Tara Nath Sharma

• Name — Taranath Sharma • Pen Name — Tana Sarma • Born — 23 June 1934 • Birthplace — Barbote, Ilam, Nepal • Died — 15 February 2022 • Place of death — Kathmandu, Nepal • Occupation — Writer • Education — PhD Linguistics • Alma Mater — University of Wisconsin-Madison • Genre — Travelogue, criticism, prose • Movement — Jharro Nepali • Notable Works — Belaet Tira Baralida • Parents — Prajapati Bhandarin (father) Devaki Bhandari (mother) • Awards — Madan Puraskar, Sajha Puraskar • Native Name — तारानाथ शर्मा • Honorific Prefix — Dr.

Sharma was born on 23 June 1934 in Barbote Ilam as the first child of Mr. Prajapati Upadhyay a social reformer. Quitting the Sanskrit education he continued his studies in the English school that was established by his father. He completed his school level studies at St Joseph's, Darjeeling. Sharma got PhD in Linguistics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US.

While studying for a BA in Banaras, Sharma initiated the 'Jharro Nepali' a literature movement with his friends. He wrote his first work, Ojhel Parda, in 1966 inside jail while he was imprisoned for criticizing late King Mahendra's poem. His travelogue entitled Belaet Tira Baralida meaning Ramblings in and around Britain, which he wrote while he was doing his Post Graduate Diploma with English as second language in the University College of North Wales won the popular 'Madan Puraskar' award for the year 1969. Sharma served as the editor in chief of The Rising Nepal English daily for some years after the restoration of democracy in Nepal. He even served at Nobel Academy Secondary School as the school principal for many years. He has great contribution in Nepali education and literature.

Sharma was married and had two sons. He died at his home in Kathmandu on 15 February 2022, at the age of 87. He suffered from dementia, diabetes, high blood pressure and other heart problems prior to his death.