When Dawa Prasad Pant held the positions of Minister of State for Finance, Minister of Finance and Minister of Water Resources, I had the opportunity to work with him for a long time as his private secretary. I fulfilled that duty honestly in mind, word and deed. I learned a lot from working closely with that multi-talented intellectual personality. He had the habit of taking decisions only after in-depth study of the subject, reflection and finding out the real situation.

While serving as a public servant and even after his retirement, his simple life, friendly behavior, determination and dedication to the nation continue to inspire me to do something. Today, on the occasion of his birth centenary, I have considered it my duty to share some experiences as a tribute. 

A multi-talented person

Dr. Pant, who had a simple nature, a simple life and a modest personality, completed his doctorate at the age of 29. While involved in teaching, planning and development, at the age of 36, he became the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and then the Secretary of Finance and became the Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank. After becoming the Governor, he became the Ambassador to Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand in 2031.

And, in 2036, the Chairman of the Economic Commission. He was also the first Nepali to be nominated by the government to serve for two years in the then organization under the United Nations, ICAF (now ESCAP). He worked continuously in the fields of teaching, administration, and diplomacy for 27 years from 2008 to 2037 and the rest of his life in politics and social service. He has published more than a dozen books, more than 300 articles, and research papers in national and international journals related to economics.

During the economic-administrative reforms, he was mainly active in on-site inspection and monitoring to reduce the negative impact of objective budgeting, classification in preparation and implementation, simplification in the disbursement process, and centralized process. He also started the practice of preparing an economic survey and submitting it annually to the Legislative Assembly (then National Panchayat).

Firm in decision

During the budget formulation for the fiscal year 2040/041, a team including the Finance Secretary, Special Officer, Joint Secretaries, Economic Advisors, and experts prepared the budget. Finance Minister Dr. Pant was a regular participant in it. Only a few days were left for the Finance Minister to present the budget in the National Panchayat. On the instructions of Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Finance, including the Finance Minister, the Minister of Panchayat and Local Development, and the Minister of Industry and Commerce to discuss political and programmatic aspects.

After the presentation of the budget policy, format, and program, other ministers suggested mainly political, constituency, and distribution-oriented allocation during the discussion. Finance Minister Pant listened patiently to everything. The Finance Minister did not agree to change the budget format and allocation that had been prepared internally by himself. He made it clear that he could not change the budget format prepared based on the country's overall economic indicators, income-expenditure situation, economic stability, and implementation capacity. Other ministers were not satisfied with the Finance Minister's answer. However, after the Finance Minister firmly explained the budget format to the Prime Minister by depicting the overall economic situation, the same budget was presented to the National Panchayat.

He was a personality who considered the national interest paramount, regardless of personal interests. After presenting the budget, he left the government in Ashar 2040.

Remembering another incident,

In 1966, India devalued the Indian rupee by 36 percent. Later, the Nepalese currency was revalued against the Indian one in the same ratio, and the Nepalese rupee was fixed at 1.01 from 1.60. Dr. Pant was the Finance Secretary at that time. To minimize the negative impact of the revaluation, the exchange rate reached 1.45 rupees during his tenure, and later it was fixed at 1.60. The same exchange rate is still the same. 

Dissatisfaction with politics 

Pant, who entered politics as a nominated member of the Rastriya Panchayat in Asad 2037, was elected as the Rastriya Panchayat member from Nawalparasi by a large majority in Jestha 2043. He became a founding member of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and worked as its vice-president for 3 years and treasurer for 6 years.

When he was the Minister of Water Resources, implementing the project and when he was the Minister of Finance, preparing the budget, he resigned from the Finance Minister in 2040 and the Minister of Water Resources in 2045 after the decision was not favorable due to pressure from the power center of that time. Even after receiving advance information that he would have to leave the post, he always remained in a normal mood with a smile. An economist, firm in faith and belief, a skilled administrator, a successful diplomat, an honest politician, a hard-working and nationalist - Dr. Pant. Dr. Pant, who had spent about two decades in politics due to the distortions of Nepali politics and the deviations of society, had recently become disillusioned with politics. 

Family culture

Dr. Pant's family culture was - religion, charity, social service and spirituality. Even after entering politics, he was dedicated to serving the poor, helpless, miserable and disabled. His family was blessed with honesty, good manners and education. 

When he was a minister, his salary, including the salary he received from the government, the amount received for the expenses of his personal secretariat, and the salary to be paid to the employees of his personal secretariat, was spent on financial assistance.

At the end of the month, after submitting the details of the expenses, if there was excess expenditure, he would receive a refund from the minister and if there was any surplus, the balance would be transferred to the next month. The minister's salary was also used to help the poor and needy. This type of assistance was provided to the sadhus from Mechi to Mahakali and from Banaras, Ayodhya, Siliguri to Badrinath, especially for the travel expenses of the sadhus attending various religious programs and during Shivaratri.

My own reference

In Ashar 2032 BS, the government had posted all the service entrants who had studied commerce and mathematics among the candidates who had passed the Civil Service Branch Officer (Gazetted Third Class) examination from the Public Service Commission to the Accounts Group of the Civil Service. Since I also studied commerce, I was posted as an accounts officer. After working as an accounts officer for four years in the Geological Survey Department (now the Department of Mines) and the Department of Botany, I was transferred to the Ministry of Finance as a branch officer in 2036 BS. As new officer-level posts were created in the district land revenue offices under the Ministry of Finance during the reform of revenue administration, I was among those transferred to the Ministry of Finance in large numbers from other ministries. 

As I am the only son of an elderly mother at home, I was not in a position to go outside the valley for family reasons. I had requested the higher officials of the Ministry of Finance for a posting in the ministry. I did not know Dr. Panta before. At that time, the Deputy Secretary of the Administration Branch and the Minister's Private Secretary, Hemmehar Shrestha, felt my family difficulties and made me meet him. After Minister Pant carefully understood my difficulties, I was posted to the Ministry of Finance and I started working in his private secretariat. I worked with his closeness, love, affection and trust for a long time. I feel that I have done everything with honesty.

I worked as Dr. Pant's private secretary when he was the Minister of State for Finance, Minister of Finance and Minister for Water Resources. Since morning, there was a rush to meet the minister at his residence and in the afternoon at his office. It was not easy to manage time due to the discussions with representatives of domestic and foreign organizations, ministers, honorable members, high-ranking officials, and the general public, as well as participation in public programs that were scheduled at the office. His priority was to increase public relations by meeting the district residents and the general public and taking their opinions, advice, and suggestions. For a successful and happy family, the exemplary example of cordial relationship, understanding, and love of Dr. Pant and his wife Ramadevi Pant was clearly visible in their family.