Balen Shah Sworn In As Nepal's Youngest Prime Minister At 35

Nepal scripted a new chapter in its political history on Thursday as Balendra 'Balen' Shah — structural engineer, rapper, and former Kathmandu mayor — was sworn in as the country's youngest Prime Minister at a ceremonially rich event at Shital Niwas, with President Ramchandra Poudel administering the oath of office at the numerologically significant time of 12:34 pm.

The 35-year-old's ascent to Nepal's highest executive office represents one of the most dramatic political transformations in the country's modern history. A structural engineer who channelled his opposition to corruption and unemployment through rap music, Balen Shah built a mass following among Nepal's youth before translating it into electoral dominance. His Rashtriya Swatantra Party won a historic mandate in the March 5 general elections, after which he was unanimously elected parliamentary party leader.

His most symbolic victory came in the Jhapa-5 constituency, where he defeated veteran leader and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli by a landslide margin of nearly 50,000 votes — a result that sent shockwaves through Nepal's entrenched political establishment.

Balen Shah becomes Nepal's first Prime Minister from the Madhes region — a milestone being celebrated as a powerful signal of generational and geographic change in Nepali politics. Just before the swearing-in, he released a rap song titled Jai Mahakali, calling on all of Nepal to unite and make history.

The ceremony itself broke from convention, blending Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Seven Brahmins performed the Conch Sounding ceremony, 108 young priests recited Vedic chants, and 107 Buddhist Lamas performed Mangal Paath — a ceremony designed to signal peace, unity, and national renewal.

Shah is expected to form a lean cabinet of 15 to 18 ministers — a deliberate contrast to the bloated governments Nepal has seen in the past. He assumed charge at Singha Durbar, the Prime Minister's Office, at around 2:15 pm. His stated priorities are education, health, and corruption-free administration.

Shah's rise has generated significant interest in New Delhi and Beijing alike. Despite some past controversies over border map-related statements, diplomatic observers believe he will pursue a pragmatic foreign policy — with particular emphasis on elevating Nepal's traditionally deep "Roti-Beti" relationship with India to a new plane of development and transparency. Heads of foreign missions in Kathmandu attended Thursday's ceremony.