Former DJ and his unknown NGO become key figures in Nepal's transitional government

Sudan Gurung, 36-year-old founder of the organization Hami Nepal (“We are Nepal”), used the apps Discord and Instagram to mobilize mass protests that forced Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli to resign.

The group used VPNs to access blocked platforms and spread calls to action that reached tens of thousands of young people. After the protests, Gurung and the leadership of Hami Nepal were involved in key decisions, including the appointment of a transitional government until the elections on March 5.
They convinced the president and the army to appoint former Supreme Court Justice Sushila Karki, known for her fight against corruption, as Nepal's first female prime minister.

Hami Nepal also played a role in filling key cabinet posts. On Instagram, the group emphasized that the process should ensure that capable young people are included.

The protests, which erupted after several social networks were banned, escalated violently: at least 72 people were killed and over 1,300 injured. Gurung, once a DJ and organizer of relief efforts after the 2015 earthquake and during the COVID-19 pandemic, said he did not want to be part of the government, but rather “the voice of the nation.”

Among his closest allies are 24-year-old café owner Ojaswi Raj Thapa and lawyer Rehan Raj Dangal.

(reuters, est)