Ashok Rai has been appointed as the new Minister of Education, Science, and Technology. The ministry has been the focus of attention since the exit of the Nepal Rastriya Swatantra Party (NRSP) after the Rabi Lamichhane controversy. Before Rai's appointment, Shishir Khanal had been appointed the Education, Science, and Technology Minister in the newly elected government led by the NRSP. However, Khanal's tenure was short-lived, and he stepped down following the NRSP's exit.
Who is Ashok Rai?
Mr. Rai, a graduate of Hatishar Campus in Dharan, has been actively involved in politics since his student days. After completing his studies in political science in 2048, he delved deeper into politics and joined the Pushpalal group.
Mr. Rai's political journey started when he joined the Coordination Center in 2033, and since then, he has held several positions in different political parties. He served as the under-secretary of the eastern regional bureau in 2036 and became a central member of the party in 2046. Mr. Rai joined the UML party with Bamdev Gautam in 2054 and became a standing committee member in 2059. He rose through the ranks and became the UML vice-chairman in 2065.
His political career also saw him serve as a Transport Minister in the first communist government led by Manmohan Adhikari in 2051. He also served as the Parliamentary Affairs Minister during the tenure of Lokendra Bahadur Chand in 2053 and as the Health Minister in the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government in 2061.
