Balendra Shah, 35, was sworn in as prime minister of Nepal on Friday, becoming the nation’s first Madhesi prime minister. His rise to power follows a landslide election win and a wave of Gen Z-led protests that shook the country last year.
Shah, an engineer-turned-rapper and former Kathmandu mayor, issued a message via rap urging unity the day before his swearing-in. He is tasked with restoring political stability and addressing Nepal’s weak growth and job creation challenges.
The new leader faces immediate pressure, including calls for accountability regarding a leaked report detailing deadly violence and mass arson from the previous year. Shah is seen as a symbol of change in a country whose government was toppled in a youth-led uprising.