Bahadur Singh Baral

Captain Bahadur Singh Baral (15 April 1892 – 16 October 1962) was a Nepali national poet^[1][2] and a military officer. He served as a subedar-major and honorary captain in the 2nd battalion of the First Gorkha Rifle of the British Indian Army.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]}

He is known to have provided financial supports to the top Nepali Congress leaders, including late BP Koirala, during the 1951 revolution against the autocratic Rana regime in Nepal.^[3][4]

He is also known for his contributions to Nepali literature. He wrote several poems which comprise "Baral ko Asu", a poem book written by him.^[8] It consists of poems of religion, patriotism, equality, social reforms, and the bravery of the Gorkhalis.

Originally hailing from then Palpa (now Nawalpur) district,^[3][4][8][9] both Baral and his father were subedar-majors in the Second Battalion of the First Gorkha Rifle in the British Indian Army, which Baral had commandeered in World War II.

Directly commissioned as a Jamdar in the 2nd battalion of the 1st Gorkha Rifles on June 16, 1913, Baral rose to the rank of subedar major.^[6][8]

After exhibiting 'valor' in WWI, Baral was decorated with the 'Member of Victorian Order (MVO)' and 'Order of British India (OBI)'.^{[3][4][5][7][8]}

Baral retired in 1935.^[6] Following his retirement, from 1935 to 1939, he was the president of All India Gorkha Association, in addition to the president of Gorkha Dhoghabhet-Satsang Pracharini Sabha.^[3][4][8][9]

After the onset of WWII, he rejoined military service. He retired in 1952. During this time period, he was conferred the rank of an ‘honorary captain’.^[3][4][7][8]

He is the author of the book Baral ko Ansu.^[6][8][9] It was republished in 1932, 1933, 1935, 1936, and 1938. A new edition was published in 1993 by his son Khadgajeet Baral, and again on 2013, edited by Dr. Khagendra P. Luitel, head of the Nepali Department of Tribhuvan University.^[3][6]

Bahadur Singh had helped contributing to the establishment of the Guru Gorakhnath Temple in Bhagsu, Dari in Dharamshala, District Kangra, Himachal Pradesh in India.^{[5][6][7][8][9]}