The Basnyat Kaji family was established by leading military commander Shivaram Singh Basnyat who was of Shreepali clan. He was a prominent courtier of King Prithvi Narayan Shah. The third son of Senapati Shivaram, Abhiman Singh Basnyat became the Mul Kaji (Chief Minister) of Kingdom of Nepal. His nephew Kirtiman Singh Basnyat, eldest child of marital ties between Basnyats and Pandes, became Mul Kaji (Chief Minister) of Nepal on 1794. He was regularly dominated by his maternal uncle Damodar Pande on court politics. After death of Kirtiman Singh, his brother briefly controlled the office of Mul Kaji. Basnyats were completely out of central power after that and supported Pandes due to their previous marital ties.