The Most Famous

POLITICIANS from Nepal

This page contains a list of the greatest Nepalese Politicians. The pantheon dataset contains 19,576 Politicians, 32 of which were born in Nepal. This makes Nepal the birth place of the 85th most number of Politicians behind Ethiopia, and Uzbekistan.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Nepalese Politicians of all time. This list of famous Nepalese Politicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Nepalese Politicians.

1. Yaśodharā (b. 600 BC)

With an HPI of 77.75, Yaśodharā is the most famous Nepalese Politician. Her biography has been translated into 35 different languages on wikipedia.

Yaśodharā or Yashodhara, originally known as Bhaddakaccānā (Pāli) or Bhadrakātyāyani (Sanskrit), was the wife of Prince Siddhartha prior to his renunciation to become a śramaṇa (ascetic). She was the mother of Rāhula, and the niece of Mahaprajapati Gautami. Later, she became a Bhikkhunī and is considered an arahatā.

2. Bidhya Devi Bhandari (b. 1961)

With an HPI of 73.07, Bidhya Devi Bhandari is the 2nd most famous Nepalese Politician. Her biography has been translated into 79 different languages.

Bidya Devi Bhandari (Nepali: विद्यादेवी भण्डारी, pronounced [bid̚djadebi bʱʌɳɖaɾi]; born 19 June 1961) is a Nepali former politician who served as the second president of Nepal from 2015 to 2023. She formerly served as the minister of defence and minister of environment and population. She is the first woman to hold the presidential office in the country. She served as the vice-chairperson of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) and was the chair of the All Nepal Women's Association before being elected president. Bhandari previously served as the Minister of Defence, the first woman to hold the office, from 2009 to 2011. She also served as the Minister of Environment and Population in 1997, and has been an active campaigner for environmental awareness and women's rights in Nepal. In June 2017, she visited the headquarters of the International Union for Conservation of Nature in Gland, Switzerland and met with the director general Inger Andersen to discuss enhanced collaboration on nature conservation and sustainable development. In 2016, Forbes placed her at number 52 on its list of the world's 100 most powerful women. She was dropped off the list in 2017.

3. KP Sharma Oli (b. 1952)

With an HPI of 72.65, KP Sharma Oli is the 3rd most famous Nepalese Politician. His biography has been translated into 46 different languages.

Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli (Nepali: खड्ग प्रसाद शर्मा ओली; born 22 February 1952), commonly known as K. P. Sharma Oli or simply K. P. Oli (English pronunciation: , pronounced [ˈkʰʌɽɡʌprʌsad̪ ˈoli]), is a Nepalese politician who is serving as the prime minister of Nepal since 15 July 2024. Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) since 2014, he previously served as prime minister on two consecutive occasions, from October 2015 to August 2016 and from February 2018 to July 2021. He has been the Member of Parliament for Jhapa 5 since 2017. He previously served as an MP for Jhapa 6, Jhapa 2, and Jhapa 7. Oli opposed India's 2015 blockade of Nepal. He strengthened relations with China as an alternative to Nepal's traditionally close trade ties with India and updated the map of Nepal by constitutional amendment to include territories disputed with India, for which he has received some domestic praise and a reputation as a nationalist. Oli's tenure in office has been controversial for frequent use of tongue-in-cheek remarks, hostility towards critics and the media, and accusations of fostering cronyism and corruption.

4. Pushpa Kamal Dahal (b. 1954)

With an HPI of 72.40, Pushpa Kamal Dahal is the 4th most famous Nepalese Politician. His biography has been translated into 49 different languages.

Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Nepali: पुष्पकमल दाहाल; born Ghanashyam Dahal, 11 December 1954), alias Prachanda (Nepali: प्रचण्ड, pronounced [prʌˈt͡sʌɳɖʌ], transl. "fierce"), is a Nepalese politician, currently serving as the Leader of the Opposition, since July 2024. He has served as the Prime Minister of Nepal on three separate occasions, from 2008 to 2009 as the first prime minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, from 2016 to 2017, and again from 2022 to 2024. Having been drawn to left-wing politics after seeing severe poverty during his youth, Dahal joined the Communist Party of Nepal (Fourth Convention) in 1981, and later became general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (Mashal) in 1989. This party later became the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). Dahal was the leader of the CPN (M) during the country's civil war and subsequent peace process and the 1st Nepalese constituent assembly. In the 2008 elections, CPN(M) emerged as the largest party, and Dahal became prime minister in August of that year. He resigned from the post on 4 May 2009, after his attempt to sack the then army chief, Rookmangud Katawal, was opposed by then President Ram Baran Yadav. Dahal was sworn in as prime minister for a second time in 2016, as per an agreement to form a rotational government with the Nepali Congress, and resigned on 24 May 2017 to make way for Congress' Sher Bahadur Deuba. Following the 2022 general election, Dahal was sworn in as prime minister again in December 2022, with support from a coalition of parties including CPN (UML), Rastriya Swatantra Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party. Dahal remained in power for 19 months, changing alliances between the UML and Congress three times, before he was ousted by a failed motion of confidence in the parliament on 12 July 2024.

5. Śuddhodana (b. 590 BC)

With an HPI of 71.73, Śuddhodana is the 5th most famous Nepalese Politician. His biography has been translated into 37 different languages.

