KATHMANDU, April 24: Sushila Karki’s path from Nepal’s first female Chief Justice to a crisis-era Prime Minister reflects a rare trajectory of reluctant leadership, institutional resolve and a defining moment in the country’s recent democratic history.
After breaking new ground in the judiciary, Karki was once again called to national service—this time in the aftermath of a violent Gen Z uprising that claimed the lives of 76 people including young protesters. In a moment of deep political instability, she was appointed Prime Minister, tasked with steering the country back toward constitutional order and restoring public trust through peaceful elections.
Her public life, however, has been shaped by three turning points of transition. The first came during her tenure on the Supreme Court bench, when she was removed following the registration of an impeachment motion in Parliament. The second was her retirement after completing her term as Chief Justice. The third unfolded later in life, when, after completing her role as Prime Minister, she returned home and, by her own reflection, experienced her most peaceful sleep.
The latest chapter of her life began in the aftermath of the Gen Z protests on September 8, 2025, during which at least 19 young demonstrators were killed by gunfire. The next day, Karki visited the injured at the Civil Service Hospital in Baneshwar as the country descended into chaos. Major state institutions, including Singha Durbar, the Supreme Court, and police offices, were set ablaze, while widespread destruction engulfed public and private property.
Amid the turmoil, Nepal faced a leadership vacuum and growing uncertainty. In that environment, Karki emerged as a consensus figure, backed by calls from across the political and institutional spectrum—including President Ram Chandra Paudel and Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel. Disillusioned youth also rallied behind her, describing her as a “Gen Z mother figure” in their search for stability and credibility.
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Though she had planned to travel abroad with her husband, Durga Subedi, in October, the unfolding crisis altered that course. On September 12, 2025, she assumed office as Prime Minister at the Baluwatar residence, marking a moment widely seen as a reset amid national instability and institutional distrust.
Her appointment was historic: the first woman in Nepal to lead the government during a national crisis, and also the country’s first female Chief Justice—an uncommon dual legacy in public life.
One of the most significant outcomes of her tenure was the peaceful general election held on March 5, 2026, which proceeded without violence or disruption. Observers have widely attributed the calm electoral process to her restrained and stabilising leadership.
In her early days in office, Karki acknowledged struggling with sleep and the weight of responsibility. Her retirement plans were abandoned as she was drawn into continuous meetings, crisis management, and security concerns. Despite receiving threats and warnings, she continued her duties with composure.
Public response to her leadership was sharply divided. On election night, social media hailed her as the “mother who saved Nepal,” while later policy decisions drew criticism even from earlier supporters.
Yet her public image has long been shaped by clarity and candour. Known for speaking without hesitation, she was once even mistakenly addressed as “Prime Minister” during a public event—a title that would later become reality under extraordinary circumstances.
Reflecting on her journey, Karki has said in public, “At times, I felt like walking away. But then I thought, if I left, people would say—this is what women do. That thought made me stay.”
She added, “One night, I thought of all the women who had placed their hope in me. I felt I had to respond—not with words, but with work, truth, and dignity.”
Her tenure came during one of the most volatile chapters in Nepal’s political history. Though brief, it left a lasting imprint on the country’s democratic trajectory.
Today, Sushila Karki lives in retirement, but her role in navigating Nepal through a moment of crisis continues to shape how that period is remembered in the nation’s political memory.
