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Sushila Karki, Nepal’s former chief justice, was sworn in on Friday as the country’s interim prime minister, becoming the first woman to hold the top executive office in the Himalayan nation. Her appointment comes in the wake of massive youth-led protests that toppled the government of K.P. Sharma Oli.

At least 30 people were killed in the demonstrations, which erupted earlier this week as Gen Z activists rallied against corruption and nepotism in politics. The protests not only forced Oli’s resignation but also dealt a blow to Nepal’s long-entrenched political elite.

Karki, 73, was chosen to lead the interim government following high-level talks between President Ram Chandra Paudel, senior military officials, and representatives of the youth protest movement. Her immediate challenge will be to restore calm and stability after days of unrest.

How Gen Z Backed Karki

Karki’s name first emerged on Wednesday as the preferred choice of protest leaders, but negotiations continued before her appointment was confirmed. Other names floated included Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician, and Kulman Ghising, 54, a widely respected former chief of the Nepal Electricity Authority credited with ending chronic power shortages.

Who Is Sushila Karki?

Karki made history in 2016 when she became Nepal’s first female chief justice, serving until 2017. She earned a reputation for her tough stance against corruption — a position that once placed her in direct conflict with the ruling establishment, which unsuccessfully sought her impeachment.

Born on June 7, 1952, in Biratnagar near the Indian border, Karki is the eldest of seven children. She studied political science at Banaras Hindu University in India before earning a law degree from Tribhuvan University in Nepal. Beginning her career as a lawyer in 1979, she rose to senior advocate in 2007 and later served as a Supreme Court judge.