Who am I ?
How would I introduce myself at this age of 60 +… As a politician with transformative mindset? As a mother with womb-full of class, gender, ethnic, regional and marginal issues? As a grandmother with full aspiration to make the grandson as gende-sensitive and environment-sensitive as possible! And as a political wife who nudges her political husband to be a statesman! Meanwhile follow my life line to know more about myself!
My life is a rainbow of all the tendencies, being born at the heart of Kathmandu, Nepal with political family background! Around the age of 8, I was already chirpy, being the youngest among seven children I had scars on both my shins jumping, running and summersaulting (some are still with me). In Kanyamandir High School, Kathmandu I was one of the leaders who would lead bunch of my classmates to complain why teachers came late in the principal’s office.
After the death of my mother (I was then 10 yrs old) , my sister Timila Yami Thapa (www.timilayamithapa.com) takes me to Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, in India (IIT,Kanpur), where she was studying electronic engineering. I am admitted to Central School at the age of 11. Here I become jack of all trade master of non, getting certificates after certificates for being a good singer, an athlete but I was an average student. Amidst all the toppers in IITK girl’s hostel I was a girl child growing in their laps.
At the age of 16, I reach Delhi School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) in New Delhi to do bachelor of Architecture. I get cultural shock to see a hostel where girls and boys shared everything except bed and bathroom. I meet Baburam Bhattarai who introduces me to my late father Dharma Ratna Yami (www.dharmaheera.com) and mother (Heera Devi Yami) as political parents.
I eventually become not only political but get entangled into political marriage with him (1981). I become cultural secretary, treasurer and eventually general secretary of All India Nepalese Students Association. I also join Nepal Ekta Samaj, the oversea worker’s front belonging to the banned Nepal Communist Party Masal. Eventually I become a member of NCP(Masal).
At the age of 22, I come back to Kathmandu to join Institute of Engineering (IOE) as a lecturer in Pulchowk. I am elected as treasurer in Nepal Engineer’s Association (1985-87). However I am more known in street as a rebel against the king than as a lecturer. I am repeatedly arrested: in 1990 alone I am arrested thrice for being anti-monarchist. I am not allowed to be recruited as a permanent staff in IOE, under Tribhuvan University for nearly 10 years. In fact pressures came directly from the palace IOE to kick me out of the job. Luckily every time I am imprisoned it coincided with holidays. Since I did not miss my classes the authority in the institute stood by me. I am also involved in thwarting the first beauty pageant held ever in Nepal, immediately after the first Jan-andolan in 1990. I am selected as ‘woman of the year’ (1990) along with Krishna Prasad Bhattarai as a ‘man of the year’ (1990) ( who later on became the Prime Minister of Nepal in 1990) by the then prestigious and popular magazine ‘Antarashtriya Manch’.
At the age of 26, I become a mother giving birth to a daughter Manushi Yami Bhattarai. Along with my 8 years daughter I go to New Castle Upon Tyne University in UK to do Masters of International Housing Science (MIHSc) in 1993. Studying in a capitalist country UK, I became more communist when I come back to Nepal after completing my studies. I am already in touch with RIM ( Revolutionary International Movement) and Save Gonzalo movement in both London and Dusseldorf in Germany.
In 1995 I came back to Kathmandu to join my teaching in IOE Pulchowk. I again am arrested twice: I am arrested for showing black flags to Hillary Clinton when she visited Kathmandu. The second time I am arrested for fighting against dictatorial actions of ruling United Marxist Leninist Party (UML). I was elected as a President of All Nepal Woman’s Organization (Revolutionary) (1995-97), the mass front of CPN (unity center).
At the age of 37 in 1996 I go underground, leaving behind 13 years of my teaching job in IOE, joining People’s War (1996-2006). I also leave behind my daughter Manushi at the age of 10 with my sister in Kathmandu. I thus become whole timer for the first time. Within 10 years span of PW I worked as member of Prachanda’s Central Head quarter secretariat followed by being a member of Overseas Bureau of CPN (Maoist) party, a head of women’s department, a member of International Department and finally worked as the secretary of the People’s Power Consolidation Department in Rolpa, the bastion of PW. From being a district party member I rose to become a central committee member and then politburo member within the Maoist Party during 10 years of underground PW period. I along with Baburam Bhattarai and some of our comrades are taken disciplinary actions for six months when we questioned some of the dictatorial tendencies in the Party leadership. We all are disarmed and demoted to merely general party members in the year 2004. In 2006 we come over-ground after promulgation of comprehensive peace process in 2006.
