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List of prime ministers of Nepal facts for kids

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The position of a prime minister of Nepal (Nepali: नेपालको प्रधानमन्त्री, romanized: Nepālko Pradhānmantrī) in modern form was called by different names at different times of Nepalese history. During the reign of the Shah kings, the Mulkajis (Chief Kajis) or Chautariyas served as prime ministers in a council of 4 Chautariyas, 4 Kajis, and sundry officers. These Bharadars (officers) were drawn from high caste and politically influential families such as the Pande, Basnyat, and Thapa families. The nobility of Gorkha was mainly based from Chhetri families and they had a strong presence in civil administration affairs. All prime ministers of Nepal between 1768 and 1950 were Chhetris with the exception of Ranga Nath Poudyal, being a Khas Brahmin. Of the 23 men who have been elected since Nepal attained democracy from the Ranas in 1951, 15 have been Khas Brahmin, 3 Thakuri, 2 Newar Shresthas, 2 Chhetri, and 1 Sanyasi/Dasnami. The executive power allocation was fluctuating between Kajis and Chautariyas.

In 1804, a single authoritative position of Mukhtiyar was created by Rana Bahadur Shah which carried the executive powers of nation. Mukhtiyar held the position of head of the executive until the adoption of the title of Prime Minister in November 1843 by Mathabar Singh Thapa who became Mukhtiyar as well as Prime Minister and the Chief of the Nepalese Army. During the Rana dynasty, the position of prime minister was hereditary and the officeholder held additional titles – Maharaja of Lamjang and Kaski, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Nepal and Grand Master of the Royal Orders of Nepal.

After the revolution of 1951, non-aristocratic citizens like Matrika Prasad Koirala held the position of prime minister still under the authority of the King of Nepal. The first general election was held in 1959 and Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala became the first elected prime minister of Nepal. However, he was deposed and imprisoned in the 1960 coup d'état by King Mahendra who went on to establish an oligarchic authoritative regime, the Panchayat system, and Nepal did not have a democratic government until 1990. After the Jana Andolan movement in 1990, the country became a constitutional monarchy. However, this was interrupted with the 2005 coup d'état by King Gyanendra. After the Loktantrik Andolan movement in 2006, the monarchy was abolished on 28 May 2008 by the 1st Constituent Assembly and the country was declared a federal parliamentary republic. The current constitution was adopted on 20 September 2015, and the first prime minister under this new constitution was KP Sharma Oli.

Heads of government of the Kingdom of Nepal (1768–2008)

Before 1800s

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Title King
(Reign)
Took office Left office
1 Bamsa Raj Pandey.jpg Vamsharaj Pande
(1739–1785)
c. 1776 c. 1779 Dewan Pratap Singh Shah
Pratap Singh Shah.jpg
(1751–1777)
2 No image.png Swarup Singh Karki
(1751–1785)
c. 1776 c. 1777 Dewan
3 No image.png Sarbajit Rana Magar
(1750–1778)
c. 1777 c. 1778 Kaji/Mulkaji Rana Bahadur Shah
Rana Bahadur Shah.jpg
(1775–1806)
(1) Bamsa Raj Pandey.jpg Vamsharaj Pande
(1739–1785)
c. 1782 c. 1785 Dewan/Mantri–Nayak
4 Abhiman Singh Basnyat.jpg Abhiman Singh Basnyat
(1744–1800)
c. 1785 c. 1794 Mulkaji
No image.png Bahadur Shah of Nepal
(1757–1797)
c. 1785 c. 1794 Mul–Chautariya
5 Kirtiman Singh Basnyat (cropped).jpg Kirtiman Singh Basnyat
(1760–1801)
c. 1794 c. 1801 Mulkaji
Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah
King Girvan Yuddhavikram Shah (1797-1816) (restoration) (cropped).jpg
(1799–1816)
6 No image.png Bakhtawar Singh Basnyat
(1759–1840)
c. 1801 c. 1803 Mulkaji

