Daman Nath Dhungana

Daman Nath Dhungana (1940 or 1941 – 17 November 2024) was a Nepali politician who was the Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1991 to 1994. He played an instrumental role during the Nepal peace process between 2003 and 2009. His role as the first house speaker after the establishment of constitutional monarchy, in 1990, is considered exemplary. He returned to active politics in 2017 after a gap of 23 years. He was known for his vocal criticisms of the conduct of parliamentarians, including House Speaker and committee chairs, for what he considered, breaks from proper procedures and best practices.

Life and career Dhungana was a founder and executive member of Amnesty International. He also served as the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association in 1984. He was the first House Speaker after the democratic revolution, in 1990. He is remembered as a non-partisan Speaker. He was the observer, negotiator and advisor of Nepal's peace process from 2003 to 2009. Although always associated with Nepali Congress, he was said to be "too close" to the Maoists, at one time during the peace process. On 1 February 2019, Dr. Govinda KC broke his 16th hunger strike accepting juice from Dhungana and former Chief Justice Sushila Karki. Dhungana opposed the move by State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives to bar the media from covering its meetings in May 2019.

Dhungana died in Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal on 17 November 2024, aged 83.