Meet Bidhya Devi Bhandari, the first female president of Nepal

Kathmandu, Oct 29: Bidhya Devi Bhandari from the ruling CPN-UML has been elected as Nepal's first woman President after she defeated her rival Kul Bahadur Gurung from Nepali Congress by more than 100 votes.

Voting for the first presidential election in Nepal took place on October 28 after promulgation of new constitution.

Here are some facts you need to know about her

• Bidhya Devi Bhandari was born on 19 June 1961, in Manebhanjyang of Bhojpur in Nepal.

• She joined student politics at an early age and later got married to a fellow Communist, Madan Bhandari.

• She led demonstrations against the former King Gyanendra in 2006, ending his authoritarian rule and restoring democracy.

• She is the second and current President of Nepal and the first woman to hold the office.

• She served as vice-chairperson of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and chair of All Nepal Women Association before being elected president of the Himalayan nation.

• Bhandari, a communist politician has long campaigned for women's rights in Nepal.

• She is counted among the politicians who fought to secure their rights under the new constitution.

• Bidhya Bhandari is a close ally of the new prime minister KP Sharma Oli.

• She replaces Ram Baran Yadav, the first elected president after Nepal abolished its monarchy in 2008.