Sushila Karki has etched her name in Nepal’s history once again, this time as the country’s first woman Prime Minister, assuming leadership of a transitional government at a moment of profound political upheaval.

Her appointment follows a unique public mandate: she was chosen by Nepal’s Gen Z-led protest movement—which forced the resignation of former PM KP Sharma Oli—through an unconventional voting process held on Discord.

Karki secured the highest number of votes, emerging as the most acceptable figure both for radical youth forces calling for deep reform and for traditional political elites seeking stability.

Her leadership has been hailed as a rare moment of consensus in Nepal’s fractured politics, as she has pledged to restore order, guide the nation toward credible elections, and accelerate development.

Born on June 7, 1952, in Shankarpur, Biratnagar, Karki brings decades of legal experience and a sterling reputation for judicial independence. After completing her master’s degree at Banaras Hindu University and a law degree from Tribhuvan University in 1978, she embarked on a practice in 1979 that saw her rise to the presidency of both the Koshi Zonal Bar and the Biratnagar Appellate Bar.

Her judicial career reached its peak in 2009 when she was appointed a Supreme Court justice. In July 2016, she broke another barrier, becoming Nepal’s first woman Chief Justice.

During her tenure, she became widely respected for issuing bold verdicts in corruption cases against politicians and safeguarding judicial autonomy, even when nominated under the Nepali Congress quota. Her strong stance culminated in a controversial impeachment attempt in 2017, widely seen as politically motivated to pre-empt her rulings, which ultimately ended her judicial career.

Those who know Karki describe her as courageous, disciplined, and incorruptible, with a lifestyle modelled on Gandhian simplicity. Former colleagues such as Justice Ananda Mohan Bhattarai have lauded her moral integrity, noting that both she and her husband Durga Subedi—a former Congress leader linked to a 1973 anti-Panchayat plane hijacking to fund the democratic struggle—have long committed themselves to democratic ideals.

Senior advocate Bipin Adhikari highlights her clean record, stressing the need for her to surround herself with a reliable and capable team to navigate the political and administrative challenges ahead.

While some observers caution that her austere and principled approach may struggle to align with the dynamic methods of the younger generation, many, including Bhattarai, argue that Nepalese youth have found in her a guardian figure embodying honesty, moral force, and constitutional credibility.

In taking on the role of Nepal’s first female Prime Minister, Karki symbolizes a profound generational compromise rooted in integrity and democratic conviction.

Her ascent signals a rare alignment of youth activism and traditional political forces and holds promise for steering Nepal through a turbulent transition.

Her leadership represents not only a personal milestone but also a defining experiment in people-driven governance, where a figure associated with incorruptibility has been entrusted to guide the nation across an unstable juncture in its democratic evolution.

Based On ANI Report