Balendra Shah | DD News

March 27, 2026 2:39 PM

PM Modi congratulates Balendra Shah on taking oath as Nepal Prime Minister

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated Balendra Shah on being sworn in as Nepal’s 47th Prime Minister, expressing optimism about strengthening ties between the two countries. In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Warm congratulations to Mr. Balendra Shah on being sworn in as the Prime Minister of Nepal. I look forward to working closely with you to take India-Nepal friendship and cooperation to even greater heights for the mutual benefit of our two peoples.” Rapper-turned-politici...

March 13, 2026 9:18 AM

Nepal ex-rapper’s party wins election in landslide after Gen Z protests

A three-year-old party won Nepal's general elections by a landslide, authorities said, positioning its candidate Balendra Shah to become the next prime minister, with a mandate for the rapper-turned-politician to restore political stability. The March 5 election was the Himalayan nation's first vote since demonstrations against corruption last September led by Gen Z protesters that killed 77 people and toppled the government. "If everything goes well, we can expect that it can give a stable...

February 25, 2026 12:44 PM

Nepal’s rapper-mayor in pole position to become prime minister

After Nepal's historic youth-led uprising last September killed 77 people and forced then-Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician posted a typically terse message to millions of followers on social media. "Dear Gen Z, the resignation of your killer has come," Balendra Shah - popularly known only as Balen - wrote. "Now your generation will have to lead the country. Be prepared." Five months on, the musician who cut his political teeth when he became the ...

September 10, 2025 3:34 PM

Nepali rapper turned mayor is young people’s favourite in political crisis

Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, an unusually youthful elected official in Nepali politics dominated by seasoned legislators, has emerged as a favourite among young people to represent them in an interim government. The capital's 35-year-old mayor, a former rapper who often appears on Instagram and in public wearing a dark blazer and sunglasses, is in the spotlight after deadly protests prompted the resignation of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, 73. "You should be our new prime ministe...