Kolkata-born Shumsher Rana is Nepal's new envoy to India

Kolkata-born Rukma Shumsher Rana, who received his early education at Doon School, will be Nepal's new Ambassador to India, filling a post that was vacant for about one year.

The son of Nepali Congress's founder leader Subarna Shumsher Rana, Rukma was officially appointed as the new envoy by president Ram Baran Yadav yesterday following a recommendation of the Council of Ministers.

Born in Calcutta on March 12, 1936, when his father was in exile in India, Rana got education from Prince of Wales and Doon School, Milfield School, and St Xavier's College in Darjeeling. He also has an MA degree in History from Calcutta University.

Rana, who assumes the post that fell vacant when the then Maoist government recalled Durgesh Man Sigh, a Nepali Congress appointee, will join office within 2-3 weeks period.

As the Ambassador to India, Rana, a former member secretary of Nepal Sports Council, said he would focus on developing better sporting relations between the two nations.

Rana said he would also work for further strengthening and expanding the traditionally friendly relations and to develop better economic ties between Nepal and India.

"India is much advanced in sports as compared to Nepal and we want to learn and share experience from Indian players by developing good relations among the sportsmen of the two countries," he said. Rana was also the President of Nepal Olympic  Committee and executive member of Asian Olympic Committee.

His father Subarna Shumsher was deputy prime minister and finance minister in BP Koirala's government in 1959-60.

He was associated with the 'Mukti Sena' which fought against the then Rana regime in Nepal and had to spend years in exile in India. Subarna also served as President of Nepali Congress and died in Kolkata in 1977 during his exile.

Rana's wife Ishori also has an MA degree from Beneras University.

Rana said, he would also work to bring more Indian investments to Nepal.

"The recently signed Trade Treaty between Nepal and India provides great opportunity to Nepal and I would concentrate on implementing it effectively and also try to overcome difficulties that may arise while implementing it," he added.

The post of Indian envoy to Nepal was lying vacant since November last year when the then Maoist government recalled Durgesh Man Sigh, a Nepali Congress appointee.

The Prachanda-led Maoist government had named economist Chandra Kanta Poudel as the new envoy to New Delhi but before he could get endorsement, the government fell.