Dr Shrestha's contribution to society will never be forgotten:
By Chintamani Yogi, headsir at HVP Central

Dr. Shrestha brought me to the field of social service and social work. Since I first met him around 18 years ago, I regularly received his invaluable guidance, support and encouragement that enabled me to dedicate myself for service to society. In fact, he always took care of me, guided me and inspired me. He was like my family guardian. I know that many other volunteers and truth seekers do respect and love him like me.

Dr. Bihari Lal Shrestha was founding chairperson of Matribhoomi Sevak Sangh (MSS) and Hindu Vidyapeeth-Nepal (HVP), president of HVP-UK and advisor of many other socio-cultural organizations. He passed away in hospital in London at 5:30 p.m. Nepali time on 25th April 2002. He was a well-known orthopedic surgeon, an eminent social worker and a great thinker. MSS and HVP are the realisation of his dream to produce well-rounded individuals who can build an integrated and harmonious society. He was the source of inspiration and hope for all of us. His simplicity and higher thinking always greatly influenced us and guided us to keep our morale up in our duties even at the time of frustration and difficulty. Therefore, physically though he is not with us now, he is and always will be with us because of his good virtues and will always remain with us as a guiding and inspiring spirit in every step of our life. His selfless contribution to society will be well remembered.

Dr. Shrestha had been living in the UK for around 7 years for his treatment. He had a liver problem and about two and a half years ago he had a successful liver transplant. But it is a universal truth that misfortune never comes alone. A few months after he had his liver transplant both his kidneys stopped functioning well and he was having regular dialysis. He was on a waiting list for his kidney transplant and he was very hopeful that he would be able to return to the lap of his motherland for the service of her throughout the rest of his life. Unfortunately, his dream did not come true. In spite of his unfavourable and bad health he was always very concerned about Nepal and used to constantly think of how he could help promote the ideals of MSS and HVP. He tried his level best to help and support MSS and HVP in various ways and to propagate the messages and philosophy that MSS and HVP hold at national and international levels until the last hours of his life.

On behalf of the entire family of MSS and all the three HVP Schools and on behalf of myself, I pray to Almighty for the eternal peace of his departed soul and wish that his departed soul will have communion with Almighty God. I also pray that God will provide all the dear and near members of the deprived family with patience, courage and strength to bear such an irreparable loss. We do feel how difficult it is for Mrs. Nirmala Shrestha to bear such a great pain of sad demise of her husband. Therefore, in such a sad hour we sincerely pray to God to provide her with patience and strength to bear such an incomparable and irreparable loss and to become able to hold herself and the family. Mrs. Shrestha has contributed a lot to the all round development of HVP and the promotion of its objectives since its establishment. In fact, she has fully dedicated herself for the sake of HVP. On top of that she wholeheartedly supported Dr. Shrestha in the every step of his social work. Especially, the motherly care that she provided to her husband and the patience she showed when he was sick has won the heart of all of us. Our sincerest prayers are always with her.