Shakti Bahadur Basnet, former Health Minister and central committee member of UCPN-Maoist, was born on April 14, 1971 in Khalanga of Jajarkot. He is the son of Danda Bir and Dharma Kumari Basnet. He holds Bachelor’s Degree in Humanity Faculty. Central member of UCPN- Maoist, Basnet commenced his political career from student’s life in 1990 and became the central member in 1998. Politburo member Basnet became division commissioner during the armed conflict period and worked in Jajarkot,Surkhet,Dang, Bardiya, Dolpa, Jumla, Banke, Pyuthan, Dailekh during that period. Basnet, chief personal secretary of chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal Prachand during latter’s tenure as a PM, was appointed Minister for Health during the government led by Jhal Nath Khanal. Basnet, a leader with simple but cleaver behavior, was punished for unacceptable treatment to female party members and suspended from the Central Committee for some time. His wife Satya Pahadi is also contesting from Dolpa in the upcoming election representing UCPN-M.