4 min readApr 5, 2026 11:29 AM IST THAMEL, THE tourist hotspot in Kathmandu and go-to neighbourhood for foreign backpackers known for its cheap hotels, music clubs and an active nightlife in narrow bylanes, is where Sudhan Gurung, Nepal’s new Home Minister, learned to read the room. In dimly lit consoles next to dancing crowds, as a DJ spinning and scratching, he knew when to restrain himself and when to let it rip. Gurung would manage events, sing and rap on occasion, releasing music regularly on his label Eagle Boy Records. What the 37-year-old Gurung perhaps didn’t factor in was that his skill to assess his audience would come handy in public life. Gurung, who in September 2025 led the Gen Z protests by coordinating thousands of students, prompting former PM KP Sharma Oli to resign, was sworn in as the Home Minister of Nepal last week and is now a significant member of the 15-member Cabinet led by former rapper-turned-politician Prime Minister Balen Shah (Balen). Born and raised in Gorkha, 140 km west of …