British billionaire businessman, politician, author and philanthropist Lord Michael Ashcroft returned to the UK on Sunday after completing his four-day visit to Pokhara. He landed at Pokhara International Airport via Malta and Singapore on his private plane last Thursday and returned home on Sunday afternoon after an 11-hour direct flight. This is the first non-stop private flight from Pokhara to the UK.

He landed at Pokhara Airport at 7:25 am on Thursday along with two crew members and stayed at Hotel Landmark in Lakeside. The crew members stayed at the Bar Peepal Resort. During his stay in Pokhara, he visited the Gorkha Memorial Museum located next to the British Gorkha Camp.

Having had a deep connection with the history of Gorkha bravery for decades, he visited the museum and spoke about the bravery spread across the world by the Gorkha soldiers and expressed his respect for their sacrifice and dedication. He spent a long time observing the historical materials and medals in the museum. Before that, he had also gone on a trek in the Armala area of ​​Pokhara in coordination with the British camp.

Ending his four-day Pokhara stay, he left for London on Sunday. His private jet, a Dassault Falcon 7X, took off from Pokhara International Airport at 2:25 pm and landed in London 11 hours later, said Jasudha Regmi, the airport's information officer. The three-engine, state-of-the-art aircraft can fly up to 5,900 nautical miles without stopping.

The distance from Pokhara to London is about 7,300 kilometers, and Regmi said that the aircraft will complete the journey in 11 hours. He said that the movement of such high-capacity jets to Pokhara is a testament to the technical capability of Nepal's airport infrastructure.

Collector of more than 200 'Victoria Crosses'

The relationship between him and the Gurkha soldiers is very old and respectful. He is the largest private collector of the 'Victoria Cross', the highest British medal awarded for gallantry in the world. His collection includes more than 200 Victoria Crosses, many of which were awarded by Gurkha soldiers for their unparalleled courage during various world wars and military campaigns.

His collection contains some of the most important Gurkha medals, which reflect the global contribution of the Nepali soldier. The Victoria Cross awarded to Gaje Ghale, who showed indomitable courage on the Burma front in World War II, is an important part of the Scroft collection. He also preserves the medal of Agan Singh Rai, who showed extraordinary bravery in Burma in 1944.

The medal of Colonel John Duncan Grant of the Gurkha Rifles, who showed bravery during the Tibet Campaign of 1904, is also in the Scroft collection. He also has the Victoria Cross of General George Nicholas Channer of the 1st Gurkha Regiment, who showed bravery in the Malayan Campaign of 1875. He collected these medals not only for personal decoration but also to keep the history of bravery alive. He plans to make these medals, which have been on display at the Imperial War Museum in London for 15 years, public through the new Lord Ascroft Medal Collection.

Who is Lord Michael Ascroft?

Lord Ascroft, 79, is a multifaceted figure who is among the top wealthiest people in Britain. He is known as a politician, businessman, author and philanthropist.

He is a former deputy leader and treasurer of the British Conservative Party. He is currently active as a member of the British Privy Council. The Privy Council is an advisory body to the British royal family, in which only former ministers and high-ranking people are appointed.

He is the chairman of Waterloo Investment Holdings and a director of various multinational companies. His business empire spans various sectors, from security services, finance and construction. He was ranked at the top of the Sunday Times Rich List in Britain.

The author of 31 popular books on politics and heroism, Scroft has given high priority to the bravery of the Gurkha soldiers in his book ‘Victoria Cross Heroes’ and other works of military history. His books contain detailed research and personal stories, which bring military history to life.

In 2013, he signed the ‘Giving Pledge’, announcing that he would spend more than half of his wealth on charity. This pledge is associated with the world’s top billionaires such as Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. He is also the founder of ‘Crimestoppers’, an organization that has been playing an important role in crime control in the UK. He and his family have been supporting various programs of the Gurkha Welfare Trust, which supports the education and health of Gurkha soldiers and their families.

He is not limited to collecting medals only. He has played an important role in the social and economic rehabilitation of ex-servicemen, working as a special representative of the British Prime Minister. His philanthropic work also includes Gurkha veterans.

He has run various welfare programs for ex-Gurkha soldiers and their families living in Nepal in collaboration with the Gorkha Welfare Trust. This includes education, health care and financial assistance. The royalties from his books are often spent on charitable work. He is also an opinion pollster. The political surveys he conducts are considered reliable worldwide.

Promoting Pokhara among spending tourists

During his visit to Pokhara, he shared a beautiful photo of Machhapuchhre Himal on social media X on Friday and wrote ‘Good Morning from Nepal’.

His post also contributes significantly to the promotion of Pokhara at the international level, says Pokhara Tourism Council Secretary-General Jeevanraj Sapkota. ‘Such social media promotion can take Pokhara to the global stage,’ he says, ‘When an influential person like Scroft praises the natural beauty of Nepal, it also attracts other expensive tourists.’

He believes that the visit of a high-ranking figure like Lord Scroft after Pokhara was declared the tourism capital will greatly help Nepal’s ‘luxury’ tourism.’ He says, ‘The fact that he can fly directly to Pokhara by private jet and take an 11-hour direct flight from here has sent a message that it is a safe and convenient destination for other wealthy people in the world.’