# Motiram Bhatta

_Nepalese poet (1866–1896)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/motiram-bhatta
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Motiram Bhatta (Nepali: मोतीराम भट्ट; 1866–1896) was a Nepalese poet, singer, essayist, publisher, literary critic and biographer. He is considered the first biographer and literary critic of Nepali literature and is credited for starting the first private printing press in Nepal c. 1888. He also introduced the Ghazal style of poetry and singing in Nepal. Bhatta was a polyglot and alongside Nepali, he had studied in Sanskrit, Persian, and English and was also proficient in Bengali, Urdu and Nepal Bhasa.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 8 September 1866 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6917843#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Kathmandu ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6917843#P19))
- **Died:** 1896 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6917843#P570))
- **Place of death:** Kathmandu ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6917843#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Kingdom of Nepal ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6917843#P27))
- **Occupation:** poet; publisher; essayist; biographer; singer; playwright ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6917843#P106))

## About

He wrote Kabi Bhanubhakta Ko Jivan Charitra, the biography of Bhanubhakta Acharya, which played a significant role in establishing Acharya as the first poet (Aadi Kabi) of the Nepali language. He is considered one of the seventeen national heroes (Rastriya Bibhuti) of Nepal and was given the title Yuba Kabi (Young Poet). The 1883 to 1919 period of Nepali literature is known as the Motiram Era.

## Questions

**When was Motiram Bhatta born?**  
Motiram Bhatta was born on 8 September 1866 in Kathmandu.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Motiram Bhatta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motiram_Bhatta) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikipedia (Nepali): मोतीराम भट्ट](https://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AE_%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%9F%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q6917843](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6917843) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Motiram Bhatta.jpg by Unknown author Unknown author (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Motiram_Bhatta.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Motiram Bhatta, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Motiram Bhatta.jpg — Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Motiram Bhatta". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/motiram-bhatta. Retrieved 4 November 2026.