September 11, 2025

Buckle up! Kathmandu’s Mayor Balen Shah isn’t your average politician. This dynamic 35-year-old civil engineer turned leader, who won the mayoral seat in 2022 as an independent with over 61,000 votes, has his roots linking all the way to Karnataka, India. Shah earned his Master’s degree in Structural Engineering (M.Tech.) from Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belgaum — isn’t that a cool Indo-Nepal connection? Before jumping into the political ring, Shah rocked the mic as a rapper and composer in Nepal’s hip-hop scene. Born in 1990 in Kathmandu to a Newar Buddhist family of Maithil Madhesi origin, he stepped into politics right after his student days and soon made waves. One of Shah’s boldest moves? Banning the screening of the Hindi film Adipurush in Kathmandu! The movie, based on the Hindu epic Ramayana, called Sita “India’s daughter,” but Shah disagreed strongly. He pointed out that in Nepal, Hindus believe Sita was born in Janakpur, close to Kathmandu. In a fiery 2023 post on X (formerly Twitter), Shah declared: "No Hindi film will be allowed to be shown in Kathmandu Metropolitan City until the words ‘Janaki is an Indian daughter’ in Adipurush are corrected not only in Nepal but also in India. Three days have been given to correct this." Shah’s confident leadership is drawing big fan-following from Nepal’s Gen Z, people under 28 years old, who see him as a fresh, strong face. In another powerful message posted today on X, he told his young fans: "Dear Gen Z, your killer’s resignation has arrived. Now be patient! The loss of the country’s people and property means the loss of your and our property. Your generation will have to lead the country. Also, be prepared to negotiate with the army chief. But remember - Parliament must be dissolved before negotiations can take place." After former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli stepped down, many see Balen Shah as a strong candidate for Nepal’s next Prime Minister. With his unique blend of education, youth energy, and bold stands, Shah is shaking up Nepali politics like never before. Watch this space!

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Tags: Balen shah, Kathmandu mayor, Nepal politics, Adipurush ban, Gen z voters, Vtu karnataka,