Kathmandu. Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah has been included in the list of the world’s 100 most influential people for the year 2026 by the world’s prestigious magazine ‘TIME’.
Balen has been named as one of the most influential personalities in the ‘leader’ category in the list released on Thursday. Earlier in 2023, Time included him in the ‘Time 100 Next’, which includes only emerging world leaders. But this time he has managed to make it to the main list of the world’s top powerful leaders.
Time’s main reasons for choosing Balen are as follows:
His emergence as an independent youth leader, breaking Nepal’s decades-old traditional and partisan political syndicates, has been hailed as an “exemplary for the world”.
Working style: As mayor of Kathmandu, he has been praised for his bold decisions and administrative reforms in the areas of waste management, education and health.
Mobilization of Youth Power: Time has given special importance to the effective use of social media and the new enthusiasm for politics among the younger generation.
Anti-corruption image: Balen’s “strong stance against corruption”, which comes from a background as an engineer and rapper, has established him as one of the most distinct and influential leaders in South Asia, according to the magazine.
This selection indicates that the interference of the new generation in Nepal’s politics has been recognized globally. Being on the Time 100 list is not only about having power, but also about having the ability to influence the world with your thoughts and actions.
This achievement has presented Nepal’s positive image in the international forum and has recognized Balen Shah’s leadership globally.
