Sushila Karki became the first female Prime Minister of Nepal in 2025 following widespread youth-led anti-corruption protests. Her appointment as interim head of government, selected via an online poll and sanctioned by the military, marked a transition from a career defined by judicial independence to a central role in national executive leadership.
Academic and Legal Foundations
Born in 1952 in Biratnagar, Karki pursued extensive education before entering public life. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Mahendra Morang College in 1972 and later completed a master's in political science at Banaras Hindu University in 1975. By 1978, she had completed her legal studies at Tribhuvan University. Her professional trajectory began as an assistant teacher at Mahendra Multiple Campus and later as bar president of the Koshi Zonal Court. Her involvement in the 1990 People's Movement led to her imprisonment, an experience she later documented in her novel Kara.
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Karki joined the Supreme Court of Nepal as an ad hoc justice in 2009, becoming a permanent member the following year. In 2016, she assumed the role of Chief Justice, the first woman to hold the position. Her term was marked by high-profile rulings, including the overturning of appointments to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority. In 2017, she faced impeachment proceedings initiated by members of the Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Centre), which were widely criticized as politically motivated. A stay order from the Supreme Court halted the proceedings, and Karki retired in June 2017 upon reaching the mandatory age of 65.
Interim Prime Ministership
Following the 2025 resignation of Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli, Karki was appointed to lead the interim government. Sworn in on 12 September 2025 under article 61 of the Constitution, she prioritized stabilization following civil unrest. Her early administration focused on infrastructure reconstruction, addressing protester grievances through compensation, and lowering the minimum voting age to 16. She committed to organizing a general election for March 2026, aiming to address systemic corruption and restore public governance.
Fast facts
- Born: 1952, Biratnagar, Nepal
- Education: Tribhuvan University; Banaras Hindu University
- Chief Justice of Nepal: 2016-2017
- Interim Prime Minister of Nepal: 2025-2026
- Notable Publications: Nyaya; Kara
- First female Chief Justice of Nepal
- First female Prime Minister of Nepal
Questions readers ask
How did Sushila Karki become Prime Minister?
She was selected for the interim position following 2025 anti-corruption protests after her name was proposed by activists and confirmed through an online Discord poll and military consultation.
What was the result of the impeachment proceedings against her in 2017?
The proceedings were suspended by a Supreme Court stay order and eventually withdrawn by the ruling parties before her voluntary retirement in June 2017.
Achievements
- chief justice (2016–2017)
- Prime Minister of Nepal (2025–2026)
- Educated at Tribhuvan University and Mahendra Morang Adarsh Multiple Campus
