Who is Kulman Ghising? Another contender for Nepal interim PM after Sushila Karki

Kulman Ghising, the former chief of Nepal’s electricity authority, has emerged as the leading contender for interim prime minister, with the protesting Gen Z movement expected to announce its choice on Thursday. His name surfaced just two days after KP Sharma Oli resigned amid nationwide unrest.

As the army enforced strict restrictions and a curfew until 6 am Thursday, reports said that former chief justice Sushila Karki, Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah and Ghising were among the frontrunners being considered to head the transitional government.

All about Kulman Ghising:

1. Ended power cuts in Nepal: An electrical engineer by training, Ghising is best known for eliminating the country’s notorious 18-hour daily power outages, a feat that made him a household name.
2. Education: He studied electrical engineering at the Regional Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur, India, and later earned a master’s degree in power systems engineering from the Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk, Tribhuvan University in Nepal.
3. Career: Ghising joined the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) in 1994 and steadily rose through the ranks. In 2016, he was appointed managing director, where he ended the crippling load-shedding crisis. After being replaced in 2020, he returned to the post in 2021.
4. Removal from office: On March 24, 2025, the Oli government removed him as executive director of the NEA, just four months before his tenure was due to end. He was replaced by Hitendra Dev Shakya.
5. Backlash: His removal sparked criticism from opposition parties and civil society, who credited him with transforming Nepal’s power sector. Many accused the government of sidelining him for political reasons rather than performance.