Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa

Tri Ratna Man Tuladhar (seated, left) and Gyan Jyoti Kansakar (seated, right) with other members in Lhasa, 1947.

Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa in 1955.

The Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa opened in 1943, the first ever organization of businesses formed by Nepalese traders based in the Tibetan capital.^[1] The Newar merchants conducted trade between Lhasa and Kolkata transporting goods over the Himalaya by mule caravan.^[2] 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.^[3]

The Nepalese Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa closed down after a year.^[4] It was revived in 1947 with Tri Ratna 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.^[5] In 1960, during Premier Zhou Enlai's second visit, the chamber held a reception programme in his honor on April 26.^[6]

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.^[7]

See also

• Lhasa Newar (trans-Himalayan traders)

References

1. ^ Tuladhar, Kamal Ratna (2011) Caravan to Lhasa: A Merchant of Kathmandu in Traditional Tibet. Kathmandu: Lijala & Tisa. ISBN 99946-58-91-3. Page 107.
2. ^ Lewis, Todd T.. "Buddhism, Himalayan Trade, and Newar Merchants". http://buddhim.20m.com/8-4.htm/. Retrieved 22 July 2011. 
3. ^ Tuladhar, Kamal Ratna (August 2009). "Pioneers on the Roof of the World". Matina.  British Library shelfmark ZK.9.b.25686. Page 5.
4. ^ Hilker, Deb Shova Kansakar (2005) Syamukapu: The Lhasa Newars of Kalimpong and Kathmandu. Kathmandu: Vajra Publications. ISBN 9789994664467. Page 138.
5. ^ Tuladhar, Kamal Ratna (22 March 2009). "A man of letters". The Kathmandu Post. http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2009/03/22/expression/a-man-of-letters/185728.html. Retrieved 29 July 2011. 
6. ^ United States Consulate General (Hong Kong, China) (1960). "Nepalese Chamber of Commerce Reception for Chinese Premier". Survey of China Mainland Press, Issues 2248-2268.  Page 47.
7. ^ "Nathu La to open for Indo-China trade after 44 yrs". The Economic Times. 20 June 2006. http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2006-06-20/news/27445981_1_border-trade-trade-route-indo-china-trade. Retrieved 31 July 2011. 

Further reading

• 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.