Hello! I'm Bome Kumari Budha Magar

Social worker, Indigenous people leader

About Me

Bome Kumari Budha Magar is a Nepalese indigenous rights activist, educator, and former politician. She was born in 1956 in Korchabang village of Rolpa District in western Nepal. Growing up in a remote Magar community, Budha Magar learned traditional skills like hand-weaving hemp cloth from her mother, whom she credits as her first teacher: “For me, my mother was a university in herself… We all learn our indigenous knowledge from our mothers.”

In an era when girls’ education was often discouraged, her mother was determined to send her to school, even taking her to a neighboring district (Dang) so she could study. This was unprecedented in their community – “At that time, society thought ‘daughters shouldn’t be educated,’ but my mother believed that if daughters study their future will be better. She insisted on educating me”. Inspired by this support, Budha Magar pursued her education against the odds.

Budha Magar made history in 1973 (2030 B.S.) by becoming the first female from Rolpa to pass the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examination.

She completed her high school at Padmodaya High School in Dang since Rolpa had no SLC exam center at the time.
After SLC, she returned to Rolpa and worked as a village schoolteacher for two years.

She continued further studies, earning an Intermediate in Education (I.Ed.) and eventually a Bachelor’s degree by 1988 (2044 B.S.).

However, her education was often interrupted by her expanding role in social and political work.
Despite the pauses, Budha Magar always valued learning. “I have always regarded education as a means to gain knowledge,” she noted in an interview.

Decades later, she fulfilled a personal dream by completing a Master’s degree in sociology from Tribhuvan University, which she achieved in 2023 at an age when most people are long past schooling.

She attended the 49th TU convocation ceremony in Kathmandu in 2023, where many initially assumed she was there as someone’s grandmother until she donned the cap and gown herself.

Budha Magar’s accomplishment as a septuagenarian graduate garnered widespread admiration – people lined up to congratulate her and take photos, inspired by her passion for learning.

She humbly remarked that she still has the desire to study more, although health issues (like Parkinson’s disease) now limit her: “I still feel like studying further, but age and health don’t permit. Yet I read and write as much as I can”.

As of 2023, she has been working on authoring a book about Magar language, culture, and history, continuing her lifelong commitment to education and cultural preservation.

Interview

Key Achievements and Milestones

  • Pioneering Educated Woman in Rolpa: Budha Magar was the first woman from Rolpa District to ever pass the SLC (high school) exam, a groundbreaking achievement in 1973 that opened doors for female education in her community.
  • She recalls that when she passed SLC, it created even more buzz than her recent Master’s degree, underscoring how rare educated women were in Rolpa at the time.
  • First Magar Woman in Parliament: In the early 1980s, during Nepal’s Panchayat era, Budha Magar became a member of the national legislature. She served as a Member of the Rastriya Panchayat (National Parliament) from 1982 to 1986, making her the first Magar woman to serve in Nepal’s   parliament.
  • She was nominated from Rapti Zone in the 1981 general election cycle and served a four-year term, an extraordinary representation for indigenous women in governance at that time.
  • Her role in the Rastriya Panchayat gave her a platform to advocate for social change and indigenous rights at the national level.
  • Political and Social Leadership: After the end of the Panchayat regime, Budha Magar briefly joined the Samajik Loktantrik Party (Social Democratic Party) in the early 1990s.
  • However, when that party split, she shifted focus away from party politics and dedicated herself to community and cultural activism.
  • She became the founding President of the Nepal Magar Women’s Association, leading initiatives to uplift indigenous Magar women.
  • She also served as President of the Athara Magarat Magar Association, an organization devoted to preserving Magar culture and the heritage of the Athara Magarat region (the historical homeland of the Magar people).
  • Through these roles, Budha Magar worked on grassroots projects in Rolpa and beyond, promoting indigenous language, education, and cultural preservation.
  • Academic Achievement as a Senior Student: In 2023, Budha Magar completed her Master of Arts in Sociology from Tribhuvan University – an achievement that received national attention because of her age and determination. At 72 years old, she stood among thousands of young graduates at the convocation, defying age stereotypes.
  • Her story was celebrated as an inspiration that it’s never too late to pursue education. She had actually begun the MA program 14 years earlier and persevered despite failing some exams along the way, eventually completing her thesis and coursework. This dedication exemplifies her lifelong learning ethos.
  • Chairperson of Ethnographic Museum: Budha Magar served as the chairperson (President) of the Nepal National Ethnographic Museum in the 2010s. In this capacity, she worked to preserve and showcase the diverse cultural heritage of Nepal’s ethnic groups. For example, in 2015 she represented the museum at a national photo exhibition on Kirat traditional dresses. Her involvement with the museum highlights her commitment to cultural documentation and education.
  • Author and Scholar of Indigenous Culture: Alongside activism, Budha Magar has contributed as a writer and researcher. She has published several books and articles focusing on Magar culture, language, and identity – with a particular emphasis on the role of indigenous women. She is regarded as a culturist and historian for the Magar community, often speaking about topics such as the origin of the Magars and their traditionsmireinrothablogspotcom-mirein.blogspot.com. Even in her later years, as mentioned, she is working on a new book about Magar society. Her scholarly contributions have helped document indigenous knowledge for future generations.
  • Role Model and Inspiration: Through these milestones, Budha Magar has become a role model for many. Younger generations in her village and beyond look up to “Buju” (grandmother) – even her own grandson, popular comedian Khadga Bahadur Pun Magar, publicly congratulated her for her master’s degree, expressing pride in her trailblazing journey from the first SLC girl in Rolpa to an MA graduate decades later. Budha Magar often encourages others to never stop learning, no matter the age or obstacles: “You must make time if you truly wish to study,” she tells those who say they feel inspired by her late academic pursuits.