A person of high integrity who placed the values of law and justice above all, Mohan Prasad Sharma, a former Supreme Court chief justice, passed away at his Kamalpokhari residence on January 19. He was 88. In his almost 40-year-long career in law, Sharma was credited for working tirelessly to establish an independent judiciary.

Born to a middle-class family in Kamalpokhari, Kathmandu, Sharma was a dedicated student from the start. For him education was important and he prioritized his studies above all else. He found himself interested in law during his student years and aspired to leave a mark in the field.

Sharma joined a government office in 1959 when he was 25. After two years in the job, in 1961, he entered Singhadurbar as a section officer at the Ministry of Law and Justice. He became a governmental lawyer and, after that, the regional judge of the Appellate court (High Court). He then became the main justice of the Appellate court, and later a judge in the Supreme Court.

On 13 April 1998, Sharma was appointed as the 12th Chief Justice of Nepal by the then King Birendra. During his term as the CJ, he played a vital role in the development of Nepal's judicial system. For instance, he initiated hearings on injustices at the level of the Village Development Committees. He was also a strong advocate of women’s rights. 

Also read: Laxmi Das Manandhar obituary: Salt king to school reformer

Sharma was a soft-spoken, intelligent, and sociable person, but nonetheless a formidable figure in the court. His reserved disposition and work ethics inspired and guided his colleagues and successors alike. Sharma’s term in the Supreme Court ended on 15 December 1999.

Girish Chandra Lal, a former Supreme Court justice, remembers Sharma as a just and honorable individual who worked without any bias or prejudice.

“I had known him since my time as a high court judge. I remember him as a loyal and dauntless person who was without any bias or prejudice both in and outside the court,” says Lal.

To honor Sharma and his legacy, the Supreme Court, high courts, district courts, and special courts across the country were closed on the day of his funeral, which took place on January 23.

Sharma is survived by his son and daughter.

Birth: 16 December 1934, Kamalpokhari, Kathmandu

Death: 19 January 2022, Kamalpokhari, Kathmandu