VARANASI: Nepal’s first woman interim prime minister, Sushila Karki, 73, shares a deep connection with India through her alma mater, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where she earned an MA in political science in 1975. Karki, widely respected for her integrity and political neutrality, has often described herself as a “friend of India.”
Karki’s association with BHU also shaped her personal life. It was here that she met her husband, Durga Prasad Subedi, a Nepali Congress youth leader remembered for his role in Nepal’s first hijacking. In June 1973, Subedi and two associates commandeered a Royal Nepal Airlines flight carrying Bollywood star Mala Sinha, seizing cash meant for a Nepalese bank to fund the anti-monarchy movement. The aircraft was forced to land in Forbesganj, Bihar, before the hijackers fled into nearby forests. Subedi later went into hiding in Varanasi, where he was arrested during India’s Emergency in 1975 and handed over to Nepalese authorities after two years in jail.
Speaking of Karki’s character, Prof Dipak Malik, retired BHU academic and former director of the Gandhian Institute of Studies, described her as “a neutral and honest person, with zero tolerance for corruption.” He recalled meeting her as recently as November 2024, adding: “We are happy Nepal is going to get such a leader.”
Karki’s legal career is marked by landmark rulings against corruption. Born in Biratnagar in 1952, she graduated from Mahendra Morang Campus in 1972, earned her law degree from Tribhuvan University in 1978, and went on to become a senior advocate in 2007. She was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2010 and later served as chief justice from April 2016 to June 2017.
In a recent interview, Karki reflected on her years in Varanasi with affection. “My years at BHU left a lasting impression,” she said, noting India’s goodwill toward Nepal and adding she holds a “good impression of Modi-ji.”
