Balendra Shah, the 35-year-old former rapper and mayor of Kathmandu, was sworn in as Nepal's prime minister on Friday, March 27, 2026, according to international media reports. Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) secured a landslide victory in parliamentary elections held earlier in March, winning nearly two-thirds of the seats in the House of Representatives.
The swearing-in ceremony took place in Kathmandu and was attended by jubilant crowds and religious leaders from both Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Shah, widely known as Balen, was appointed by President Ram Chandra Paudel following his party's decisive win in the March 5 polls.
congratulated Shah on his appointment, expressing hope for strengthened bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries
The political transition comes after youth-led protests in September 2025, known as the "Gen Z protests," toppled the previous government. The demonstrations were sparked by corruption allegations and plans to restrict social media, resulting in dozens of deaths. Shah emerged as a prominent voice during the uprising, though he reportedly did not directly participate in the protests.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shah on his appointment, expressing hope for strengthened bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries. The ceremony featured traditional Hindu rituals and was timed according to astrological calculations considered auspicious in the predominantly Hindu nation.
Shah, a structural engineer by training who gained fame as a rap artist before entering politics, now leads a government tasked with addressing public frustration with Nepal's established political parties over corruption and chronic instability.