Balendra Shah

Balendra Shah (born April 27, 1990, Kathmandu, Nepal) is a Nepali politician who became the prime minister of Nepal in March 2026. He previously served as the mayor of Kathmandu (2022–26). While serving as mayor, he became a popular figure among the country’s youth as an influential young politician opposed to Nepal’s traditional political elites. After those elites were displaced during the 2025 Nepalese Gen Z protests, he emerged as one of the country’s leading political figures. Before entering politics, he was widely known in Nepal as a rapper whose music addressed corruption, inequality, and the frustrations of younger Nepalis.

Early life

Shah was born on April 27, 1990, in Kathmandu to a Newar Buddhist family. His father was a practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine.

Music career and engineering studies

In his early 20s Shah became a notable figure in Nepal’s hip-hop scene. His debut song, “Sadak Balak” (“Street Child”), was released in 2012. He gained further visibility in 2013 after participating in Raw Barz, a YouTube rap-battle series that helped popularize underground hip-hop in Nepal. His music was explicitly political and critical of government dysfunction.

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During this period Shah continued his engineering studies. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Himalayan WhiteHouse International College in Kathmandu and in 2018 completed a master’s degree in structural engineering at Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

Entry into politics

In December 2021 Shah announced that he would run for mayor of Kathmandu as an independent candidate. In his campaign he relied heavily on social media and podcast appearances rather than traditional party networks. He emphasized anti-corruption measures, government transparency, urban governance reforms, and improvements to waste management and traffic control. His candidacy attracted strong support from younger voters and reform-oriented activists.

Mayor of Kathmandu

Shah won the 2022 Kathmandu mayoral election, becoming the first independent candidate to hold the office.

His administration introduced a number of reforms aimed at improving transparency and public services. Municipal council meetings were broadcast live for the first time, and the city implemented digital building permits and electronic signatures to reduce bureaucratic delays and opportunities for corruption.

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The city government also invested in urban infrastructure and services, including waste management and accessibility initiatives such as tactile pavements for pedestrians with low vision. Shah also supported efforts to preserve Kathmandu’s cultural heritage.

Some initiatives proved controversial. The city government undertook a campaign to demolish buildings constructed illegally on public land, targeting several commercial structures after issuing a 35-day notice. While many residents supported the effort to reclaim public space, critics viewed the demolitions as a forceful and unilateral government decision.

Shah’s administration also faced criticism over attempts to clear squatter settlements along the Bagmati River and regulate informal street vending. Clashes during an eviction attempt in November 2022 left more than 20 people injured, and enforcement actions against street vendors prompted protests by activists.

Despite these disputes Shah’s tenure reinforced his reputation as a reform-minded outsider challenging entrenched political practices.

Toward the premiership

In September 2025 the Nepalese Gen Z protests erupted nationwide, toppling the government led by Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. An interim government led by former chief justice Sushila Karki, the first woman to hold that office (2016–17), was sworn in on September 12 and tasked with organizing new parliamentary elections.

The upheaval weakened Nepal’s long-dominant political parties and created an opportunity for major changes in the country’s governance. In this context Shah’s popularity among younger voters and his reputation as an independent reformer gave him unusual prominence.

In December 2025 Shah joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), and the following month he resigned as mayor of Kathmandu to run in the national parliamentary elections. In the March 2026 parliamentary elections, the RSP won a landslide victory and a parliamentary majority. Shah was sworn in as Nepal’s prime minister on March 27, 2026.