Born in Naradevi, Kathmandu
Balendra Shah
बालेन्द्र शाह
Also known as Balen Shah, Balen
Prime Minister of Nepal; former Mayor of Kathmandu and rapper
Currently Prime Minister of Nepal, Government of Nepal
About
Balendra Shah is a Nepali politician. In 2022, he became famous when he won the election for Mayor of Kathmandu. He ran as an independent candidate, which means he did not belong to a political party. Later, he joined national politics. In 2026, he became Prime Minister of Nepal.
Before he became a politician, Balendra Shah was a rapper. His songs were about corruption and unfairness in Nepal. He also studied to become a structural engineer.
Quick facts
- Born
- 1990-04-27
- Birthplace
- Naradevi, Kathmandu, Nepal
- Profession
- Politician, Structural engineer, Rapper
- Current role
- Prime Minister of Nepal, Government of Nepal
- Nationality
- Nepal
- Status
- Alive
Current roles
Prime Minister of Nepal
Government of Nepal · since 2026-03-27
Previous roles
Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City
Kathmandu Metropolitan City · 2022-05–2026-01-18
Education
Himalayan Whitehouse International College
Bachelor's, Civil Engineering
Visvesvaraya Technological University
Master's, Structural Engineering
Career & life timeline
- 1990
- 2012
Released debut rap single "Sadak Balak" ("Street Child")
- 2022
Elected Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City as an independent candidate
- 2025-09
Sushila Karki appointed interim Prime Minister of Nepal following the Gen Z protests
- 2026-01-18
Resigned as Mayor of Kathmandu to contest the national election
- 2026-03
Rastriya Swatantra Party won a majority in the general election
- 2026-03-27
Sworn in as Prime Minister of Nepal
Achievements
Won the 2022 Kathmandu mayoral election as an independent candidate, defeating major-party candidates
2022
Related people
Last updated: 2026-09-02