Several years ago some of my Nepali friends and pupils suggested that an attempt might be made to persuade Maharaja Juddha Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana, and the then Prime Minister of Nepal to agree to the prepa- ration of a volume dealing with his life and work and the administrative measures intro- duced by him during his reign. He readily agreed to this venture.
The Maharaja was a remarkable man in more ways than one. A great soldier, statesman and administrator, he loved his people and did his best to pro- mote their welfare. His heart bled for Nepal and he considered no sacrifice too great for its welfare. This was brought out at the time of the earthquake when the Maharaja pro- vided succour and solace to the victims of the terrible disaster. Ever since he assumed the reins of office, he devoted himself to the study of the problems of the administration in its varied aspects and dedicated his whole self to the task of devising measures to advance his country’s interests. He easily gave his permission to collect materials for the book.
The various departments of His Majesty’s Government were requested to furnish the information and every effort has been made to collect authentic facts about the administrative achievements of the Ma- haraja and measures taken by him to advance and promote the progress and the prosperity of Nepal. Every measure that he devised bore the impress of his genius in addition to his first hand knowledge and experience of the administration.
The Maharaja was not a highly educated person in the modern sense of the term, but he had the opportunity of working under his brothers, all very capable persons who were desirous of making Nepal a progressive and modern country. The present volume contains an account of the life and career of Maharaja Juddha Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana of Nepal
