Balen Shah Sworn In as Nepal’s Youngest Prime Minister Following Landslide Victory

Balendra Shah, the 35-year-old structural engineer and rapper popularly known as Balen, was officially sworn in as Nepal’s 47th Prime Minister on Friday, March 27, 2026.

The ceremony, held at the President’s House (Sheetal Niwas) in Kathmandu, saw President Ramchandra Paudel administer the oath of office to Shah, who attended the event in his signature black attire and dark sunglasses.

This historic moment marks the culmination of a political earthquake triggered by the March 5 general elections, the first since mass “Gen Z” anti-corruption protests toppled the previous administration last September.

Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) secured a commanding mandate by winning 182 of the 275 seats in the House of Representatives, effectively ending decades of rotating coalition governments led by legacy parties.

In a symbolic move just hours before his swearing-in, Shah broke his post-election silence by releasing a rap song titled “Jay Mahakaali,” which served as his first public statement.

The lyrics, emphasizing national unity and a “boiling red blood” ready for reform, resonated across social media, racking up millions of views and setting a defiant tone for his incoming administration.

The transition was preceded by a farewell address from the outgoing interim Prime Minister, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, who expressed confidence in the younger generation’s ability to establish good governance.

Karki’s administration also prepared the groundwork for one of Shah’s first major challenges: a commission report investigating the violent crackdown during last year’s protests.

Leaked findings suggest the report recommends the prosecution of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli—whom Shah personally defeated in his own constituency—alongside high-ranking security officials for their roles in the deaths of protesters.

As the first Madhesi Prime Minister and the youngest in the nation’s history, Shah has moved quickly to form a lean 15-member Cabinet focused on technical expertise. Notable appointments include economist Swarnim Wagle as Finance Minister and Shishir Khanal as Foreign Minister.

The new government has pledged to spend its first 100 days prioritizing anti-corruption measures, including a probe into the assets of public officials dating back to 1990, a direct response to the demands that fueled the revolutionary movement that brought him to power.