History of Shiva Kumar Rai in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: April 2, 2026

Shiva Kumar Rai (1919-1995) was a prominent Nepali language writer and politician hailing from Darjeeling, India. His literary contributions were recognized with the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1978 for his short story collection, *Khaharey*. Beyond his writing, Rai was a significant political figure, notably becoming the first Gorkha minister in West Bengal after serving as a deputy minister starting in 1952. He bridged the worlds of literature and politics, leaving a lasting impact on the Gorkha community and the region.

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April 1919: Birth

On April 26, 1919, Shiva Kumar Rai was born in Rhenock, Sikkim. His father, Dhojbir Rai, was a postmaster.

1919: Birth Year

In 1919, Shiva Kumar Rai was born. He would later become a Nepali language writer and politician from Darjeeling, India.

1937: Metric Examination

In 1937, Shiva Kumar Rai passed his metric examination.

1939: B.A. Completion

In 1939, Shiva Kumar Rai completed his B.A. from St. Joseph's College, Darjeeling.

1941: Graduation

In 1941, Shiva Kumar Rai graduated from St. Xavier's College, Kolkata.

1942: Secretary of Burma Saranarthi Mukti Samiti

In 1942, Shiva Kumar Rai became a secretary of Burma Saranarthi Mukti Samiti, a committee set up for helping the Burmese refugees of World War II.

1944: First Story Published

In 1944, Shiva Kumar Rai's first story titled Prakriti Putri was published in Sharda journal.

1948: Elected as an MLA

In 1948, Shiva Kumar Rai was elected as an MLA from the erstwhile Jorebungalow constituency to the West Bengal Assembly.

1952: Deputy Labour Minister

From 1952 to 1957, Shiva Kumar Rai was the Deputy Labour Minister of West Bengal.

1956: Frontier Published

In 1956, Shiva Kumar Rai's landmark book Frontier, a collection of stories, was published.

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1957: Dak Bangla Published

In 1957, Shiva Kumar Rai's famous novel Dak Bangla was published.

1957: End of Term as Deputy Labour Minister

In 1957, Shiva Kumar Rai's term as the Deputy Labour Minister of West Bengal came to an end.

1969: Ratnashri Award

In 1969, Shiva Kumar Rai's story Chaata won the prestigious Ratnashri Award in Nepal.

1978: Sahitya Academy Award

In 1978, Shiva Kumar Rai won the Sahitya Academy Award for his short story collection Khaharey.

1994: Agam Singh Giri Smriti Puraskaar

In 1994, Shiva Kumar Rai was awarded the Agam Singh Giri Smriti Puraskaar by the Sikkim Sahitya Parishad and was felicitated by the Nepali Sahitya Sammelan, Darjeeling.