"The Future Lies in Democracy"

King Gyanendra came to the Nepalese throne after the heir, Crown Prince Dipendra, shot his father King Birendra, his mother Queen Aishwarya and seven other members of the royal family before killing himself at Kathmandu's Narayanhity Royal Palace on June 1, 2001. In Gyanendra's first foreign-media interview, TIME's Alex Perry met him in his palace office.

TIME: Why did you sack the elected government 16 months ago?
Gyanendra: Had I not acted as I did, I think Nepal would be in a worse situation today. Even at that time, I asked the parties to come [up] with...