Biography

Indira Rana Magar is a distinguished Nepali social activist, humanitarian leader, and political figure known for her lifelong commitment to social justice, prison reform, and the protection of vulnerable children. With more than three decades of experience in social work and advocacy, she has become one of Nepal’s most respected voices for the rights of prisoners and their families.

She is the founder of Prisoners Assistance Nepal (PA Nepal), an organisation established in 2000 to support prisoners, advocate for humane prison policies, and provide safe homes and educational opportunities for children whose parents are incarcerated. Through this initiative, hundreds of children who would otherwise have grown up inside prisons have been given access to education, care, and a supportive environment.

Indira Rana Magar began her professional career as a teacher in rural schools in Ilam, where she taught science and mathematics from 1984 to 1990. Her commitment to social justice deepened when she joined Prisoners Assistance Mission (PAM) in 1990 as a prison social worker. During this time, she regularly visited prisons in the Kathmandu Valley and witnessed the harsh realities faced by prisoners and their families, particularly the young children living inside prison with their incarcerated parents. This experience inspired her to dedicate her life to addressing this overlooked humanitarian issue.

In 2000, she founded Prisoners Assistance Nepal, which has since grown into a nationally and internationally recognised organisation working for prisoners, their families, and especially children affected by incarceration. Under her leadership, PA Nepal has established children’s homes, daycare centres inside prisons, educational programmes, and community initiatives across Nepal. These programmes ensure that children can live and grow in safe environments rather than within prison walls.

Her humanitarian work has received significant national and international recognition. In 2014, she was honored with the World’s Children’s Prize Honorary Award, one of the world’s most prestigious awards for child rights advocacy. In 2017, she was named among the BBC 100 Women, recognizing her as one of the most influential women in the world for her dedication to protecting the rights of children of prisoners.

In 2022, Indira Rana Magar entered national politics and was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives under the proportional representation system representing the Rastriya Swatantra Party. Following the formation of the federal parliament, she was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, becoming one of the prominent leaders in Nepal’s parliamentary system.

In the 2026 Federal Parliament election, she was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives from Jhapa Constituency No. 2, representing the Rastriya Swatantra Party. She secured 60,110 votes, defeating former Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire by a significant margin of 48,742 votes. This victory marked her second term in the Federal Parliament and her first election through the direct constituency system, reflecting strong public support for her decades of social activism and leadership.

Today, Indira Rana Magar continues to advocate for human rights, prison reform, child protection, and social justice, both nationally and internationally. Through her leadership, activism, and humanitarian work, she remains dedicated to ensuring dignity, opportunity, and hope for marginalised communities in Nepal.