Born in Kathmandu, Nepal
Bhumika Shrestha
भूमिका श्रेष्ठ
Nepal's first transgender woman member of parliament and longtime LGBTQ+ rights activist
Currently Member of Parliament (Proportional Representation), House of Representatives, Federal Parliament of Nepal
About
Bhumika Shrestha grew up in Kathmandu. She became one of the most well-known people in Nepal’s transgender rights movement. She worked closely with the Blue Diamond Society. In 2015, she made history. She became the first person to travel abroad from Nepal with a passport listing “other” as her gender.
She wrote about her life in her book, Bhumika: Tisro Lingiko Atmakatha. In March 2026, the Rastriya Swatantra Party won Nepal’s general election by a large margin. Bhumika Shrestha became a member of parliament through proportional representation. This made her the first transgender woman to serve in Nepal’s national parliament.
Quick facts
- Born
- 1988-01-11
- Birthplace
- Kathmandu, Nepal
- Profession
- Activist, Politician, Author, Actress
- Current role
- Member of Parliament (Proportional Representation), House of Representatives, Federal Parliament of Nepal
- Nationality
- Nepal
- Status
- Alive
Current roles
Member of Parliament (Proportional Representation)
House of Representatives, Federal Parliament of Nepal · since 2026-03-26
Career & life timeline
- 1988
- 2015-10
Became the first person to travel abroad from Nepal identifying with the "other" gender category on her passport
- 2026-03-05
The Rastriya Swatantra Party won a majority in Nepal's general election
- 2026-03-16
Confirmed as a proportional-representation MP, becoming Nepal's first transgender woman lawmaker
Achievements
First transgender woman member of parliament in Nepal
2026First person to travel abroad from Nepal with an "other" gender category passport
2015
Organizations & affiliations
- Blue Diamond Society
- Rastriya Swatantra Party
Related people
Last updated: 2026-09-06