Born in Baglung, Nepal
Kalyan Shrestha
कल्याण श्रेष्ठ
Former Chief Justice of Nepal known for transformative judicial reforms
About
Kalyan Shrestha began his career as a section officer in the Supreme Court in the early 1970s. Over three decades, he rose through district and appellate court positions. In 2005, he reached the Supreme Court.
In July 2015, he was appointed Chief Justice of Nepal, during an unstable political time. His time in the role was brief, but it was still marked by fearless leadership and reforms that shaped the judiciary, the system of courts and judges in Nepal. In 2016, Sushila Karki succeeded him. She went on to become Nepal’s first woman Chief Justice.
Quick facts
- Born
- 1951-04-14
- Birthplace
- Baglung, Nepal
- Profession
- Jurist
- Nationality
- Nepal
- Status
- Alive
Previous roles
Chief Justice of Nepal
Supreme Court of Nepal · 2015-07-08–2016-04-12
Justice
Supreme Court of Nepal · 2005–2016
Chief Judge
Appellate Court, Jumla · 2005
Career & life timeline
- 1951-04-14
- 1972
Began his career as a section officer in the Supreme Court and the Government of Nepal's Local Development Department
- 1985
Became a district judge
- 1990
Became an appellate court judge
- 2005
Served as Chief Judge of the Appellate Court in Jumla, and later joined the Supreme Court
- 2015-07-08
Appointed Chief Justice of Nepal, succeeding Ram Kumar Prasad Shah
- 2016-04-12
Completed his term as Chief Justice, succeeded by Sushila Karki
Achievements
Led transformative reforms in Nepal's judiciary during his Supreme Court tenure
Organizations & affiliations
- Supreme Court of Nepal
Related people
Last updated: 2026-09-06