Śuddhodana (Sanskrit: शुद्धोदन; Pali: Suddhodana), meaning "he who grows pure rice," was the father of Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the Buddha. He was a leader of the Shakya, who lived in an oligarchic republic, with their capital at Kapilavastu. In later renditions of the life of the Buddha, Śuddhodana was often referred to as a king, though that status cannot be established with confidence and is in fact disputed by modern scholars.

6. Ram Chandra Poudel (b. 1944)

With an HPI of 66.56, Ram Chandra Poudel is the 6th most famous Nepalese Politician. His biography has been translated into 39 different languages.

Ram Chandra Paudel (Nepali: रामचन्द्र पौडेल; born 6 October 1944) is a Nepalese politician who has been the third and current president of Nepal since 2023. A former senior leader of the Nepali Congress, Paudel previously served as the speaker of the House of Representatives from 1994 to 1999, and was the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs from 1999 to 2002. First elected to parliament in 1991, he served in numerous other ministerial positions and was the Leader of the Opposition from 2011 to 2013, as the parliamentary party leader of the Nepali Congress.

7. Prithvi Narayan Shah (1723 - 1775)

With an HPI of 66.24, Prithvi Narayan Shah is the 7th most famous Nepalese Politician. His biography has been translated into 36 different languages.

Prithvi Narayan Shah The Great (Nepali: श्री ५ बडामहाराजाधिराज पृथ्वीनारायण शाह देव, romanized: Shri Panch Badamaharajadhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shah Dev; 7 January 1723 – 11 January 1775), was the last king of the Gorkha Kingdom and first king of the Kingdom of Nepal (also called the Kingdom of Gorkha). Prithvi Narayan Shah started the unification of Nepal. He is also credited for moving the royal seat of power to Kathmandu.He stands among the greatest Hindu rulers of the modern era and ranks among the finest sons ever produced by the Hindu Race. Prithvi Narayan Shah not only founded the modern nation of Nepal, but did so in a unique and original manner that ensured enduring international relevance. An eighteenth-century leader who recognized the potential inherent in mobilizing popular energies, Prithvi Narayan Shah remains a towering figure from whom twenty-first-century Nepalis can—and do—draw inspiration. His position in Nepalese history resembles that of George Washington in America: a visionary who was undeniably progressive within his historical context and who continues to inspire later-day compatriots, even as they confront challenges unimaginable two centuries ago.

8. Birendra of Nepal (1945 - 2001)

With an HPI of 66.17, Birendra of Nepal is the 8th most famous Nepalese Politician. His biography has been translated into 47 different languages.

Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (Nepali: श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज वीरेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह देव; 29 December 1945 – 1 June 2001) was King of Nepal from 1972 until his assassination in 2001.

9. Gyanendra of Nepal (b. 1947)

With an HPI of 65.97, Gyanendra of Nepal is the 9th most famous Nepalese Politician. His biography has been translated into 51 different languages.

Gyanendra Shah (born 7 July 1947) is the final monarch of Nepal, who ruled from 2001 until 2008, when the monarchy was overthrown. He briefly held the throne as a child between 1950 and 1951, when his grandfather Tribhuvan and his family fled to India for political reasons. His second reign, which began following the 2001 Nepalese royal massacre, was characterised by constitutional upheaval. His brother, King Birendra, established a constitutional monarchy and delegated policy to a representative government. During Gyanendra's reign, the growing insurgency of the Nepalese Civil War disrupted representative elections. Following several election delays, Gyanendra suspended the constitution and assumed direct authority in February 2005, claiming that it was a temporary measure to suppress the Maoist insurgency after civil governments failed to do so. In April 2006, despite widespread opposition, he restored Nepal's previous parliament. He was deposed two years later by the first session of the Constituent Assembly, which declared the country the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal and ended the 240-year-old Shah dynasty.

10. Queen Aishwarya of Nepal (1949 - 2001)

With an HPI of 65.63, Queen Aishwarya of Nepal is the 10th most famous Nepalese Politician. Her biography has been translated into 22 different languages.

Aishwarya Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah (Nepali: ऐश्वर्य राज्य लक्ष्मी देवी शाह) (7 November 1949 – 1 June 2001) was Queen of Nepal from 1972 until her death in 2001. She played a significant role as the consort of King Birendra and was a prominent figure in the royal family throughout her lifetime. Queen Aishwarya is regarded by many Nepalese as an influential figure, known for her steadfast presence. During the pre-1990 era of absolute monarchy, she was often considered to be a central influence behind the throne. While her sense of style shaped the cultural ideal for many, her influence went beyond appearance. She was seen as a figure of composure and support alongside her husband during a period of both political change and royal tradition. In addition to her public role, Queen Aishwarya was a patron of the arts and made contributions to the cultural landscape of Nepal. She was known for her literary works and involvement in music, composing and writing songs under the pen-name Chandani Shah. She remains an iconic figure in Nepalese culture.

People

Pantheon has 32 people classified as Nepalese politicians born between 600 BC and 1980. Of these 32, 12 (37.50%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Nepalese politicians include Bidhya Devi Bhandari, KP Sharma Oli, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The most famous deceased Nepalese politicians include Yaśodharā, Śuddhodana, and Prithvi Narayan Shah. As of April 2024, 32 new Nepalese politicians have been added to Pantheon including Yaśodharā, Bidhya Devi Bhandari, and KP Sharma Oli.