Sushila Koirala

Sushila Koirala (Nepali: सुशीला कोइराला; 1923 – 13 July 2007)

Sushila Koirala
was a Nepalese classical dancer and theater director. She was the
spouse of B. P. Koirala, the first ever democratically elected prime
minister of Nepal. She was known for her contribution towards
Nepali art, theatre, and girls’ empowerment; and for backstopping
in democratic activities during the critical and raw era of social
change and politics in Nepal.[1][2]

Contents
Personal life
Career
Legacy
Honour and accolades Sushila Koirala
See also Spouse of the prime minister of
Nepal
References
In office
27 May 1959 – 15 December 1960
Personal life Monarch King Mahendra
Prime Minister B. P. Koirala
Sushila Koirala was born in 1923 in Kapilvastu in Lumbini,
Nepal. She married B. P. Koirala in 1936 and went to Biratnagar. Personal details
She attended and completed school level education there in Born Sushila Dahal
Biratngar. Later she studied at Banaras Hindu University in 1923
Banaras in India. She also studied Bharatnatyam and Kathak, Kapilvastu
major two forms of Indian classical dance there in India. Sushila Municipality,
Koirala was also trained in Manipuri dance. Her husband B. P.
Lumbini Province,
Koirala has described her as "young and slim" in his
Kingdom of Nepal
autobiography entitled Atmabrittanta, and has added that she
survived kala-azar.[1] Died 13 July 2007
(aged 83–84)
Sushila Koirala died on 13 July 2007 in Kathmandu, Nepal.[2] Kathmandu, Nepal
Political party Nepali Congress
Career Spouse B. P. Koirala (m.
1936 – 1982; his
Sushila Koirala has always believed that art, dance and music are death)
Universal languages that unite everything and everyone around. In
1959, her husband had become the Prime Minister but she was Children Prakash Koirala
never comfortable with the trappings of power around her. Rather, (son)
she decided to open a dance institute in Biratnagar and established Shashanka Koirala
a dance centre at her home there. Which was possibly the first (son)
classical dance centre in Nepal. She would visit her husband in Shreeharsh
Kathmandu casually only during the necessity of her presence as Koirala (son)
the first lady of the country. It is said that, once the then royal
Chetana Koirala
couple of Nepal asked her why she was not in Kathmandu acting
(daughter)
as the hostess to her Prime Minister husband, and she responded
saying she had to give time to her dance center in Biratnagar.[3] Parent Kamal Prasad
Dahal (Father)
When Sushila Koirala was in Patna in India during 1950s, she
actively worked to establish a performing art institution there too. Relatives Koirala family
She and her friends like Hari Uppal collected donation fund by Alma mater Banaras Hindu
door to door campaign to establish Bhartiya Nritya Kala Mandir University
there in Patna. They laid the foundation stone for the building of
the institution in 1950. The institution was later got fully established and opened in 1963 when Koirala was
facing the consequences of political crisis in Nepal.[3][1]

Sushila Koirala made use of her dancing skills to earn money for the family during difficult times of her
husband's imprisonment after 15 December 1960.[1]

Legacy
Sushila Koirala was passionate about dancing and she always wanted to open an art academy in Nepal.
Koirala's granddaughter-in-law Yulia, opened Sushila Arts Academy named after her in Kathmandu.[4]

Theatre group Aarohan Gurukul has named one of its theatre halls in Biratnagar as Sushila Koirala Theater
on her honour. She was the first ever theatre director from the city. She had directed the play Ma by
Balkrishna Sama in the year 1951.[5][6]

Honour and accolades

In 2007, Sushila Koirala was honoured with the Gangadevi Chaudhari Memorial Honor for "her
contribution in women empowerment and awareness".[4][3]

See also
B. P. Koirala
Girija Prasad Koirala
Manisha Koirala

References
1. Singh, Rishi (14 July 2007). "Obituary: Sushila Koirala: A 'courteous' lady who was also
'beautiful' " (https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/obituary-sushila-koirala-a-ae%cb%9c
courteousae-lady-who-was-also-ae%cb%9cbeautifulae). The Himalayan Times. Archived (h
ttps://web.archive.org/web/20210624120233/https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/obit
uary-sushila-koirala-a-ae%CB%9Ccourteousae-lady-who-was-also-ae%CB%9Cbeautifula
e) from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
2. "- Nepali Times" (http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=13771). Nepali Times.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20210624155050/http://archive.nepalitimes.com/new
s.php?id=13771) from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
 3. "Sushila Arts Academy" (https://www.sushilaartsacademy.com/about).
www.sushilaartsacademy.com.
4. Singh, Rishi (20 May 2007). "Sushila Koirala honoured" (https://thehimalayantimes.com/kath
mandu/sushila-koirala-honoured). The Himalayan Times. Archived (https://web.archive.org/
web/20170311223931/http://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/sushila-koirala-honoured/)
from the original on 11 March 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
5. "Sushila Koirala Theatre (Aarohan Gurukul)" (https://nitfest.org/2019/venue/aarohan-biratna
gar/).
6. Rijal, Shiva (June 2015). "JOURNEY TO THE MARKET PLACE: CONTEMPORARY
NEPALI THEATRE IN A CROSSROAD". Studies in Nepali History and Society. Martin
Chautari: 169–187. ISSN 1025-5109 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1025-5109).

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