As Nepal grapples with the aftermath of its deadliest youth uprising in years, one name has emerged from the chaos as the central figure of the movement: Sudan Gurung. The 36-year-old president of a youth-led NGO, Hami Nepal, has become the unlikely face of the 'Gen Z Revolution,' a massive and volatile protest that has left at least 20 people dead and over 300 injured. Gurung's journey from event planner to grassroots activist is a story of personal tragedy and a remarkable ability to channel the digital-age frustrations of an entire generation into a powerful, and ultimately tragic, political force.
Sudan Gurung's path to becoming a protest leader was forged in personal loss. Once an event organizer, his life's trajectory was irrevocably altered by the devastating 2015 Nepal earthquake, during which he lost his child. According to reports, this profound tragedy catalyzed his shift from a commercial career to one of civic service. He founded Hami Nepal (We Nepal), a youth-focused NGO that initially focused on disaster relief but quickly grew into a broader civic movement. Before the recent uprising, Gurung had already established a track record of effective activism, notably leading a protest for transparency and accountability at a major health institute, positioning himself as a credible voice for systemic change.
Gurung's true influence was realised in his ability to harness the simmering anger of Nepal's youth. The 'Gen Z Revolution' is fueled by a potent mix of frustrations, from long-standing government corruption and economic inequality to the viral "Nepo Kid" campaign targeting the perceived privileges of the political elite. The government's decision on September 4 to ban 26 major social media platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp, was the spark that lit the fuse.
Before the blackout, Gurung and Hami Nepal expertly used these very platforms to mobilize thousands, circulating protest routes and safety instructions. In a clear attempt to maintain a peaceful tone, he urged students to join the demonstrations in their school uniforms and to carry books as symbols of non-violent resistance. He successfully positioned himself as the organizer who could translate the amorphous rage of a digitally-native generation into structured, on-the-ground action.
Despite Gurung's calls for peace, the protests quickly spiraled into violence. As thousands of young demonstrators, many of them school students, descended on the capital, they were met with a forceful police response. The situation escalated dramatically when protesters breached the Parliament complex, and security forces responded with water cannons, tear gas, and eventually, live ammunition. The unrest spread rapidly from Kathmandu to other major cities, overwhelming hospitals and prompting the government to impose sweeping curfews and deploy the army.
The deadly crackdown led to the resignation of the Home Minister on moral grounds and forced the government into an emergency cabinet meeting, after which it announced it was walking back the social media ban that had ignited the firestorm. While Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli blamed the violence on "infiltration by unwanted elements," the events have cemented Sudan Gurung's status as the man who successfully organized a generation's dissent, unleashing a powerful movement with consequences that have shaken the nation to its core.
· The Face of the Revolt: 36-year-old Sudan Gurung, president of the youth NGO Hami Nepal, has been identified as the key organizer and face of the massive 'Gen Z' protests in Nepal.
· Tragedy-Fueled Activism: Gurung's journey into civic activism was reportedly driven by the personal tragedy of losing his child in the 2015 Nepal earthquake.
· Master Organizer: He successfully used social media to mobilize thousands of young people, channeling their anger over corruption and a recent social media ban into a structured protest movement.
· Peaceful Intent, Violent Outcome: Although Gurung urged peaceful resistance, the protests he organized escalated into deadly clashes with police, resulting in at least 20 deaths and a national crisis.
Image Courtesy: TV9 Bharatvarsh
