Bira Furniture

History of BIRA

It’s been a tremendous journey since our early times in Kathmandu, Nepal, however, BIRA founder Padam Bahadur Shrestha’s intuitiveness to have a vision of a modernized Nepal through industrialization creating a better lifestyle for every person in the world. This is and will always be our motivation to improve.

BIRA is named in the memory of Bir Bahadur Shrestha, the late grandfather of founder Mr. Padam Bahadur Shrestha.

 

BIRA Timeline

 

1941

The founder arrives

In the year of 1941, BIRA founder Mr. Padam Bahadur Shrestha was born in the developing city of
Kathmandu during the post-era of the second Industrial Revolution.

1949

A Entrepreneur in the making

At a very young age, Padam Bahadur was keen on learning the basics of business. As Mr. Bir Bahadur
Shrestha was travelling to Kolkata, India, a 9-year-old Padam Bahadur accompanied his grandfather in
the journey to understand the market of furniture production.

1952

A Royal Client

Padam’s grandfather saw great potential in him as an entrepreneur so he pushed Padam into production of furniture at a very young age; the factory was then located in Pyukha, New Road later moved to Thamel.
Not long after, he received a call from the military headquarters to build a furniture set for his Royal
Highness King Mahendra Shah.

1963

The Company BIRA was founded

After the loss of his grandfather, 20-year-old Padam with a small sum of money used it to establish a company in Thamel, Kathmandu. He named it BIRA, an abbreviation from his grandfather’s name BIR
Bahadur Shrestha.

1965

First International Trip

After struggling to keep up in the business, Padam Bahadur realized the opportunity he had been missing. However, without much knowledge it would be useless to compete in the rising market. So, he decided to pack his bags and take a 10-week fellowship learning program in Japan to get educated on modern machinery and woodwork techniques. This opportunity was the modernization and he brought back the
knowledge gained from this program and put it to use in a country that hadn’t much progressed.

1970

Euro-trip

To learn and understand more on the different ways to grow in the furniture business, Mr. Padam left again however, this time to Europe where he undertook a 3-month fellowship program in a company known as Asko Furniture in Finland and Sarvarani Furniture in Parma, Italy. Here he gained interest from multiple countries of Scandinavia like Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland, as well as Italy where most wood-work machineries were in the market. From the market, a total of 29 specialized machineries from the SCM organization were bought and brought to Nepal to mass produce furniture products.

1973

A Family Business

Mr. Shrestha needed help of his own due to the growth in the market as well as his business, which
eventually led two of his eldest born sons to work with him, Rajesh the eldest son and Dinesh just a year later became influenced by the work. Instantly, with the dedication of their work both the sons were capable of carving a substantial image of the company having heightened the quality of production. BIRA’s vision became clear in the ways to prosper through an integral mindset on growth and development.

1975

Market Dominance

Many Nepalese furniture firms felt threatened by the market takeover of BIRA through its low-price
range and royal connections. Many competitors pressured the suppliers to boycott BIRA, however, every test had an answer- and this led to the proposition to investigate local as well as International Projects bringing in larger commodities.

1978

First showroom made available

Right towards the beginning of 1978, BIRA made its first ever showroom in Patan Industrial Estate.
Customers from here on forward were able to see and experience the quality of BIRA’s products before purchasing. This helped us learn from the customers and understand the demands.

1982

Royalty

Royal King Birendra visited BIRA personally to award Mr. P. B. Shrestha for Excellence Achievement.

1989

Visit to Denmark

Mr. Shrestha visited Denmark for a production exhibition hall in order to showcase Nepal’s furniture manufacturing company.

1991

Another one in the Chamber

BIRA had built a renowned brand image for its consumers which led the third son, Mr. Suresh Shrestha to be a part with the experience to uphold the expansion of the company. He came in with the idea to develop new products to bring into the market.

1992

Parquet in the Market

We all feel cold during the winters, and the one thing we do not want is cold feet which always concludes with being sick. During the cold season we always wish on if marble or tiles could have been warmer and instantly BIRA took the initiative to introduce parquet which would help many to walk in their homes without having the fear of having cold sensitivity.

1993

Little Buddha

Being approached by a Hollywood production in Nepal starring young Keanu Reeves who also later had starred in movies such as Matrix and John Wick, BIRA took the initiative to develop a set and provide all necessary props for the movie Little Buddha.

1995

Beginning of prefabricated houses

After the Visit of Denmark, BIRA took the ingenuity of building affordable, quick, and reliable homes for the rural and urban areas. In the late 90s there was a flow of hydro-projects in Nepal taken up by
international companies so BIRA took the opportunity to provide homes for the workers.

1997

The Boost

BIRA, having just begun with prefabricated housing, had been in pursuit of the market but the locals did not accept much of these houses. Just when everything seemed like a fiasco, an Italian company called Impregilo landed in Nepal and took up the initiative of a Hydro project in Kaligandaki. BIRA took the initiative to provide all the workers with quality prefabricated housing.

1998

Daughter of the management

With the expansion in industrial aspects BIRA needed a more structural management whereas, a part of being a family business, Mrs. Samita Shrestha, the eldest daughter stepped forward with her understanding towards the internal development creating a systematic guidance in the office.

2001

Suresh General Building Materials

We primarily focus on furniture manufacturing; however, demand for prefabricated infrastructure has been on the rise since many international companies have taken the initiative for Hydro-power projects in Nepal. BIRA eventually branched into a subsidiary corporation to focus towards building materials providing infrastructural
proficiency.

2002

Enhance your Interior

The youngest member of the family, Mrs. Amita Shrestha joined BIRA with the degree of architectural design at the age of 25 bringing in a whole new concept of interior designing to the furniture industry. Keeping the perspective towards a significant future was the ultimate objective nonetheless, with interior designing there was a never seen before vision of the company.

2006

BIRA Complex

In the brink of a new decade, BIRA established its first newly modernized complex for many other companies to open their outlet in the heart of New Road, Kathmandu.

2007

BIRA Motors

In the brink of a new decade, BIRA established its first newly modernized complex for many other companies to open their outlet in the heart of New Road, Kathmandu.

2014

BIRA Dragonfly

In the brink of a new decade, BIRA established its first newly modernized complex for many other companies to open their outlet in the heart of New Road, Kathmandu.

2015

Nature that shook the country

It was in the year of 2015 when Nepal had trembled by the movement of Earth as it had finally roared after 80 years of silence. The earthquake was so loud that it devastated many homes and villages, frightening the whole of Nepal. We took the initiative to build homes for many devastated families in the rural areas.

2015

The ones in need

Built multiple homes for families and schools for children’s education in the rural areas of Nepal that had suffered from the damage of the Earthquake, to help them recover from the trauma as a part of non-profit organization.

2016

Elegant Decor

After getting into interior designing, BIRA needed a vast inflow of decors which had been lacking in the market of home decorations so we brought in everything a home requires to make it look elegant.

2017

Feel the Ambience

We needed customers to feel more at home when they tour our showrooms so we opened a restaurant/ bar for everyone to spend their time dining in and have the delicacies we have to offer.

2018

BIRA Builders

Bira builders is an identity to undertake major hydro-project construction work in different parts of Nepal.

2019

Pandemic that surged

The world experienced a Global crisis as a deadly virus turned the world upside down with fear. It still
has an effect till date which led all hospitals to close the gates for patients. BIRA eventually looking at this issue took an initiative to provide prefabricated houses to many hospitals as well as health care facilities in low income localities to help critical patients have an isolation room for medical help and recovery.

© BIRA FURNITURE 2025