At the age of 48, I become Minister of Physical Planning and Works in 2007 followed by Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation in 2008 and also followed by Minister of Land Reform and Management in 2011. In August 2011, Baburam Bhattarai becomes a Prime Minister of Nepal while I am a member of legislature.
In 2015 we leave the Maoist party to form a new party by the name Naya Shakti Nepal in which I am one of the members of head quarter. Once again in 2017, I am detained and taken to police custody after our party took demonstration in front of election commission office for denying our party symbol ‘Eye’ in order to participate in local election under the PM Prachanda. In 2020 I become vice president of the People’s Socialist Party, Nepal.
In 2020, I become a grandmother to a boy Yugeen amidst COVID epidemic period.
I started as jack of all trade when I was around 16 but now after 60’s I am trying to be jack of all trade and master on inclusive issues particularly on gender issues.
Meanwhile ……
Awards: ‘Best Sports Woman Award’, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, India 1980.
‘Woman of the year’ Antar-rashtriya Manch Patrika (International Forum magazine), Nepal 1990.
Figured in ‘Top Ten Women of Nepal’, Bimochan (Monthly Magazine), Nepal 2005
Publications:
‘Adha Akash Adha Dharti’, ed. By Hisila Yami, Sita Sharma, Durga Neupane, Prerana Mahila
Parivar , 1991.
‘Squatter settlement in Nepal’, editor, Hisila Yami, 1990
‘Adhikar: Demystification of Law for Nepali Women’, Hisila Yami, Sandhya Basnet Bhatta,
Tulsi Bhatta, Prerana Mahila Parivar, 1993.
‘Marxbad ra Mahila Mukti’, Hisila Yami and Baburam Bhattarai, Utprerak Publication, 2000.
-Second Edition, Two – Line Publication, 2006
‘People’s War and Women’s Liberation in Nepal’, Hisila Yami Purbaiya Publication 2006.
(Translated into Italian, Indian Languages) – Second Edition , Janadhwani Publication, 2007
‘Janayuddha ra Mahila Mukti’, Hisila Yami, Janadhwani Publication, 2006.
‘Hisila: From revolutionary to first lady’, Penguin Random Publication 2021
Articles Written in Many National and International Magazines.
Countries visited:
India, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Singapore, Netherland, Brussel, Luxemburg, United Kingdom, United States of America, France, Italy, Germany, Egypt, Brazil, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iran, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Vatican city, Hongkong
Timeline of Hisila Yami
1740s
The geographical unification campaign starting from 1742 from Gorkha to 1769 to Kathmandu by the king Prithvi Narayan Shah, the conquer of which lays foundations for a unified kingdom. Gajanan Bhattarai, my great great grandfather-in-law was one of the half a dozen Brahman leaders who brought Dravya Shah, the brother of king of Lamjung Narhari Shah to Lig Lig Kot in Gorkha in 1559 who started the Shah dynasty leading to formation of modern Nepali state under Prithvinarayan Shah in 1769.
1920s
Ratna Das Tuladhar, a Newar merchant my great great grandfather from my mother’s side was the supplier of goods to Maharaja Sri Teen Chandra Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana in Rana Palace.
1942
Dharma Ratna Yami (born in 1915) father of Hisila Yami got arrested for anti-Rana activities. While he was sentenced to 18 years jail term with all his properties confiscated at the same time the other four leaders: Ganga Lal Shrestha, Shukra Raj Shastri, Dasharad Chand and Dharma Bhakta Mathema were hanged to death in Kathamndu.
1948
Heera Devi Yami (Born in 1921) mother of Hisila Yami is arrested along with her eldest daughter while attending a meeting in support of democracy in Kastha Mandap in Kathamndu during Rana period.
1959, June 25
Hisila Yami, youngest of seven children, is born to Dharma Ratna Yami and Heera Devi Yami in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
1951
Jan. 1970
Mother, Heera Devi Yami dies.
