Balen Shah
Balen Shah | |
|---|---|
बालेन्द्र शाह | |
| Prime Minister of Nepal | |
| Assumed office 27 March 2026 | |
| President | Ram Chandra Paudel |
| Vice President | Ram Sahaya Yadav |
| Preceded by | Sushila Karki (interim) |
| Member of Parliament, Pratinidhi Sabha | |
| Assumed office 26 March 2026 | |
| Preceded by | K. P. Sharma Oli |
| Constituency | Jhapa 5 |
| 15th Mayor of Kathmandu | |
| In office 30 May 2022 – 18 January 2026 | |
| Deputy | Sunita Dangol |
| Preceded by | Bidya Sundar Shakya |
| Succeeded by | Sunita Dangol (acting) |
| Ministerial roles | |
| 2026–present | Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Ministry of Defence |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Balendra Shah 27 April 1990 Naradevi, Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Nationality | Nepalese |
| Political party | Rastriya Swatantra Party (2025–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent (2022–2025) |
| Spouse(s) |
Sabina Kafle (m. 2018) |
| Children | 1 (daughter) |
| Alma mater |
|
| Profession | Politician
|
| Known for | First independent mayor of Kathmandu
|
| Awards | Time 100 Most Influential (2023) |
Balendra Shah (born 27 April 1990), popularly known as Balen Shah or simply Balen, is a Nepali politician, structural engineer, and rapper who has served as the 43th Prime Minister of Nepal since 27 March 2026. At 35 years old, he is the youngest serving head of government in the world and the first Prime Minister of Nepal from the Madheshi community.
Music career
Shah started rapping in 2012 with his song "Sadak Balak". He made songs about problems like corruption and city life in Nepal. He became known in Nepali hip-hop.[1]
Legislative Entry
He entered federal politics after defeating former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in the Jhapa-5 constituency by a record margin. In January 2026, he left the mayor job and joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). He ran in the 2026 Nepalese general election as the RSP's main choice for prime minister. He won a seat in parliament from Jhapa 5 with a record number of votes (over 68,000), beating former prime minister K. P. Sharma Oli.[2][3]
Premiership (2026–Present)
Shah was appointed Prime Minister by President Ram Chandra Paudel following the Rastriya Swatantra Party's (RSP) landslide victory in the March 5 general elections, where the party secured 182 seats in the House of Representatives. He took the oath of office at 12:34 p.m. on 27 March 2026, a date and time chosen for its auspicious astrological significance during the festival of Ram Navami.
Mayor of Kathmandu (2022–2026)
Previously, Shah served as the 15th Mayor of Kathmandu. He gained international attention as the first independent candidate to win the seat, running a campaign focused on transparency, effective implementation of student scholarships, waste management, street business and parking management, and digital governance.
Political career
Mayor of Kathmandu (2022–2026)
In 2022, Shah ran for mayor as an independent. He won with many votes.[4]
As mayor, he improved waste collection, traffic, and city cleaning. He used online systems to reduce corruption. He also helped schools and hospitals.[5]
National politics (2026–present)
In late 2025, Shah joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party. He left the mayor job in January 2026 to run for parliament.[6]
His party did very well in the 2026 election. Many young people supported him.[7]
Early life
Shah was born in Naradevi, Kathmandu, on 27 April 1990. His family has Maithili roots from Madhesh Province. His father, Ram Narayan Shah, is an Ayurvedic doctor.[8]
He studied civil engineering at Himalayan WhiteHouse International College. He got a master's degree in structural engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University in India.[9]
Personal life
Shah married Sabina Kafle in 2018. They have one daughter.
Awards
See also
- Mayor of Kathmandu
- Rastriya Swatantra Party
- 2022 Kathmandu municipal election
- 2026 Nepalese general election
References
- 1 2 "Balendra Shah Is on the TIME100 Next 2023 List". Time. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ↑ "RSP's Balen Shah receives victory certificate after landslide win in Jhapa-5". Khabarhub. 7 March 2026. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ↑ "Balendra Shah extends lead over KP Sharma Oli in Jhapa-5". The Kathmandu Post. 6 March 2026. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ↑ "'Balen' canes parties with the walking stick". The Kathmandu Post. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ↑ "From Rap Star to Engineer to Young Mayor Demolishing Swaths of Kathmandu". The New York Times. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ↑ "Meet Balendra Shah: the rapper-turned-mayor running to be Nepal's next PM". ABC News. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ↑ "Nepali rapper turned mayor is young people's favourite in political crisis". Reuters. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ↑ "Who is Balen Shah? From studying in Karnataka's Belagavi to being Gen Z's preferred pick for Nepal PM". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ↑ "Balen Shah: Rapper, mayor, Nepal's next prime minister?". Al Jazeera. 2 March 2026. Retrieved 7 March 2026.