Will Nepal’s new ‘Big Three’ deliver the change the country hopes for?
In September 2025, Nepal’s political climate suddenly appeared unstable due to the Gen-Z revolution. Following the interim government formed under Prime Minister Sushila Karki, public discourse across the country has centred on a pressing question: who will lead ‘Nepal’ next, and can they finally deliver the real changes?
As an NRN woman, I have worked with several NGOs and INGOs operating in Nepal. My perspective on the coalition of the big three, namely Balen Shah, Rabi Lamichhane, and Kul Man Ghising, is shaped by lived experiences with family-led initiatives, engagement with educational institutions, and direct exposure to the realities faced by Nepalis both at home and overseas. So, it’s time to understand the challenges that the country is facing, and with the ‘Big 3’, there is this question: could they deliver what the country is hoping for?
At this moment, it is important to clearly understand the challenges the country is facing. With the emergence of the “Big Three,” a key question remains: can they deliver what the country is hoping for?
The emergence of Nepal’s ‘Big Three’
As mentioned above, they are known as the Icons of Nepal due to their impressive careers in public service. Balen Shah (Mayor of Kathmandu) was the first mayor to win the Kathmandu election as an Independent. As a mayor, he has accomplished tremendous work in his short time in office.
In my opinion, the main thing he improved was Nepal’s urban cleanliness and the enhancement of Kathmandu’s infrastructure. He enforced rules and reclaimed footpaths and roads that had been neglected in Kathmandu for several decades. It was commendable how, within a few years, he changed the landscape of Kathmandu.
Rabi Lamichhane (Founder of RSP & Investigative Journalist) has been at the pinnacle of journalism and politics, exposing deep-rooted corruption in Nepal that has persisted for centuries. He made the voice of ordinary Nepalis heard by using live TV without any editing, to be as transparent with the public as possible. He has always been the voice of unvoiced Nepali, especially working under inhuman working conditions around the Middle East and as a journalist, he has rescued 100s of poor Nepali workers from abroad. Lamichhane is regarded as the most famous amongst the politicians and has successfully delivered his tenure as an honest home minister of Nepal.
Kul Man Ghising has been an extraordinary figure in Nepal’s engineering fraternity, as he was the one who ended load-shedding that had impacted Nepali people for many decades. I remember my parents mentioning that seeing light for more than 5 hours in a day was a miracle, and that he ended darkness from the country during his years in office as managing director of Nepal Engineering Authority by taking bold risks with maximum outcomes. Ghising also gets the credit for bringing electricity to over 97% of the Nepali population.
With all of them allying, it powerfully highlights the vision of a ‘New Nepal’. They are widely recognised for prioritising public interest over personal gain and for resisting the exploitation of resources that have long hidden our beautiful country. Their credibility is shown in the tangible work they have delivered to the Nepali people (Balen Shah: Infrastructure development and law enforcement; Rabi Lamichhane: Exposing corruption and creating RSP; Kul Man Ghising: Ending load shedding and leading development of new Nepal. Through their hard work, they have delivered to the Nepali people and earned their trust, and in my opinion, they are the most credible path towards the ‘New Nepal’, the country we all seek religiously.
