Sushila Karki, Nepal’s first woman Prime Minister to lead an interim government, has deep ties to India, forged during her time at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi. The 73-year-old former Chief Justice, who assumed office on Friday, described herself as a “friend of India” in a recent interview, reflecting on her transformative years at BHU where she earned her MA in political science in 1975 and met her life partner, Durga Prasad Subedi.

Dipak Malik, a former BHU political science professor, fondly recalled Karki’s time at the university, a hub for Nepal’s anti-monarchy movement between 1940 and 1980. “Varanasi was a center for Nepalese democratic activism, and Sushila Karki got deeply involved in the anti-monarchy movement,” Malik told PTI. He noted that Karki’s association with the movement, alongside figures like former Nepali Prime Minister B.P. Koirala, who used BHU as a base for the Nepali Congress, shaped her commitment to justice and reform.

Malik praised Karki as a “very honest and capable leader,” calling her appointment a historic milestone for Nepal. “Her election as interim prime minister is a proud moment, and I congratulate her,” he said, emphasizing her potential to address pressing issues like corruption and economic inequality, which have fueled recent youth-led protests in Nepal.

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Karki’s rise to power follows a turbulent period in Nepal, marked by nationwide unrest sparked by a social media ban that forced the resignation of former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. On Friday, President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office to Karki, tasking her caretaker government with holding fresh parliamentary elections within six months. The swearing-in ceremony, attended by Nepal’s chief justice, senior officials, security chiefs, and diplomats, underscored the significance of her leadership in navigating the Himalayan nation through its worst unrest in decades.

Karki’s selection came after intense discussions between Paudel, military leaders, and youth protesters who led the anti-government agitation. Her academic and activist roots at BHU, combined with her judicial experience, position her as a unifying figure to steer Nepal toward stability. As she takes on this historic role, Karki’s India connection highlights the enduring cultural and intellectual bonds between the two nations, with Varanasi’s legacy continuing to influence Nepal’s political landscape.

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