Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa
Encyclopedia
The Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa opened in 1943, the first ever organization of businesses formed by Nepalese
traders based in the Tibetan capital. The Newar
merchants conducted trade between Lhasa
and Kolkata
transporting goods over the Himalaya by mule caravan. The chamber of commerce
worked to promote trade and coordinated among its members to set uniform prices for their merchandise besides lobbying with the government for business-friendly policy.
and the secretary was Purna Kaji Tamrakar
.
The Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa closed down after a year. It was revived in 1947 with Tri Ratna Man Tuladhar, of the business house of Chhusingsyar, as president.
during his first visit to Nepal in 1957. In 1960, during Premier Zhou Enlai's second visit, the chamber held a reception programme in his honor on April 26.
The Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa and its Kathmandu office shut down in the mid-1960s when the traditional trade came to an end after the trade route through Sikkim
was closed by the Sino-Indian War
.
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
traders based in the Tibetan capital. The Newar
Newar
The Newa , Newār or Newāl) are the indigenous people and the creators of the historical civilization of Nepal's Kathmandu Valley. The valley and surrounding territory have been known from ancient times as Nepal Mandala, its limits ever changing through history.Newas have lived in the Kathmandu...
merchants conducted trade between Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
and Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
transporting goods over the Himalaya by mule caravan. The chamber of commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
worked to promote trade and coordinated among its members to set uniform prices for their merchandise besides lobbying with the government for business-friendly policy.
History
The first president of the chamber of commerce was Gyan Ratna TuladharTuladhar
Tuladhar is a caste from the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The name Tuladhar is derived from the Sanskrit words tula and dhar , thus meaning scale-bearer or in general, merchant. Tuladhars belong to the Uray group which includes Kansakar, Tamrakar, Sthapit, Bania, Sindurakar,...
and the secretary was Purna Kaji Tamrakar
Tamrakar
Tamrakar is a caste from the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The name Tamrakar is derived from the Sanskrit words "tamra", meaning copper, and "aakar", meaning shape or to give shape....
.
The Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa closed down after a year. It was revived in 1947 with Tri Ratna Man Tuladhar, of the business house of Chhusingsyar, as president.
Kathmandu office
An office of the Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa was opened in Kathmandu in 1952. The chamber gave a reception to welcome Chinese Premier Zhou EnlaiZhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976...
during his first visit to Nepal in 1957. In 1960, during Premier Zhou Enlai's second visit, the chamber held a reception programme in his honor on April 26.
The Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa and its Kathmandu office shut down in the mid-1960s when the traditional trade came to an end after the trade route through Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
was closed by the Sino-Indian War
Sino-Indian War
The Sino-Indian War , also known as the Sino-Indian Border Conflict , was a war between China and India that occurred in 1962. A disputed Himalayan border was the main pretext for war, but other issues played a role. There had been a series of violent border incidents after the 1959 Tibetan...
.
Further reading
- Red China Hinders Nepal-Tibet Trade. The New York Times, 2 October 1960.
- Bhasin, A.S. (1970) "Speech of Mr. Chou En-lai at a reception hosted by the Nepalese Chamber of Commerce (Lhasa), Kathmandu, April 26, 1960 (Excerpts)" Documents on Nepal's relations with India and China, 1949-66. Page 263.
- Jain, Rajendra Kumar (ed.) (1981) "Premier B.P. Koirala's interview to Wilson, correspondent of Far Eastern Economic Review 26 May 1960 (Extract)" Volume 2 of China South Asian Relations, 1947-1980. Page 326.