Decent, soft-spoken, humble, responsible, reliable and clear. These qualifiers aptly describe the personality of Hon. Shisir Khanal, 47, Nepal’s new Foreign Minister. He is one of the most reliable candidates entrusted by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Prime Minister Balendra Shah to drive Nepal’s foreign policy, the vital front which often used to be politicised in the past.
Minister Khanal assumed office on 27 March 2026. After winning almost two-thirds of the seats (182), in the 275-member House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament in the March 5 election, the RSP clearly stated that they want to build Nepal as a vibrant bridge. Foreign Minister Khanal, an elected representative from Kathmandu-6, is the key person to achieve this goal.
“Hon. Minister Khanal is a gentle, honest and dedicated person with a background in education who is committed to serving the country,” said Bikram Timilsina, Minister for Communication and Information Technology, who is a long-time friend of Minister Khanal. “He not only does politics, but is also a person who has made significant contributions to the field of education, whether through social service or community service, before entering politics,” Timilsina further said. “He is the right person in the right place.”
The Foreign Ministry is his second portfolio as a minister. Khanal previously served as the Minister for Education, Science and Technology in 2023 for a short period of time. As an elected member to the House of Representatives for the term 2022–2025, he also served as a Member of the International Relations and Tourism Committee of the Federal Parliament. Moreover, he was also a member of the Parliamentary Investigation Special Committee on Misuse of Cooperative Savings. In the RSP, Khanal is the Head of the Foreign Relations Department and a Central Secretariat Member.
Before joining politics, Khanal worked in the education sector of Nepal. He co-founded Teach for Nepal, serving as its Chief Executive Officer from 2012 to 2019. Teach for Nepal is a movement of outstanding university graduates and young professionals who are committed to ending education inequity in Nepal, starting with two years of fellowship teaching in public schools, the official web portal of Teach for Nepal reads.
At the international level, Minister Khanal served as the Executive Director of Sarvodaya USA (2005–2013) and as an Honorary Associate at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (2017–2019). He also served as the Education Advisor to the Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City, Dang (2019-2022).
Minister Khanal has authored and co-authored several articles published in international journals and national newspapers. His contributions to leadership and social impact have been recognised through several esteemed awards, including the Forward Under 40 (2012) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Alumni Association, the Distinguished Alumni Award 2017 from the University of Bridgeport, and the Young CEO of the Year Nepal (2019).
Khanal holds a Master’s degree in International Public Affairs from Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Political Economy and Diplomacy from the University of Bridgeport, USA.
After completing his study, Khanal returned to Nepal to contribute to society. Now, he is one of the powerful ministers in probably the most powerful government in the history of modern Nepal.
Minister Khanal knows his role and work. After assuming office, he clearly stated that Nepal’s foreign policy will remain unchanged despite a change in government or leadership. He said, ” Nepal’s foreign policy has been clearly defined by the Constitution. Nepal’s foreign policy will not change with a new government or a new minister. This is a matter of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interest. Nepal has long embraced a non-aligned foreign policy, and this will continue.” This clearly shows his sensitivity and understanding of Nepal’s foreign policy.
Minister Khanal, who will lead Nepal and her foreign policy in the days to come, has said that the current government accords top priority to good governance and economic prosperity, and the ministry will align its activities to ensure effective public service delivery. He wants to solve the problem of common people. All eyes, therefore, will be on Minister Khanal’s role and performance in the days to come.
Minister Khanal has had rich experience of working in the education sector and has contributed to the social and development initiatives. After joining politics in 2022 and becoming a lawmaker, he was appointed the Education Minister in his first innings of political career. Now in his second term as a lawmaker, he has the responsibility to conduct Nepal’s foreign policy and diplomacy as a new leader in this field at a time when the world faces volatile regional and international tussles and conflicts. In this background, as the new leader at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has a tough task of running Nepal’s foreign policy and international relations.
“Foreign Minister Khanal is well educated and has good qualifications with experience. So, we expect a lot from him,” Former Foreign Minister Bimala Rai Paudyal said. “My only suggestion is that in diplomacy we should not do things in a hurry because this is not only about the government, but also about Nepal and Nepali people.”
