Without Nepal’s decision, the British can’t take in female Gurkhas to serve them. Many doubt family’s permission for these young women to serve in a foreign army will come easy either.
BY : Ellie Davis for The Kathmandu Post
Kathmandu/ Seventeen-year-old Kanchan Thapa Magar is the only female trainee among 70 students at the Salute Gorkha Training Center in Kathmandu. While her male peers have a shot at joining the British Army’s prestigious Gurkha Brigade, Kanchan does not. The opportunity isn’t available to women.
“I think boys and girls are the same,” she said. “I want to go abroad too, but I can’t.”
Each year, around 12,000 Nepali men vie to become British Gurkhas, but only 200 to 400 are selected after grueling physical and mental tests. According to Rahul Pandey, CEO of the training center, the standards for Gurkha hopefuls far exceed those required for entry into Nepal’s own armed forces.
In 2018, the UK Ministry of Defence announced plans to recruit Nepali women into the Gurkhas. But the move was blocked in early 2019 by Nepal’s House of Representatives Committee on International Relations. The committee ruled that Nepali women could not be recruited into foreign militaries without explicit approval from the Nepal government.
Since then, there has been little progress. While British Defence Minister Luke Pollard recently expressed renewed interest in including women in the Gurkha ranks, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declined to comment.
“The UK’s interest in female recruitment reflects a long-standing policy goal,” stated the British Embassy in Kathmandu. “But any change must be in partnership with the Government of Nepal.”
Pandey remembers training 45 hopeful young women in 2019 when the UK’s announcement raised hopes. “When the decision was reversed, many were devastated,” he said. “Most went on to join the Nepal Army or pursue further education.”
The reason behind Nepal’s parliamentary decision remains unclear. Future policy changes must again come from the International Relations Committee, said under-secretary Sharada Bhandari. However, no timeline has been given.
Pandey believes the women lost out on life-changing opportunities. “The British Army offers stability, good pay, and respect,” he said. “This is about equal opportunity in action—not just slogans.”
“If women can study abroad, why not serve abroad?” he added.
Young Nepali women continue to show growing interest in military careers. Elisa Bastola, 18, is training at Dima Academy and aspires to be a pilot in the Nepal Army. “The military offers freedom and independence,” she said. “You can live on your own terms.”
Simran Maharjan, 19, and Khusi Maya Thapa, also 19, are preparing to join the Nepal Army. Both said they would eagerly pursue the British Army route if allowed.
“Of course I’d go, if there was a chance,” said Simran.
Khusi, who recently passed her Nepal Army eligibility test, added, “Having that choice would mean a lot. Right now, we hardly get any opportunities.”
Still, even if the Nepali government gave the green light, cultural challenges remain. “Some women have to fight their families just to join the Nepal Army,” Kanchan said. “How will they convince them to let them go abroad?”
Despite the obstacles, Kanchan is determined. She turns 18 in May and is ready to continue training. “Because I’m interested, the training feels easy,” she said.