Bengaluru: The man poised to lead Nepal — home to Mount Everest — once spent his evenings in Bengaluru watching Kannada films and admiring actor Puneeth Rajkumar.Balendra ‘Balen’ Shah, Nepal’s 15th mayor of Kathmandu and the country’s likely next prime minister, developed a deep fondness for the Kannada language and culture during his time as a student here. Shah lived in Bengaluru between 2016 and 2018 while pursuing a master’s degree in structural engineering at Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology.Shah’s Bengaluru connection began through family. His sister Sujata settled in Bengaluru after she married Harish Kumar Sejekan, a native of Sejekan village near Karwar. In fact, it was her stay in Bengaluru that eventually led Shah to choose the city for his postgraduate studies. He lived a simple life, commuting to college by bus or scooter. “I had a scooter then, and sometimes he would borrow it. Otherwise, he would travel in the university bus, or sometimes by BMTC bus. Later, when I bought a car, he would occasionally use that too,” Harish recalled. “He never complained about the mode of transport. For him, spending time with friends and living a simple life mattered more.” Friends remember Shah as calm, thoughtful, and quietly ambitious. His close circle included fellow Nepali students Sunil Lamsal and Praveen Shah, along with a Karnataka-based friend named Akash. “Their conversations often went beyond academics,” Harish said. “They would discuss society, governance, and the future.”Outside the classroom, Shah developed a taste for South Indian food, especially idli and dosa. At the same time, he was intrigued by Bengaluru’s vibrant nightlife. “He was fascinated by the city’s pub culture and enjoyed visiting places like Skybar and some pubs at Church Street and Koramangala,” Harish added.According to Harish, Shah took pride in speaking the local language correctly and even helped his sister improve her Kannada. “When people asked for directions, he would confidently respond in Kannada,” Harish said. “Instead of mixing languages, he would carefully say something like ‘Munde hogi balakke tirugi’ (go ahead and take a right turn). He was particular about using the correct words.”For Sujata, watching her younger brother rise from being a student in Bengaluru to one of Nepal’s most influential political figures has been deeply emotional. She has two brothers, with Balen being the youngest of the three siblings. “He was always focused and dedicated in whatever he did,” Sujata shared. “Today, when I see him leading the country, I also look up to him as a guardian.”
