Nepal's President Ram Chandra Poudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Balen Shah as the Prime Minister at the Rashtrapati Bhawan Shital Niwas.
Mr. Shah took the oath of office at 12:34 pm at a swearing-in ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. This time, the swearing-in ceremony looked quite different and special. Seven conch shells were blown during the ceremony. Similarly, 108 people (Bhikkus) chanted the Swasti Shanti and 16 Buddhist monks recited the Asht Mangal Path.
With 35-year-old Balen "Bale" Shah taking the oath as the 47th Prime Minister, a new political era has begun in Nepal. Mr. Shah has become the youngest Prime Minister of the country so far. His journey from a rapper and structural engineer to the mayor of Kathmandu indicates a broad desire for change in Nepali politics.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at the President's office, attended by high-profile personalities including President Ram Chandra Poudel, Vice President Ram Sahaya Yadav, Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut, and high-ranking government officials. President Ram Chandra Poudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to him as the Prime Minister under Article 76(1) of the Nepalese Constitution.
Earlier on Thursday, Shah had also taken the oath of secrecy as a member of the House of Representatives. Mr. Shah, who turned from a structural engineer to an underground rapper in 2022, came into the limelight using the symbol of a "walking stick" as an independent candidate in the Kathmandu mayor's race.
He defeated several seasoned politicians, including Nepali Congress's Sirjana Singh and former mayor Keshav Sthapit (CPN-UML), by securing 61,767 votes. Shah's meteoric rise from Kathmandu mayor to national leader in just four years reflects a dramatic change in Nepali politics. Famous for his black-framed glasses and rap songs against corruption and social injustice, Shah has captured the sentiments of voters seeking change.
Following this month's elections, Nepal's new parliament held its first meeting on Thursday, where nine newly elected members took the oath of office and secrecy. The previous parliament was dissolved after the Jen Za protests in September 2025. In the March 5 elections for the House of Representatives, Mr. Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) emerged as the largest party with 182 seats, while the Nepali Congress secured 38 and the CPN-UML got 25 seats. Under the proportional representation system, the RSP secured 57 seats, while the remaining 53 seats were filled by other parties.
Under the first-past-the-post system, the RSP won 125 seats, ensuring Shah's decisive victory. Before taking office, Mr. Shah released a song reflecting his vision for Nepal's future. The track was viewed over two million times in a few hours. The song appeals for unity and hope, resonating with the people seeking change.
Mr. Shah was born in 1990 in Naradevi, Kathmandu, and is the youngest son of his parents.