MulKajis and Mukhtiyars during the Shah expansion era (1803–1846)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office King
(Reign)
Took office Left office
1 Damodar Pande.jpg Damodar Pande
(1752–1804)
February 1803 March 1804 Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah
King Girvan Yuddhavikram Shah (1797-1816) (restoration) (cropped).jpg
(1799–1816)
Rana Bahadur Shah.jpg Rana Bahadur Shah
(1775–1806)
1804 25 April 1806
2 Bhimsen-thapa-painting (cropped).jpg Bhimsen Thapa
(1775–1839)
1806 July 1837
Rajendra Bikram Shah
King Bikram Shah Deva of Nepal (cropped).jpg
(1816–1847)
3 Ranajang Pande.jpg Rana Jang Pande
(1789–1843)
1st time
1837 1837
4 Ranganath Paudyal.jpg Ranga Nath Poudyal
(1773–1846)
1st time
October 1837 August 1838
5 Puskar Shah.jpg Chautariya Puskhar Shah
(1784–1846)
October 1838 1839
(3) Ranajang Pande.jpg Rana Jang Pande
(1789–1843)
2nd time
April 1839 1840
(4) Ranganath Paudyal.jpg Ranga Nath Poudyal
(1773–1846)
2nd time
1840 1840
6 Fatteh Jang Shah.jpg Fateh Jung Shah
(1805–1846)
1st time
November 1840 January 1843
7 Mathabar Simha Thapa.jpg Mathabar Singh Thapa
(1798–1845)
November 1843 17 May 1845
(6) Fatteh Jang Shah.jpg Fateh Jung Shah
(1805–1846)
2nd time
September 1845 14 September 1846
(Assassinated)

Prime ministers during the Rana era (1846–1951)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office King
(Reign)
Took office Left office Days
8 Jung Bahadur Rana in 1887.jpg Jung Bahadur Rana
(1816–1877)
1st time
15 September 1846 1 August 1856 9 years, 321 days Surendra Bikram Shah
King Surendra Bikram Shah 1 (cropped).jpg
(1847–1881)
9 Bam Bahadur Kunwar.jpg Bam Bahadur Kunwar
(1818–1857)
1 August 1856 25 May 1857 297 days
No image.png Krishna Bahadur Kunwar Rana
(1823–1863)
Acting Prime Minister
25 May 1857 28 June 1857 34 days
(8) Jung Bahadur Rana in 1887.jpg Jung Bahadur Rana
(1816–1877)
2nd time
28 June 1857 25 February 1877 19 years, 242 days
10 Ranodip Singh Kunwar.jpg Ranodip Singh Kunwar
(1825–1885)
27 February 1877 22 November 1885
(Assassinated)
8 years, 270 days
Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah
Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah standing (cropped).png
(1881–1911)
11 Prime Minister Bir Shumsher Sitting (cropped).png Bir Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana
(1852–1901)
22 November 1885 5 March 1901 15 years, 103 days
12 Dev Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (cropped).png Dev Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana
(1862–1914)
5 March 1901 27 June 1901 114 days
13 Maharaja Chandra Shamsher.jpg Chandra Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana
(1863–1929)
27 June 1901 26 November 1929 28 years, 152 days
Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah
King Tribhuvan (cropped).png
(1911–1955)
14 Prime Minister Bhim Shamsher 2 (cropped).png Bhim Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana
(1865–1932)
26 November 1929 1 September 1932 2 years, 280 days
15 Juddha Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (cropped).png Juddha Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana
(1875–1952)
1 September 1932 29 November 1945 13 years, 89 days
16 Padma Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana.png Padma Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana
(1882–1961)
29 November 1945 30 April 1948 2 years, 153 days
17 Mohan Shumsher (cropped).png Mohan Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana
(1885–1967)
30 April 1948 12 November 1951 3 years, 196 days

