folk music.[5]

Ram Prasad Khanal
Ram Prasad Khanal
Ram Prasad Khanal
Born
Hardineta, Dharampani, Maindanda, Gulmi Nepal
NationalityNepali
EducationMaster's Degree (Sociology)
OccupationAuthor, singer, journalist, business consultant
Years activeSince 1988
Known forFolk Singer, writer, journalist
Notable work
Desh Harayeko Manchhe, Murdaharuko Basti, Tita Mitha Anubhutiharu, Gulmi to America, Janataka geet haru etc.
Home townGulmi
Spouse(s)Tirtha Poudel
ChildrenGyanendra Khanal & Susma Khanal
Parent(s)Bhabhishwor Khanal & Rundata Khanal
AwardsGorkha Dakshin Bahu,2004, Prakhyat Trishakti Patta, 2005
Websiteramprasadkhanal.com

His identity, however, is not restricted to this. People know him equally as an artist, Actor, music composer, journalist, author, and radio and TV program producer, Director and presenter.[6][7] He moved to the United States of America a decade ago and has been living there with his family since then. In the USA, he is involved in different business activities.[8]

He started a program titled ‘Lok Dohori’ Historic program based on folk Duet songs in Nepal Television in 1998, which considerably promoted his fame in the field. This program not only popularized the Nepali folk and duet songs, but it also contributed profoundly for the renaissance Nepali folk music.[9] The folk movement that this program pushed throughout the country created such a conducive environment in which many folk singers were born.[10]

Though he is living in the USA with a green card granted to him in the Extraordinary Ability EB-1 visa category, he is still contributing for Nepali folk songs, duet songs, folk culture, and Nepali language and literature from overseas.[11] Khanal, who has been working for making Nepali folk music noble and disciplined and establishing it in an international arena has already got seventeen anthologies of his poems and 'ghazals' published. While he has already published forty eight albums of Nepali folk music, he also has more than one thousand two hundred lyrics published and broadcast.[12]

He has been awarded with Prabal Gorakha Dakshina Bahu, one of the most prestigious Nepali National awards granted to civilians, for his exceptional contribution to Nepali folk music, duet songs and the entire field of Nepali music by Nepal Government. He was also awarded with 'Trishakti Patta', another highly recognized Nepali national award, for his significant contribution in the sector of journalism. Along with this, he has also been granted more than four hundred awards and prizes in Nepal and beyond.[13] One of the significant of them is ‘Man of the Year 2004 for Nepal’ International Award that was awarded to him by American Biographical Institute (ABI).

He has published 17 books. Two anthologies of poems, Desh Harayako Manchhe (The Man Who has Lost the Nation) and Murdaharuko Basti (Domain of the Dead). He has also published autobiographies entitled Teeta Mitha Anubhutiharu (Feelings, Sweet and Sour) and Gulmi Dekhi America Samma (From Gulmi to the United States).[14]

Early life and education

He was born in Dharampani, Hardineta, Maindanda, Gulmi District, Nepal. He was born as the second child, among seven siblings, of Bhavishor Khanal (father) and Rundata Devi Khanal (mother). He was born in a middle-class family, and his father worked in Assam Rifles, India. He completed his primary education in Maindanda Lower Secondary School, Hardineta, Dharampani, and secondary education in Shree Adarsha Secondary School, Digam, Gulmi. He studied in Butwal Multiple Campus and completed Master's Degree (Sociology) from Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur later.

Marriage

Khanal married Tirtha Paudel from Rimuwa, Gulmi in 1993. They have a son (Gyanendra Khanal) and a daughter (Susma Khanal). He currently lives in Virginia, the United States together with his family.

