Page 50 - 07_Social Studies and Population Education Book 7_2078 Revised and Updated Edition

by assembling the parts of the car in different ways. Unfortunately, he was not
able to complete his redesigned car as King Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah wished to
use that car.

He bought books, maps, and charts and catalogues related to arms and
ammunitions from Japan and Britain. He studied them in detail and successfully
designed and manufactured rifles. At that time there was only a single barrel rifle

in the army. He made a double barrel gun and named it “Birgun” in honour of
his father, Bir Shumsher. He also made cannon and named it “Dhirgun” after his
grandfather, Dhir Shumsher.

There is a saying, “where there is will, there is a way.” He was the first one to
generate hydro electricity in our country with the help of his friend Muse Thapa.

His other inventions are a rice mill (Kal) and water pump technology which
drew underground water with the help of wind motor. He established a leather
processing factory which was known as Balaju Chhala Karkhana. He was sent

to Japan by Prime Minister Dev Shumsher (after Bir Shumsher) to learn Japanese
technology. He made new arms and ammunition by observing the British design.
Birgun, Dhirgun and an automatic machine gun were his invention of that time.

Thus, Gehendra Shumsher is regarded as the first scientist of Nepal. He died a
mysterious death at the age of 35 in 1963 BS.

Inventions of Gehendra Shumsher

50 SOCIAL STUDIES AND POPULATION EDUCATION - BOOK 7