Balendra Shah Named Among TIME's 100 Most Influential People

Kathmandu. Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) has been included in the list of the world's 100 most influential people. His name has been featured in the ‘TIME 100 Most Influential People of 2026’ list released by the prestigious international media outlet TIME Magazine. 

TIME has categorized him under the 'Leaders' section, alongside the world's most powerful politicians, artists, and thinkers. TIME describes the 36-year-old Shah as a 'former hip-hop star' and the 'youngest Prime Minister' in Nepal's history. 

The magazine notes that Balen achieved a spectacular victory in the general election held on Falgun 21 due to unprecedented support from the youth generation and frustration with old-guard politicians. TIME comments that Shah, a civil engineering graduate, now faces the challenge of scaling the reforms he implemented in waste management, education, and health during his tenure as Mayor of Kathmandu to the national level. 

His rise is interpreted as a major blow against the entrenched dynastic politics of South Asia.

Along with Prime Minister Shah, other powerful world leaders and prominent figures have also made it to this year's influential list. Political leaders included are US leader Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pope Leo XIV, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Mark Carney, and Benjamin Netanyahu. From the fields of business and technology, Google's Sundar Pichai, billionaire Michael Dell, David Ellison, and SpaceX's Gwynne Shotwell have been included.

In the arts and entertainment category, Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor, Hollywood actresses Zoe Saldaña, Dakota Johnson, Keke Palmer, Benicio del Toro, and popular singer Luke Combs are featured. Additionally, sports icons Scottie Scheffler, Hilary Knight, Lando Norris, and social media personality ‘MrBeast’ have also made it to this prestigious list. In the field of innovation and ideas, figures like Dario Amodei, Nikki Glaser, and Vikas Khanna have also secured a place.

The article written in TIME about the Nepali Prime Minister states, ‘Balen's rise has not only led Nepal's population of 30 million, but it has also completely rejected the old political style.'