Page 146 - Social Studies 5

Lesson 5 OUR NATIONAL HEROES Unit 6

Objectives:

On completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
• Identify some of our national heroes.
• Describe their great deeds.

Nepal is a country of warriors. Many brave warriors have taken birth here
and spread the glory of Nepal all over the world. The bravery, courage and
patriotism they have shown in the battlefields have been praised even by
the enemy. Let’s learn about some such brave Nepalese.

Prithvi Narayan Shah

King Parithivi Narayan Shah was born in 11 January, 1723 AD (1779 BS).
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He became the King of Gorkha in 1743 AD at the age of twenty.

Nepal was divided into several principalities even during his rule in Gorkha.

Those small kingdoms were called ‘Baise’ and ‘Chaubise’ Rajya(Kingdoms)
.They were weak and poor due to frequent war. So, East India Company
(British) was also looking for an opportunity to conquer such small king-
doms. But, Clever Prithvi Narayan Shah launched unification campaign
for greater Nepal. He conquer first Nuwakot (1744 AD) and later many
principalities around Kathmandu valley.. Finally, he invaded Kathamandu
(25 Sept, 1768), Lalitpur (6 Oct,1768 ) and Bhaktapur (17 Nov,1769)
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into the greater Nepal respectively.
King Prithivi Narayan Shan himself was a brave warrior. He was not only

a farsighted leader but also a skilled organizer. He was a good political
diplomat too. His policies and ideas about nationality, self-reliance, and
foreign relations have been collected in the book called ‘Dibyopadesh’. He
had served his whole life to build the nation. He died at the age of 52 in
1775 AD. We remember him as a ‘founder of Modern Nepal’

142 Megha's Integrated Social Studies - 5