KATHMANDU, Oct 27: Prime Minister Sushila Karki has expanded her cabinet of technocrats to ten members by inducting two new ministers—a health expert and a social activist.
The two newly appointed ministers were sworn in at a special ceremony at the President’s Office, Sheetal Niwas, on Sunday. President Ram Chandra Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to Dr Sudha Sharma Gautam and Bablu Gupta upon Prime Minister Karki’s recommendation.
Dr Gautam, a health expert with 35 years of experience, assumed office as Minister for Health and Population, while social activist Bablu Gupta took charge as Minister for Youth and Sports. Following the ceremony, Minister Gautam proceeded to her office at Singha Durbar to formally begin her tenure. “The first decision has been to arrange psychosocial counseling services for all those affected by the Gen Z movement. Our experts will work out the details, and I will provide further information soon,” she said.
Minister Gupta announced that all meetings under the Ministry of Youth and Sports would be live-streamed to ensure transparency.
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Meanwhile, the swearing-in of Ganapati Lal Shrestha and Khagendra Sunar, who had also been recommended for cabinet positions, was deferred. Shrestha, a prominent heritage conservation activist, had been nominated as Minister for Land Management, while Sunar was proposed as Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security.
Sunar’s oath was halted at the last minute after reports surfaced of multiple pending criminal cases against him, prompting widespread criticism. His name was subsequently removed from the oath list at the prime minister’s instruction.
Shrestha, on the other hand, declined to join the government after being reassigned to the Ministry of Land Management instead of the initially offered Ministry of Culture and Tourism. He told Republica that Prime Minister Karki cited pressures from different quarters for the change. Leaving Singha Durbar, Shrestha stated he would not assume a ministerial role “just for the sake of being one.”
Who is Dr. Sudha Sharma Gautam?
Dr. Gautam, a former Health Secretary and obstetrician-gynecologist, has also served as an advisor to former health ministers Pradeep Poudel and Gagan Thapa. She brings nearly 35 years of experience in Nepal’s health sector. She resigned as Health Secretary in 2011 before completing her term, protesting political interference in the ministry. She later documented those challenges in her book Singha Durbar Ko Ghumne Mech (Singha Durbar’s Revolving Chair). Now returning to government after 14 years, she has taken on the responsibility of stabilizing the health system as part of the interim government formed after the Gen Z movement.
A Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (UK), Dr. Sharma has made significant contributions to maternal and newborn health, national health strategies, and global health initiatives through roles with WHO, UNICEF, and other institutions. The only woman to have led the Nepal Medical Association, she also played a key role during the 2006 People’s Movement by coordinating treatment for injured protesters. Recognized with several national and international awards, she continues to advocate for improved healthcare governance and democratic values.
Who is Gen Z Minister Bablu Gupta?
Bablu Gupta is a social activist and founder of the charitable organization 100 Group, which is actively involved in community welfare initiatives. Originally from Lahan in Siraha, he moved to Kathmandu as a child for education — but soon became deeply involved in helping villagers who faced exploitation in foreign employment and those struggling to access medical care in the capital. His humanitarian commitment intensified after saving a road-accident victim nearly a decade ago, an experience that strengthened his resolve toward public service.
To expand assistance efforts, Bablu later established the 100 Group, which has helped thousands of patients urgently needing blood to families struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the group ran a large-scale free meal program. The group later launched a cloth bank for underprivileged communities and Project Shiksha, which provides full education support to 110 students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Bablu was also among the few who actively participated in both major days of the Gen Z protest, helping injured activists and saving lives.
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