Bhola Nath Chalise

Bhola Nath Chalise (died 2015) was a Nepalese economist and government official who played a leading role in turning Nepal's largely statist economy into a more free market economy. He spent many years as an official at the Ministry of Industry, serving in turn as under-secretary, Joint Secretary, and Secretary.

Upon his death, he was described as one of Nepal's “great champions of freedom and economic reform” and as having successfully struggled against what had been the perceived view in Nepal that the “state is omnipotent.” For decades, commented one source, Chalise “was one of the very few advocates of [the] free market in Nepal’s mainstream media.” Another source has said that Chalise, during his years at Nepal's Industry Ministry, “played a crucial role” in introducing “market friendly reform policies and acts.”

Early life and education One source states that he was born at Subigaun in Bouddha, Kathmandu, in 1951; another, that he was born in the village of Simaltar at the northeastern end of the Kathmandu valley in 1952.

He joined Nepal’s civil service in 1975, working at the Ministry of Industry, and from 1983 to 1986 studied at the University of Vienna, receiving a doctorate in economics.

Hayek translation Chalise wrote the introduction of the Nepali translation of The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich Hayek.

Death He died on April 15, 2015, due to kidney-related ailments at Nepal Medical College, Jorpati in Kathmandu.

Honors and awards In January 2015 Chalise was named the year's Freedom Champion at the third Asia Liberty Forum (ALF), which was held in Kathmandu by Samriddhi Foundation, and the Asia Center for Enterprise. He was recognized for his efforts to promote individual and economic freedom in Nepal and, in particular, for his role in “formulating sound economic policies” while serving in Nepal's Ministry of Industry. In his closing address, Chalise “highlighted some of the major challenges to promoting liberalism in Asia.” He stated, “Never before has private entrepreneurship and wealth creation caught the imagination of billions as it has done in Asia today. Our job to promote freedom is filled with opportunities, and so many of you present today are the beacons of hope.”

Personal life Chalise had a wife and four sons. He was remembered after his death by Samriddhi as an “extremely humble and open-minded individual” who “led a principled life that was based on values such as honesty, integrity, freedom and responsibility.”