PM Balendra Shah included in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2026

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Balendra Shah has been included in the 100 Most Influential People of 2026 list published by the international media outlet TIME Magazine.

PM Shah has been placed in the “Leaders” category alongside prominent global politicians, artists, and thinkers.

TIME describes the 35-year-old Shah as a former hip-hop artist and the youngest Prime Minister in Nepal’s history. It notes that he secured a strong electoral victory with significant support from young voters and growing public frustration with traditional political parties.

The magazine further highlights his earlier work as Mayor of Kathmandu, particularly in areas such as waste management, education, and public health, and says he now faces the challenge of expanding those reforms at the national level.

TIME also interprets his rise as a strong shift against entrenched dynastic politics in South Asia.