Sushila Karki, 73, Nepal’s former Supreme Court chief Justice, becomes the country’s first woman prime minister, after anti anti-corruption ‘Gen Z’ protest ousted the government. Karki was sworn in late Friday by Poudel at the presidential residence in a brief ceremony.
Born on June 7, 1952, in the border town of Biratnagar in eastern Nepal, Sushila was the eldest of seven children in a farming family closely connected to Nepal’s influential Koirala political dynasty. Her academic path reflected both ambition and a deepening political awareness. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Mahendra Morang Campus in 1972, followed by a master’s degree in political science from India’s Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1975—an experience she often described as formative, shaping her worldview and fostering a lasting affinity with India. She went on to complete an LLB from Tribhuvan University in 1978.
Her legal career began in 1979 with law practice in her hometown of Biratnagar, steadily rising through the ranks to become a senior advocate by 2007. In 2009, she was appointed as an ad hoc justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court, earning permanent status the following year. Karki broke new ground in 2016 when she became Nepal’s first female Chief Justice, a tenure marked by her uncompromising stance against corruption and a series of landmark verdicts that cemented her reputation while also drawing political pushback including a controversial impeachment attempt that was ultimately derailed by public outcry and judicial resistance.
Throughout her judicial career, Karki stood as a powerful symbol of integrity and a trailblazer for women’s empowerment in Nepal. Her contributions extended beyond the courtroom into literature, with works such as her autobiography Nyaya and the novel Kara, inspired by her own imprisonment during the 1990 People’s Movement against the Panchayat regime.
Karki’s Connection with India
She completed her MA in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, in 1975, where she also met her future husband, Durga Prasad Subedi—a youth leader known for his involvement in a historic anti-monarchy demonstration on Indian soil. Her time in India left a deep and lasting impression. Karki often speaks warmly of her BHU professors and Indian friends, proudly referring to herself as “a friend of India.” She has consistently emphasized her positive rapport with Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and is widely respected for her balanced stance and commitment to fostering strong India-Nepal relations.
Gez Z Revolutionary Protest
A sweeping government ban on major social media platforms created a wave of youth-led protests across Nepal, culminating in one of the largest anti-government mobilisations in recent years. In response to escalating demonstrations, authorities imposed a curfew in New Baneshwor, a key residential and political hub in Kathmandu, after protesters breached restricted zones near the federal parliament.
Rallying under the banner of the “Gen Z Revolution,” thousands of young Nepalis, many of them students, took to the streets on Monday in cities including Kathmandu and Ithari. They demanded the immediate reversal of the ban and decried what they see as endemic corruption under Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s government.
Nepal Government Toppled
Nepal’s government was overthrown amid youth-driven “Gen Z” protests. What began as an online campaign criticizing the extravagant lifestyles of politically connected “nepo kids” quickly escalated into nationwide demonstrations after the government abruptly shut down 26 major platforms including Facebook, X, and YouTube under the pretext of regulatory concerns. The move was broadly perceived as an effort to suppress dissent, ultimately fueling public anger and triggering a political collapse.
