Jhala Nath Khanal Age, Caste, Wife, Children, Family, Biography

Bio/Wiki
Profession	Politician
Known for	Being the 35th Prime Minister of Nepal
Physical Stats
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Salt & Pepper
Politics
Political Party	• CPN (Unified Socialist) (2021–present) • CPN (UML) (until 2018; 2021) • Nepal Communist Party (2018–2021)
Political Journey	• 1997–1998: Minister for Information and Communication • 28 May 2008-14 October 2017: Member of Constituent Assembly • 2009-2014: Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) • 6 February 2011-29 August 2011: 35th Prime Minister of Nepal • 4 March 2018-18 September 2022: Member of Parliament (Pratinidhi Sabha)
Personal Life
Date of Birth	20 May 1950 (Saturday)
Age (as of 2025)	75 Years
Birthplace	Sakhejung, Ilam, Nepal
Zodiac sign	Taurus
Nationality	Nepalese
Hometown	Ilam, Nepal
College/University	Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Educational Qualification	Postgraduation in Political Science
Religion	Hinduism
Caste	Brahmin
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Married
Family
Wife/Spouse	Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar
Children	Son- Nirvik Chitrakar Khanal (Deputy General Secretary of Youth Federation Nepal)
Siblings	6

Some Lesser Known Facts About Jhala Nath Khanal

• After completing his formal education, Jhala Nath Khanal joined the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist) and served as its General Secretary from 1982 to 1986.

• After that, he was appointed as a member of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).

• In 1990 and 2006, Jhala Nath Khanal participated in the pro-democracy protests against the monarchy, which was abolished in 2008.
  

  An old picture of Jhala Nath Khanal during a protest

• In 1997, he was appointed Minister of Information and Communication in the coalition government led by Surya Bahadur Thapa.

• In 2008, Jhala Nath Khanal contested the Constituent Assembly election and won from the Ilam 1 constituency.

• From 2008 to February 2009, he served as the General Secretary of the CPN (UML).

• On 16 February 2009, Jhala Nath Khanal was elected Chairman of the CPN (UML).

• After Madhav Kumar Nepal resigned in June 2010, Madhav led a temporary government for about eight months from July 2010 to February 2011.

• During these months, 16 rounds of voting were conducted, but no party gained a majority and failed to elect a new Prime Minister.

• Before the elections, Jhala Nath Khanal said in a parliamentary speech that Nepal’s leaders must unite to strengthen the progress. He said,
  

  It was crucial for political leaders to consolidate the progress made since Nepal’s 10-year civil conflict between Maoist guerrillas and the army ended in 2006.”

• After that, during a media conversation, he claimed that under his leadership as a Prime Minister, his party would draft a new national constitution. He said,
  

  We must move ahead very quickly or once again be plunged into crisis. Parliament’s main task is to draft the new national constitution and I can assure you that we will achieve that under my party’s leadership of the next government.”

• On 3 February 2011, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, a Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) candidate, withdrew his candidacy and started supporting Khanal.

• On 3 February 2011, Jhala Nath Khanal was elected Prime Minister by the Constituent Assembly after seven months of political deadlock.

• He won the election with 368 votes in the 601-member parliament.

  

  Jhala Nath Khanal after being elected Prime Minister of Nepal

• His rivals Ram Chandra Poudel of Nepali Congress got 122 votes, and Bijay Kumar Gachhedar of Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum (Loktantrik) got 67 votes.

• Jhala Nath Khanal became the third Prime Minister of Nepal after it became a federal democratic republic in 2008.

  

  Jhala Nath Khanal during the oath-taking ceremony on 6 February 2011

• After completing six months in the office, he resigned from his position on 29 August 2011.

• The reason for resignation was the failure of the parties to agree on drafting the constitution and completing the peace process during a new political crisis.

• The extended deadline of the Constituent Assembly ended on 31 August 2011.

• The Nepali Congress and Madhesi parties demanded his resignation as he failed to complete the tasks.

• His party leaders advised him to resign to protect the party’s image.

• On 9 September 2025, during the Gen Z protests in Nepal, various media outlets reported that his wife, Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar, had been killed in a fire after protesters set their home on fire in Dallu, Kathmandu.

• However, two days later, it was announced that she was alive and had sustained burns from the incident. ^[1]India Today