Nepal is a beautiful landlocked country in South Asia, widely known for its majestic Himalayas and the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest. Apart from its natural beauty, Nepal also has a rich and complex political history.Since unification of Nepal in the late 18th century, the country has experienced many political transformations. It moved from hereditary Rana rule and monarchy to a constitutional monarchy, and finally became a Federal Democratic Republic in 2008.
Because of these changes, many leaders have served as Prime Minister. In total, Nepal has had 39 Prime Ministers, including interim leaders, and several individuals who served multiple times during periods of political change.
Nepal Prime Ministers List
Over the years, the position of Nepal’s Prime Minister has evolved alongside the country’s changing political system. After the 1951 revolution, leadership opportunities expanded beyond aristocratic families, allowing leaders like Matrika Prasad Koirala to become prime minister, although the monarchy still held significant authority.
In 1959, Nepal conducted its first democratic election, and Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala became the country’s first elected Prime Minister. Since then, Nepal has witnessed many political transitions, and the powers and responsibilities of the Prime Minister have continued to change with each era.
Political Eras of Nepal and Their Prime Ministers
Nepal’s leadership history can be divided into four major political periods. Each period had different political systems and leadership styles.
Transition Era (1951–1960)
This period marked the end of the Rana autocratic rule and the beginning of democratic reforms. During this time, the King still had significant influence, and sometimes directly ruled the country.
| S.No | Prime Minister | Political Party | Took Office | Left Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matrika Prasad Koirala | Nepali Congress | 16 Nov 1951 | 14 Aug 1952 |
| 2 | Tribhuvan Bir Bikram | Direct Rule by King | 14 Aug 1952 | 15 Jun 1953 |
| 3 | Matrika Prasad Koirala | Rashtriya Praja Party | 15 Jun 1953 | 11 Apr 1955 |
| 4 | Surya Bahadur Thapa | Rashtriya Praja Party | 11 Apr 1955 | 14 Apr 1955 |
| 5 | Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah | Direct Rule by King | 14 Apr 1955 | 27 Jan 1956 |
| 6 | Tanka Prasad Acharya | Nepal Praja Parishad | 27 Jan 1956 | 26 Jul 1957 |
| 7 | Kunwar Inderjit Singh | United Democratic Party | 26 Jul 1957 | 15 May 1958 |
| 8 | Subarna Shamsher Rana | Nepali Congress | 15 May 1958 | 27 May 1959 |
| 9 | Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala | Nepali Congress | 27 May 1959 | 15 Dec 1960 |
In 1959, Nepal held its first democratic election, and Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala became the first elected Prime Minister.
Partyless Panchayat Era (1960–1990)
In 1960, King Mahendra dissolved the democratic government and introduced the Panchayat System, which banned political parties.
During this period, the King held ultimate authority, and Prime Ministers were selected by the monarchy.
| S.No | Prime Minister | Took Office | Left Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah | 15 Dec 1960 | 2 Apr 1963 |
| 11 | Tulsi Giri | 2 Apr 1963 | 23 Dec 1963 |
| 12 | Surya Bahadur Thapa | 23 Dec 1963 | 26 Feb 1964 |
| 13 | Tulsi Giri | 26 Feb 1964 | 26 Jan 1965 |
| 14 | Surya Bahadur Thapa | 26 Jan 1965 | 7 Apr 1969 |
| 15 | Kirti Nidhi Bista | 7 Apr 1969 | 13 Apr 1970 |
| 16 | Gehendra Bahadur Rajbhandari | 13 Apr 1970 | 14 Apr 1971 |
| 17 | Kirti Nidhi Bista | 14 Apr 1971 | 16 Jul 1973 |
| 18 | Nagendra Prasad Rijal | 16 Jul 1973 | 1 Dec 1975 |
| 19 | Tulsi Giri | 1 Dec 1975 | 12 Sep 1977 |
| 20 | Kirti Nidhi Bista | 12 Sep 1977 | 30 May 1979 |
| 21 | Surya Bahadur Thapa | 30 May 1979 | 12 Jul 1983 |
| 22 | Lokendra Bahadur Chand | 12 Jul 1983 | 21 Mar 1986 |
| 23 | Nagendra Prasad Rijal | 21 Mar 1986 | 15 Jun 1986 |
| 24 | Marich Man Singh Shrestha | 15 Jun 1986 | 6 Apr 1990 |
| 25 | Lokendra Bahadur Chand | 6 Apr 1990 | 19 Apr 1990 |
Constitutional Monarchy Era (1990–2008)
In 1990, a democratic movement forced the monarchy to restore multi-party democracy.
Political parties were allowed again, and the Prime Minister was chosen through elections, though the King still had significant power.
Some major leaders of this period include:
- Krishna Prasad Bhattarai
- Girija Prasad Koirala
- Sher Bahadur Deuba
- Man Mohan Adhikari
This period lasted until 2008, when the monarchy was officially abolished.
Federal Democratic Republic Era (2008–Present)
In 2008, Nepal officially became a Federal Democratic Republic, ending centuries of monarchy.
The Prime Minister became the most powerful political position, while the President acts mainly as the ceremonial head of state.
Some prominent leaders of this period include:
| S.No | Prime Minister | Party | Took Office | Left Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Pushpa Kamal Dahal | Maoist | 18 Aug 2008 | 25 May 2009 |
| 19 | Madhav Kumar Nepal | UML | 25 May 2009 | 6 Feb 2011 |
| 20 | Jhala Nath Khanal | UML | 6 Feb 2011 | 29 Aug 2011 |
| 21 | Baburam Bhattarai | Maoist | 29 Aug 2011 | 14 Mar 2013 |
| 22 | Khil Raj Regmi | Independent | 14 Mar 2013 | 11 Feb 2014 |
| 23 | Sushil Koirala | Nepali Congress | 11 Feb 2014 | 12 Oct 2015 |
| 24 | KP Sharma Oli | UML | 12 Oct 2015 | 4 Aug 2016 |
| 25 | Pushpa Kamal Dahal | Maoist Centre | 4 Aug 2016 | 7 Jun 2017 |
| 26 | Sher Bahadur Deuba | Nepali Congress | 7 Jun 2017 | 15 Feb 2018 |
| 27 | KP Sharma Oli | UML | 15 Feb 2018 | 13 May 2021 |
| 28 | KP Sharma Oli | UML | 13 May 2021 | 13 Jul 2021 |
| 29 | Sher Bahadur Deuba | Nepali Congress | 13 Jul 2021 | 26 Dec 2022 |
| 30 | Pushpa Kamal Dahal | Maoist Centre | 26 Dec 2022 | 15 Jul 2024 |
| 31 | KP Sharma Oli | UML | 15 Jul 2024 | 9 Sep 2025 |
Current Prime Minister of Nepal
As of 2026, Nepal is going through a major political transition.
The current interim Prime Minister is Sushila Karki, who took office on 12 September 2025.
She made history by becoming the first woman Prime Minister of Nepal.
Previously, she served as the first female Chief Justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court, known for her strong stance against corruption and commitment to judicial reforms.
Her interim government was formed to maintain stability and conduct national elections.
For details visit https://opmcm.gov.np/pages/former-prime-ministers/
Read: List of Prime Ministers of India From 1947 to 2026 with Photo PDF