{{short description|Nepali politician}} {{BLP sources|date=February 2008}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Prakash Chandra Lohani | native_name = प्रकाशचन्द्र लोहनी | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|04|21|df=y}} | birth_place = | image = Prakashchandra Lohani.jpg | caption = In a program of Himalaya Television | office = Minister of Foreign Affairs | term = 1997 | predecessor = Rabindra Nath Sharma | successor = Kamal Thapa | term_start1 = 1995 | term_end1 = 1997 | predecessor1 = Madhav Kumar Nepal | successor1 = Rabindra Nath Sharma | party = Rastriya Prajatantra Party }}
'''Prakash Chandra Lohani''' ({{langx|ne|प्रकाशचन्द्र लोहनी}}) (born 21 April 1944)<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=XXBmAAAAMAAJ&q=Prakash+Chandra+Lohani+21+April+1944 Profile of Prakash Chandra Lohani]</ref> is a Nepalese politician, economist and member of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.annapurnapost.com/annanote/news/3699/Lohani-appointed-RPP-National-Chairman |access-date=January 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913081718/http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php |archive-date=September 13, 2008 |title=Kantipur}}</ref> He has served as a Minister of Finance,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ndf2004.gov.np/speeches/prakash.pdf|title=Finance Minister|publisher=Ndf2004.gov.np|access-date=2013-10-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060222102854/http://www.ndf2004.gov.np/speeches/prakash.pdf|archive-date=2006-02-22|url-status=dead}}</ref> Minister of Foreign Affairs,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mofa.gov.np/nepalun/statement9.php|title=Foreign Minister|publisher=Mofa.gov.np|access-date=2013-10-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060620114418/http://www.mofa.gov.np/nepalun/statement9.php|archive-date=2006-06-20|url-status=dead}}</ref> Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Labour & Transportation, and Minister of Housing & Physical Planning in governments formed during the panchayat era and in governments formed after the restoration of multi-party democracy. He has also served as an acting prime minister of Nepal.
==Career== Lohani was appointed Minister of Finance of Nepal in July 1983 and June 2003. During his tenure as the Finance Minister, for the first time in Nepal, he initiated the process of financial liberalization by introducing policies in favor of privatization of public enterprises. Growth in Nepal's financial market, especially the emergence of banking sectors, financial institutions can be attributed to the policies enacted by him during his tenure as a finance minister. Nepal's first joint venture backed bank, Nepal Arab Bank Limited (now Nabil Bank), was established during his tenure.
Lohani along with his love toward politics, has a keen interest in finance and economics. He has shared his ideas and views at various national and international forums such Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.event_summary&event_id=150690|title=Woodrow|publisher=Wilsoncenter.org|access-date=2013-10-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605114919/http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.event_summary&event_id=150690|archive-date=2011-06-05|url-status=dead}}</ref> (chairman) 41st session of the ESCAP in Bangkok and (chairman) Nepal Aid Group meeting in 2004. Lohani has also published papers in prestigious journals like the University of Chicago ''Journal of Political Economy''.<ref>{{Cite journal|jstor=1830267|title = Article|journal = Journal of Political Economy|volume = 79|issue = 5|pages = 962–982|publisher=Jstor.org|last1 = Lohani|first1 = Prakash|last2 = Thompson|first2 = Earl A.|year = 1971|doi = 10.1086/259809| s2cid=153481869 }}</ref>
He was a Fulbright scholar<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue/149/Development/3360|title=Fulbright Nepalis |publisher=Nepalitimes.com|access-date=2013-10-04}}</ref> who taught as an assistant professor of finance at the California State University, Northridge, California, US (1968–1969).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.saim.edu.np/faculty-and-staffs|title=Faculty And Staff|website=www.saim.edu.np|access-date=2019-05-10}}</ref> Lohani has an MBA degree from Indiana University and PhD from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
Lohani was a member of Nepal's historic erstwhile Constituent Assembly, which had been tasked with drafting a new constitution. At present Lohani is the chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Sources== *{{Cite news |author=Bikash Sangraula |title=Rebel visit moves Nepal closer to peace |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0619/p01s04-wosc.html?s=widep |work=Christian Science Monitor |date=June 19, 2006 |access-date=2008-02-01}} *{{Cite news|title=Strong Development Partnership with ADB |url=http://www.adb.org/NRM/msg_FM.asp |work=Asian Development Bank |date=December 19, 2003 |access-date=2008-02-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070624171739/http://adb.org/NRM/msg_FM.asp |archive-date=June 24, 2007 }} *{{Cite news |title=We Must Have Free Trade Now |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/subsecauthor.asp?secname=International&author=P&subsec=Interviews |work=Outlook India |date=February 1996 |access-date=2008-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061111215706/http://www.outlookindia.com/subsecauthor.asp?secname=International&author=P&subsec=Interviews |archive-date=2006-11-11 |url-status=dead }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lohani, Prakash Chandra}} Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:Indiana University alumni Category:Nepalese economists Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni Category:Ministers of finance of Nepal Category:Government ministers of Nepal Category:Rastriya Janashakti Party politicians Category:Rastriya Prajatantra Party politicians Category:Ministers of foreign affairs of Nepal Category:Members of the Rastriya Panchayat Category:Nepal MPs 1991–1994 Category:Nepal MPs 1994–1999 Category:Members of the 1st Nepalese Constituent Assembly
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