Nepal’s Civil Service Park unveils statue of Chandra Bahadur Thapa in Kathmandu

A statue of Chandra Bahadur Thapa, recognized as Nepal’s first Chief Secretary and first Auditor General in the civil service, has been unveiled at the Civil Service Park in Gokarna, Kathmandu. The installation adds a new focal point to a memorial site that has been years in the making and continues to evolve inside the Jagdol Community Forest area.

The park sits on land where the government decided in 2007 to build a National Martyrs and Peace Monument, and the latest unveiling marks an important milestone in a project that has progressed slowly over time. Even as several structures at the site remain under construction, the park is already functioning as a space that preserves and presents Nepal’s civil service history.

A long-awaited addition to the memorial site

The unveiling of Thapa’s statue is significant not only for commemorating an important civil servant but also for showing tangible progress at the larger Civil Service Memorial complex. The site has been under development for years, and the new statue signals renewed attention to the project’s original purpose.

According to reports, the memorial area was conceived as a place to honor public service, national sacrifice, and institutional memory. Thapa’s inclusion strengthens that mission by linking the park to the early foundations of Nepal’s modern administrative system.

Why Chandra Bahadur Thapa matters

Thapa is remembered as a pioneering figure in Nepal’s civil service, holding roles that helped shape the country’s administrative framework. By placing his statue at the park, the memorial gives visitors a visible reminder of the people who helped build the institutions that still support the state today.

The unveiling also reflects a broader effort to recognize civil servants alongside political leaders and national heroes. That makes the park more than a decorative public space, turning it into a historical marker for governance and public administration in Nepal.

What the Civil Service Park represents

The Civil Service Park in Gokarna is part of the Jagdol Community Forest area, where the government approved plans in 2007 for the National Martyrs and Peace Monument. Over time, the site has become a work in progress, with new installations added as construction continues.

Even with unfinished sections still visible, the park serves an important cultural role. It offers a place where memory, civic identity, and national history intersect, making the latest statue unveiling both symbolic and practical for public visitors.

A project still moving forward

The new statue underscores a familiar theme in large public memorial projects: development often takes far longer than planned. But each completed element helps transform the site from an idea on paper into a functioning civic landmark.

For Kathmandu residents and civil service observers alike, the unveiling of Chandra Bahadur Thapa’s statue is a reminder that institutional history can be preserved in public spaces, not only in archives and speeches but also in monuments people can visit and see for themselves.