1971
Hisila Yami leaves her school in Kanya Manjdir High school in Kathmandu at the age of of 12 to study in Central School, IIT Kanpur, India where her sister Timila Yami is studying electrical engineering.
Sept 1975
Father Dharma Ratna Yami dies.
1976
Hisila Yami graduated Higher Secondary from IIT Kanpur
1976
Hisila Yami joins B.Arch. in School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi.
1977
In 1977 she meets Baburam Bhattarai (her future husband) in SPA where he comes to join Town & Country planning under M.Arch. Baburam Bhattarai becomes a founder member of All India Nepalese Student’s Association (AINSA). The same year he is ellected the first president of AINSA.
1978-1979
Hisila Yami becomes a Cultural Secretary of All India Nepalese Student’s Association (AINSA).
1980-1981
Hisila Yami becomes a Treasurer of All India Nepalese Student’s Association (AINSA).
1981-82
Hisila Yami becomes communist party member by joining CPN (Masal). She becomes general secretary of Al India Nepalese Student’s Association (AINSA)
March 29,1981
Hisila and Baburam Bhattarai are married under court marriage in presence of Swami Agnivesh, crusader of Bandhuwa majdoor and Member of parliament. The turning point in my life.
1983
Hisila Yami graduated Bachelor of Architecture from School of Planning and Architecture from New Delhi
1984-6
Formed and worked in Architectural Consultancy ‘Vastuk Consultancy’. Also worked in Center for Women and development.
1985
Hisila Yami returns to Nepal to teach at Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University. Baburam Bhattarai is still pursuing his Ph.D. in Jawaharlal Nehru University.
1985-87
Hisila Yami is elected as the Treasurer in Nepal’s Engineer’s Association.
1991 Founder Member of Women Security Pressure Group.
January, 1986
Manushi Yami Bhattarai our daughter is born in Kathmandu.
January, 1986
Baburam Bhattarai completes his Ph.D. from JNU and his thesis topic is: Nature of underdevelopment and regional structure of Nepal: A Marxist analysis. He returns to Nepal to work as political activist.
March, 1990
Hisila Yami is taken to police custody for attending 8th March programme in connection with preparing for People’s Movement I. This is her first experience of police custody.
March, 1990
Hisila Yami is arrested for the second time this time sent to women’s jail for participating in seminar organized by intellectuals in TU in connection with preparing for People’s Movement I.
1990
Hisila Yami declared as the ‘woman of the Year’ and Krishna Prasad Bhattarai declared as a ‘man of the year’ by the popular magazine ‘Antarastriya Manch’.
September, 1990
Hisila Yami is arrested for the third time and sent to police custody for allegedly throwing stone on queen Aiswarya. Ironically it is the same Krishna Prasad Bhattarai who had now become Prime Minister after the formation of interim government.
1990-92
President, ‘Prerana Mahila Pariwar’.
1991
Founder member of Mahila Surakchya Dawab Samuha (Women’s Security Pressure Group)
1993
Hisila Yami goes to University of New Castle upon Tyne, in UK for Master in International Housing Science (MIHSc). The topic of the thesis: ‘Gender Issues in Housing in Nepal: the case of Ghalchowk and Madhabalia rural resettlement projects’.
1995
Completes Master of International Housing Science from University of Newcastle upon Tyne in UK.
1995
After returning from UK Hisila Yami is arrested for the fourth time and taken to police custody by UML lead government on wall episode. Baburam Bhattarai attacked by students affiliated to UML on the same incident.
1995
Hisila Yami is arrested for the fifth time and taken to police custody for showing black flag to Hillary Clinton for abetting arrest of Gujman, the Chairman of Peruvian Communist Party.
1995-97
Hisila Yami becomes president of All Nepal Women’s Association (Revolutionary).
February 1995
Hisila Yami attends the historic Third extended meeting of CPN (Unity Center) takes place in Chitwan where military plan is made to launch PW. In place of CPN (Unity Center) a new name is given to the party as Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) CPN (Maoist).
The CA holds its first meeting. The monarchy is abolished. It is declared that Nepal will have Federal Democratic Republic Constitution. Hisila Yami was participant in this historic meeting.