Careers in Music

Khanal had a strong interest in music from a very young age, consequently winning him the first prizes in various contests in different levels. In addition to music, he also had an interest in dance. He passed the vocal test in Radio Nepal three decades ago and since then he has been active in the field of music. He has forty eight music albums published in his name.[15] Some of his popular duet songs are ‘Deuralima pipal chhayale’, ‘Chhata ojhel parideu barkhe jharima’, ‘bishal bazaarma man paryo mayalai ekai najarma’, ‘rel pugyo baibaimaa’. Similarly, other popular numbers are ‘Mera budha jharke’, ‘Kasta bhaya holan ti gaunghar’, ‘Saya kateki hajuraama’, ‘Gulmi jharera, ridi tarera’, ‘Chamkyo Juntara’, ‘Ekai najarama’, ‘Chitthi lekhera’, ‘Bagne panile’, etc.[16] The latest Panche Baja folk songs such as ‘Dulahadulahi’,[17] and ‘Ghargharko Kahani’[18] and more other songs are equally popular.

Careers in Journalism

Khanal started his journalism career together with his studies in 1987. He started to publish his news and other literary creations in Tansen-based ‘Satya Saptahik’ and Butwal-based ‘X-ray Weekly’. He not only wrote news, but also involved himself in registration and marketing of the newspaper ‘Janasangharsha Dainik’[19] in Butwal in 1989. He also engaged in different newspaper outlets such as Rashtra Pukar, Nepalvani, Nepali Patra, Nepal Times, Gorakha Express, Lokpatra, Sandesha, Nispakshya, Lumbini Times etc in various roles ranging from reporting to editorial responsibilities. He started to publish ‘Nishpakshya’ weekly in which he had the roles of both publisher and editor. It was published in print until he moved to the US. In 2007, he started to publish it in an online version as www.nepalmother.com,[20] in which he is publisher and chief editor.

Careers in Radio Nepal

After the restoration of democracy in Nepal in 1990, a program entitled ‘Ghatana ra Bichar’ was very popular in Radio Nepal. He started to work for the program from Butwal as a representative of Lumbini Zone. In 1998, he entered into Radio Nepal as the presenter, producer and director of the program titled ‘Nepalko Serophero’.[21] He also has experience of working for BBC Radio from 1991 to 1995 as a freelancer.

Careers in Nepal Television

Khanal started his television career as an actor at Nepal Television with the program titled "Hijo aajaka kura" that was conducted by Famous Artist / Comedian Santosh pant From 1996 to 1999, he acted in the popular show ‘Hijo Ajaka Kura’, which was directed by popular actor and director Santosh Pant. He worked for the programs ‘Nepalko Serophero’ in 1999 and ‘Vidhyut’ in 2000. He started the popular show ‘Lok Dohori’ in 1998 and worked in the roles of producer, presenter and director. At the time when pop music was in trend in Nepal and folk music was shadowed, his program not only popularized Nepali folk music but also gave birth to many new singers in the field.[22] Due to the popularity of this program, lok dohori programs started in other televisions as well. Similarly, many pubs in Kathmandu and outside the valley started to present live lok dohori shows on a daily basis in the evenings. For this all changing trend, Khanal had direct and indirect roles.[23] Mr. Khanal also served Nepal Television Management Board as a Member – Board Directors.

Journey to the USA

Prior to his permanent residency in the US from 2006, Khanal had visited the States for thirteen times. He got American Green Card under the Extraordinary Ability EB-1 visa category in 2007. After working for Walmart in the role of Customer Service Manager for two and half years, he started his own business of grocery store, gas station and real estate in 2010. In addition to his business, he is also continuing his journey of literature, music and journalism. Since the time he started to live in Washington, D.C., there is increase in the literary, cultural, and musical activities of Nepali diaspora.[24]

Social Engagement

Khanal took a leading role to establish International Artists Forum in 2008 for promoting Nepali art, culture, literature and music in the international levels. He is the Founding Chairman of this Forum, which has united artists and litterateurs from around 35 countries in the world.[25] He has also got experience of working in the role of Washington, D.C. Metro Committee Chair of International Nepali Literature Society.[26] Similarly, he has also worked for social organizations such as Reiyukai, Red Cross, Lions Club. He is currently the Chair of US-based International Media and Entertainment House and Khanal Business Group and American Supermarket. He is also engaged with other dozens of social organizations. In addition, he is the chief editor and publisher of nepalmother.com.

