Biography - Father of Nepali Education

Jaya Prithvi Bahadur Singh

 

Jai Prithvi Bahadur Singhof BajhangNepal was a passionate advocate
of world peace and brotherhood, a preacher and a thinkerof Humanism.
Born as the fifty-fifth princeof Bajhang on August 21, 1877, he graduate
from Calcutta University, and started the publicationof Gorakhapatra
(the first newspaper inNepal) in 1899, established the firstNepali language school, and brought-out many books for students in 1901. Nominated Ambassador forNepal at Calcutta in 1902-1905, he published the historyof Japan in 1907 and visited England as the Chief Editorof Gorakhapatra in 1908 where he was honored by Emperor Edward VII with the titleof honorary Colonelship. Jai Prithvi's magnum opus was 'Tatwa Prasamsha,' a book on Humanism inNepali which came out in 1913.

While he was working for the Humanistic Movement inNepal, the First Great War (1914-1918) broke out which shocked all humanists and plunged the whole world into chaos. As countries lost their grip on stability, a new waveof cynicism enveloped humankind to an extent never experienced before.

At a time when countries one after another were going bankruptcy and sinking into chaos, and the intellectuals were groping for values that could rescue humanity from the global morass, Jai Prithvi roused the attentionof the world to ward the needof Humanism. His movement on Humanism struck a fresh noteof peace and brought solace to humanity.

Handing over the ruleof his state to his brother he went to Nainital India in 1916 to work eight years on a manuscript in three volumes "Humanism" to propagate his ideaof world peace, unity, and brotherhood and then in 1924, he migrated to Bangalore to build the Jaya Bhavan, a residential mansion.

The first Humanistic Club was established by Jai Prithvi in 1928. His publications include Humanism, Vols. I-III, 'The Humanist' Journal, and 'The Flagof Peace,' a collectionof verses on peace. He also undertook extensive travel in Europe between 1929 and 1933 to promote the humanistic movement visiting USA, Japan, China, and almost all Asian Countries and established branchesof the Humanistic Club.

In 1935, Jai Prithvi visited Abyssinia (Ethiopia) to serve the war victims. But four years later, then Rana rulersof Nepal and British India, who were growing suspiciousof his popularity and global activism, put him under house arrest for one year where he passed away in 1940.