Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa
File:Nepalese Chamber1943.jpg (seated, left) and Gyan Jyoti Kansakar (seated, right) with other members in Lhasa, 1947.]]
File:Nepalese chamber 1955.jpg
The Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa opened in 1943, the first ever organization of businesses formed by Nepalese traders based in the Tibetan capital.Tuladhar, Kamal Ratna (2011) Caravan to Lhasa: A Merchant of Kathmandu in Traditional Tibet. Kathmandu: Lijala & Tisa. {{ISBN|99946-58-91-3}}. Page 107. The Newar merchants conducted trade between Lhasa and Kolkata transporting goods over the Himalaya by mule caravan.{{cite news|last=Lewis|first=Todd T.|title=Buddhism, Himalayan Trade, and Newar Merchants|url=http://buddhim.20m.com/8-4.htm/|access-date=22 July 2011}} 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.
History
The first president of the chamber of commerce was Gyan Ratna Tuladhar and the secretary was Purna Kaji Tamrakar.{{cite news|last= Tuladhar|first= Kamal Ratna|title= Pioneers on the Roof of the World|newspaper=Matina|date=August 2009}} {{BLCAT|ZK.9.b.25686}}. Page 5.
The Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa closed down after a year.Hilker, Deb Shova Kansakar (2005) Syamukapu: The Lhasa Newars of Kalimpong and Kathmandu. Kathmandu: Vajra Publications. {{ISBN|978-99946-644-6-7}}. Page 138. It was revived in 1947 with Triratna 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 Enlai during his first visit to Nepal in 1957.{{cite news|last=Tuladhar|first=Kamal Ratna|title=A man of letters|url=http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2009/03/22/expression/a-man-of-letters/185728.html|access-date=29 July 2011|newspaper=The Kathmandu Post|date=22 March 2009}} In 1960, during Premier Zhou Enlai's second visit, the chamber held a reception programme in his honor on April 26.{{cite news|last=United States Consulate General (Hong Kong, China)|title=Nepalese Chamber of Commerce Reception for Chinese Premier|newspaper=Survey of China Mainland Press, Issues 2248-2268|date=1960}} Page 47.
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.{{cite news|title=Nathu La to open for Indo-China trade after 44 yrs|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2006-06-20/news/27445981_1_border-trade-trade-route-indo-china-trade|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515222632/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2006-06-20/news/27445981_1_border-trade-trade-route-indo-china-trade|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 15, 2012|access-date=31 July 2011|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=20 June 2006}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- [https://www.nytimes.com/1960/10/02/archives/red-china-hinders-nepaltibet-trade.html 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.
Category:Defunct chambers of commerce