Awards
  • Gorkha Dakshin Bahu,[27] Nepal Government, 2004
  • Prakhyat Trishakti Patta, Nepal Government, 2005
  • Man of the Year 2004 for Nepal,[28] American Biographical Institute (ABI), 2004
  • Star of the year, 2019 by Star of the king, Qatar.[29]
  • Nepal Scout national Journalism award by Nepal Scouts, 2004
  • Folk and Duet Hero, Khanal Sewa Samaj, 2004
  • Outstanding Folk Duet Prize, United Nations, 2004
  • Education Journalism and Singing Prize, World Health Organization, 1995
  • Other nearly four hundred fifty national and regional prizes and awards
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References
  1. "राष्ट्रियता तब मात्र बुझिन्छ जब देशबाहिर बसिन्छ". News of Nepal. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  2. अमेरिका बसेर लोकभाका जोगाउँदै-annapurnapost.com
  3. अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय कलाकार मञ्च अमेरिकाको पुनर्गठन-filmykhabar.com
  4. iafamerica.com
  5. नेपालमा के के गरेर अमेरिका फर्किए रामप्रसाद खनाल?-enepalese.com
  6. नेपालमा के के गरेर अमेरिका फर्किए रामप्रसाद खनाल?-enepalese.com
  7. रामप्रसाद खनालले गरे एनआरएनए अमेरिकाको निर्वाचनमा उम्मेदवारीको घोषणा-nepalijanta.com
  8. यी हुन् अमेरिकी ‘ग्रिनकार्ड’ भएका ५०० नेपाली कलाकार-lokpati.com
  9. सोमबारबाट बद्रीको 'लाइभ दोहोरी' टेलिभिजनमा-artistkhabar.com
  10. गीत, संगीत तथा साहित्य क्षेत्रमा केही गर्न चाहन्छुः रामप्रसाद खनाल लोक दोहोरी गायक-nepalayanews.com
  11. नेपालमै बसेर अमेरिकी ग्रिनकार्ड पाउने हैन?-londonnepalnews.com
  12. नयाँ पाँच वटा गीत गाएर र अर्को कबिता संग्रह प्रकाशन गरेर फर्किए रामप्रसाद खनाल. एक पछी अर्को गर्दै रिलिज गर्ने तयारी-nepalmother.com
  13. अनेसास डिसीद्वारा रामप्रसाद खनाल र डा. रघुनाथ अर्याललाई सम्मान, दुई खनालका ३ कृति बिमोचन-enepalese.com
  14. रामप्रसाद खनालका दुई कृतिको अमेरिकामा विमोचन-kharibot.com
  15. रामप्रसादको ‘दुलहा दुलही’ले स्रोता दर्शकको मन जित्दै-milapnews.com
  16. Ram Prasad Khanal's Youtube
  17. रामप्रसाद खनालको ‘दुलाहा दुलही’ गीत सार्वजनिक-samachardainik.com
  18. हरेक घर परिवारको कहानीलाई गीत बनाएर गाए, मान्छे पनि रुवाए रामप्रसाद खनालले-brtnepal.com
  19. Images of Janasangharsha Dainik
  20. nepalmother.com
  21. रामप्रसाद खनालले गरे एनआरएनए अमेरिकाको निर्वाचनमा उम्मेदवारीको घोषणा-annapurnapost.com
  22. यसरी उदाइन् मुना- baahrakhari.com
  23. अभिनन्दित भए रामप्रसाद-rastrakhabar.com
  24. डिसीमा रामप्रसाद खनाल र प्रेमराजा महतले गाउने, कोमल वली नाच्ने-brtnepal.com
  25. afamerica.com
  26. inls.org
  27. गीत, संगीत तथा साहित्य क्षेत्रमा केही गर्न चाहन्छुः रामप्रसाद खनाल लोक दोहोरी गायक -nepalayanews.com
  28. Nepali awarded Man of the Year 2004-sajha.com
  29. वरिष्ठ लोकगायक खनाललाई ‘स्टार अफ दि इयर’को अवार्ड-sansarnews.com
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