Prime ministers during the Transition era (1951–1960)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Election(s) Political party Cabinet King
(Reign)
Took office Left office Days
18 Matrika Prasad Koirala2.jpg Matrika Prasad Koirala
(1912–1997)
1st time
16 November 1951 14 August 1952 272 days Nepali Congress M. P. Koirala I Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah
Tribhuvan 1937 (cropped).jpg
(1911–1955)
Tribhuvan 1937 (cropped).jpg Direct rule by King
Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah
(1906–1955)
14 August 1952 15 June 1953 305 days
(18) Matrika Prasad Koirala2.jpg Matrika Prasad Koirala
(1912–1997)
2nd time
15 June 1953 11 April 1955 1 year, 303 days Rastriya Praja Party M. P. Koirala II
Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah
Mahendra Ratna 1957 (cropped).jpg
(1955–1972)
Surya Bahadur Thapa 2005-11-24.jpg Surya Bahadur Thapa
(1928–2015)
Acting
11 April 1955 14 April 1955 3 days
Mahendra Ratna 1957 (cropped).jpg Direct rule by King
Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah
(1920–1972)
14 April 1955 27 January 1956 288 days
19 Tanka Prasad Acharya (cropped).jpg Tanka Prasad Acharya
(1912–1992)
27 January 1956 26 July 1957 1 year, 180 days Nepal Praja Parishad Acharya
20 KI Singh.jpg Kunwar Indrajit Singh
(1906–1982)
26 July 1957 15 May 1958 293 days United Democratic Party Singh
21 Subarna shumasher.jpg Subarna Shamsher Rana
(1910–1977)
15 May 1958 27 May 1959 1 year, 12 days Nepali Congress
22 BP Koirala.jpg Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala
(1914–1982)
MP for Morang–Biratnagar West
27 May 1959 15 December 1960
(Deposed)
1 year, 202 days 1959 B. P. Koirala

Prime ministers during the partyless Panchayat era (1960–1990)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office King
(Reign)
Took office Left office Days
Mahendra Ratna 1957 (cropped).jpg Direct rule by King
Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah
(1920–1972)
15 December 1960 2 April 1963 2 years, 108 days Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah
Mahendra Ratna 1957 (cropped).jpg
(1955–1972)
23 Tulsi Giri, 1963 (cropped).jpg Tulsi Giri
(1926–2018)
1st time
2 April 1963 23 December 1963 265 days
24 Surya Bahadur Thapa 2005-11-24.jpg Surya Bahadur Thapa
(1928–2015)
1st time
23 December 1963 26 February 1964 65 days
(23) Tulsi Giri, 1963 (cropped).jpg Tulsi Giri
(1926–2018)
2nd time
26 February 1964 26 January 1965 335 days
(24) Surya Bahadur Thapa 2005-11-24.jpg Surya Bahadur Thapa
(1928–2015)
2nd time
26 January 1965 7 April 1969 4 years, 71 days
25 Kirti Nidhi Bista (cropped).jpg Kirti Nidhi Bista
(1927–2017)
1st time
7 April 1969 13 April 1970 1 year, 6 days
No image.png Gehendra Bahadur Rajbhandari
(1923–1994)
Acting Prime Minister
13 April 1970 14 April 1971 1 year, 1 day
(25) Kirti Nidhi Bista (cropped).jpg Kirti Nidhi Bista
(1927–2017)
2nd time
14 April 1971 16 July 1973 2 years, 63 days
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah c. 1967 (restoration).jpg
(1972–2001)
26 No image.png Nagendra Prasad Rijal
(1927–1994)
1st time
16 July 1973 1 December 1975 2 years, 168 days
(23) Tulsi Giri, 1963 (cropped).jpg Tulsi Giri
(1926–2018)
3rd time
1 December 1975 12 September 1977 1 year, 285 days
(25) Kirti Nidhi Bista (cropped).jpg Kirti Nidhi Bista
(1927–2017)
3rd time
12 September 1977 30 May 1979 1 year, 260 days
(24) Surya Bahadur Thapa 2005-11-24.jpg Surya Bahadur Thapa
(1928–2015)
3rd time
30 May 1979 12 July 1983 4 years, 43 days
27 Lokendra Bahadur Chand A writer of विसर्जन.png Lokendra Bahadur Chand
(born 1940)
1st time
12 July 1983 21 March 1986 2 years, 252 days
(26) No image.png Nagendra Prasad Rijal
(1927–1994)
2nd time
21 March 1986 15 June 1986 86 days
28 Marich Man Singh Shrestha.jpg Marich Man Singh Shrestha
(1942–2013)
15 June 1986 6 April 1990 3 years, 295 days
(27) Lokendra Bahadur Chand A writer of विसर्जन.png Lokendra Bahadur Chand
(born 1940)
2nd time
6 April 1990 19 April 1990 13 days

