Central member of UCPN-Maoist Devendra Paudel is active in Nepal's leftist movement for the past three and a half decade. Son of PadmapaniUpadhyaya and RevatiUpadhyaya, Paudel was born on January 11, 1965 in Amalachaur-1 of Baglung. Inspired by his elder brothers to join communist movement, Paudel holds a Bachelor's Degree from Education Faculty.
He was already involved in student unions in 1978 and became Baglung District President of Akhil (Sixth) in 1985. He went on to become vice-president after holding the positions of central treasurer and general secretary. Paudel, along with HaribolGajurel, Dr. BaburamBhattarai, Bin Bahadur Kunwar and Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, separated from the then CPN (Masal) led by Mohan Bikram Singh to form rebel Masal. He then joined Unity Center and finally took the membership of CPN (Maoist). He took the membership of CPN (Fourth Convention) in 1981 and became a whole timer in 1983. After becoming the central member of the CPN (Maoist) in 2001, Paudel became the party's politburo member and is now the in-charge of the Newa State Committee of UCPN-Maoist. Known to be close to Dr. BaburamBhattarai in the party, Paudel was severely tortured by the combatants close to Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' during the armed conflict. Paudel is contesting from Kathmandu-9, where Nepali Congress won the election in 2008, leaving the then CPN (Maoist) in the second position.
