Maharajah Dev Shamsher JBR (1862 – 1914), prime minister of Nepal for 144 days in 1901 AD

Dev Shamsher known as reformist Prime Minister was the fourth of 17 sons born to the Chief of the Army Dhir Shamsher Rana (a younger brother of Jang Bahadur) and Rani Nanda Kumari, niece of Bhimsen Thapa and Mathbar Singh Thapa who were both prime ministers of Nepal.

His father and brothers had difficulties in maintaining a huge family. The Shamshers were poorer than the Jung Bahadur’s family and other cousins. To ease the burden on Dhir Shamsher, Dev Shamsher was adopted at a very young age by his father’s childless elder brother, General Krishna Bahadur Kunwar Rana and was raised by him and his wife.

Dev Shamsher had wanted to start a parliamentary system, and he was very impressed by the system in Great Britain. But, his reforms were not liked his brothers. He was later forced to resign by a coalition of his brothers (Chandra Shamsher and others) who opposed to hi
s progressive policies, and was forced to take refuge to India.

(Modified from the material obtained from vintagenepal)