Prime ministers during the Constitutional monarchy (1990–2008)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Election(s) Political party King
(Reign)
Took office Left office Days
29 Krishna bhattarai.jpg Krishna Prasad Bhattarai
(1924–2011)
1st time
19 April 1990 26 May 1991 1 year, 37 days Nepali Congress Birendra Bir Bikram Shah
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah c. 1967 (restoration).jpg
(1972–2001)
30 The Prime Minister of Nepal, Shri Girija Prasad Koirala being seen off by the Union Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Saif-ud-din Soz at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on April 06, 2007 (cropped).jpg Girija Prasad Koirala
(1924–2010)
MP for Morang 1
1st time
26 May 1991 30 November 1994 3 years, 188 days 1991
31 Man Mohan Adhikari.png Man Mohan Adhikari
(1920–1999)
MP for Kathmandu 3
30 November 1994 12 September 1995 286 days 1994 Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)
32 Sher bahadur.jpg Sher Bahadur Deuba
(born 1946)
MP for Dadeldhura 1
1st time
12 September 1995 12 March 1997 1 year, 181 days Nepali Congress
(27) Lokendra Bahadur Chand A writer of विसर्जन.png Lokendra Bahadur Chand
(born 1940)
MP for Baitadi 2
3rd time
12 March 1997 7 October 1997 209 days Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Chand)
(24) Surya Bahadur Thapa 2005-11-24.jpg Surya Bahadur Thapa
(1928–2015)
MP for Dhankuta 2
4th time
7 October 1997 15 April 1998 190 days Rastriya Prajatantra Party
(30) The Prime Minister of Nepal, Shri Girija Prasad Koirala being seen off by the Union Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Saif-ud-din Soz at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on April 06, 2007 (cropped).jpg Girija Prasad Koirala
(1924–2010)
MP for Morang 1
2nd time
15 April 1998 31 May 1999 1 year, 46 days Nepali Congress
(29) Krishna bhattarai.jpg Krishna Prasad Bhattarai
(1924–2011)
MP for Parsa 1
2nd time
31 May 1999 22 March 2000 296 days 1999
(30) The Prime Minister of Nepal, Shri Girija Prasad Koirala being seen off by the Union Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Saif-ud-din Soz at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on April 06, 2007 (cropped).jpg Girija Prasad Koirala
(1924–2010)
MP for Sunsari 5
3rd time
22 March 2000 26 July 2001 1 year, 126 days
Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah
Gyanendra 01.jpg
(2001–2008)
(32) Sher bahadur.jpg Sher Bahadur Deuba
(born 1946)
MP for Dadeldhura 1
2nd time
26 July 2001 4 October 2002 1 year, 70 days
Gyanendra 01.jpg Direct rule by King
Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah
(born 1947)
4 October 2002 11 October 2002 7 days
(27) Lokendra Bahadur Chand A writer of विसर्जन.png Lokendra Bahadur Chand
(born 1940)
4th time
11 October 2002 5 June 2003 237 days Rastriya Prajatantra Party
(24) Surya Bahadur Thapa 2005-11-24.jpg Surya Bahadur Thapa
(1928–2015)
5th time
5 June 2003 3 June 2004 364 days
(32) Sher bahadur.jpg Sher Bahadur Deuba
(born 1946)
3rd time
3 June 2004 1 February 2005
(Deposed)
243 days Nepali Congress (Democratic)
Gyanendra 01.jpg Direct rule by King
Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah
(born 1947)
1 February 2005 25 April 2006 1 year, 83 days
(30) The Prime Minister of Nepal, Shri Girija Prasad Koirala being seen off by the Union Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Saif-ud-din Soz at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on April 06, 2007 (cropped).jpg Girija Prasad Koirala
(1924–2010)
4th time
25 April 2006 28 May 2008 2 years, 33 days Nepali Congress

Prime ministers of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal (2008–present)

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Election(s) Political party Cabinet President
(Term)
Took office Left office Days
(30) The Prime Minister of Nepal, Shri Girija Prasad Koirala being seen off by the Union Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Saif-ud-din Soz at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on April 06, 2007 (cropped).jpg Girija Prasad Koirala
(1924–2010)
5th time
28 May 2008 18 August 2008 82 days Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala
The Prime Minister of Nepal, Shri Girija Prasad Koirala being seen off by the Union Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Saif-ud-din Soz at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on April 06, 2007 (cropped).jpg
(2007–2008)
(Acting Head of State)
33 Prachanda 2009.jpg Pushpa Kamal Dahal
(born 1954)
MCA for Kathmandu 10
1st time
18 August 2008 25 May 2009 280 days 2008
(Constituent Assembly)
Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) Dahal I Ram Baran Yadav
Ram Baran Yadav, portrait (August 2014).jpg
(2008–2015)
34 Madhav Kumar Nepal 2009-09-23.jpg Madhav Kumar Nepal
(born 1953)
Nominated MCA
25 May 2009 6 February 2011 1 year, 257 days Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) Nepal
35 Jhala Nath Khanal 2011-03-20.jpg Jhala Nath Khanal
(born 1950)
MCA for Ilam 1
6 February 2011 29 August 2011 204 days Khanal
36 Baburam Bhattarai (cropped).jpg Baburam Bhattarai
(born 1954)
MCA for Gorkha 2
29 August 2011 14 March 2013 1 year, 197 days Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) B. Bhattarai
Khil Raj Regmi (cropped).jpg Khil Raj Regmi
(born 1949)
Chair of the Cabinet of Ministers
14 March 2013 11 February 2014 334 days Independent Regmi (Interim)
37 Sushil Koirala Photograph.png Sushil Koirala
(1939–2016)
MCA for Banke 3
11 February 2014 12 October 2015 1 year, 243 days 2013
(Constituent Assembly)
Nepali Congress S. Koirala
38 The Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. K.P. Sharma Oli calls on the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on April 06, 2018 (cropped).jpg KP Sharma Oli
(born 1952)
MCA for Jhapa 7
1st time
12 October 2015 4 August 2016 297 days Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) Oli I
Bidya Devi Bhandari
Shinzo Abe and Bidhya Devi Bhandari at the Enthronement of Naruhito (1) cropped.jpg
(2015–2023)
(33) Prachanda 2009.jpg Pushpa Kamal Dahal
(born 1954)
MCA for Siraha 5
2nd time
4 August 2016 7 June 2017 307 days Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) Dahal II
(32) Sher bahadur.jpg Sher Bahadur Deuba
(born 1946)
MCA for Dadeldhura 1
4th time
7 June 2017 15 February 2018 253 days Nepali Congress Deuba IV
(38) The Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. K.P. Sharma Oli calls on the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on April 06, 2018 (cropped).jpg KP Sharma Oli
(born 1952)
MP for Jhapa 5
2nd time
15 February 2018 14 May 2021 3 years, 88 days 2017 Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) Oli II
3rd time as minority PM 14 May 2021 13 July 2021 60 days Oli III
(32) Sher bahadur.jpg Sher Bahadur Deuba
(born 1946)
MP for Dadeldhura 1
5th time
13 July 2021 26 December 2022 1 year, 166 days Nepali Congress Deuba V
(33) Prachanda 2009.jpg Pushpa Kamal Dahal
(born 1954)
MP for Gorkha 2
3rd time
26 December 2022 15 July 2024 1 year, 202 days 2022 Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) Dahal III Ram Chandra Poudel
President Ram Chandra Poudel, Official portrait (January 2024).jpg
(2023–present)
(38) The Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. K.P. Sharma Oli calls on the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on April 06, 2018 (cropped).jpg KP Sharma Oli
(born 1952)
MP for Jhapa 5
4th time
15 July 2024 Incumbent 129 days Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) Oli IV

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Primer ministro de Nepal para niños

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List of prime ministers of Nepal Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.