the mayor of Kathmandu, Nepal.

Balen Shah**, the mayor of Kathmandu, Nepal. Below are 20 lesser-known facts about Balen Shah and Kathmandu, blending details about his life, career, and the city he governs. These facts aim to go beyond widely known information, offering unique insights:

### Facts About Balen Shah:

1. **Early Poetry Inspiration**: Balen was deeply inspired by Nepal’s legendary poet Laxmi Prasad Devkota, which shaped his lyrical style before he transitioned to rap.

2. **First Rap Song at 15**: He wrote his debut rap song "Sadak Balak" (Street Child) while in grade nine, releasing it years later in 2012 after graduating.

3. **Engineering Thesis**: His master’s thesis in structural engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), India, focused on earthquake-resistant structures, reflecting Nepal’s seismic vulnerability.

4. **Ayurvedic Roots**: His father, Dr. Ram Narayan Shah, was an Ayurvedic doctor who served the Nepalese royal family, connecting Balen to traditional medicine heritage.

5. **Raw Barz Breakthrough**: Balen gained fame in Nepal’s hip-hop scene after a standout rap battle against Litl Grizl in 2013 on "Raw Barz," Nepal’s first rap battle league.

6. **No Political Lineage**: Unlike many Nepalese politicians, Balen has no family history in politics, making his independent mayoral win in 2022 truly grassroots.

7. **Wildlife Project**: Before politics, he worked on Nepal’s first wildlife crossing in Bardiya, aimed at reducing animal-vehicle collisions—a rare initiative in the country.

8. **2015 Earthquake Relief**: Post the devastating 2015 earthquake, Balen built 28 temporary shelters in Gorkha, the epicenter, showcasing his hands-on social work.

9. **Musical Hiatus**: Despite his rap fame, he took breaks from music to focus on engineering, running Balen Consulting & Construction Pvt. Ltd.

10. **Judge Controversy**: In 2022, he faced backlash for using a sacred crown as a prop while judging "Nephopko Shreepech," a hip-hop reality show, sparking cultural debates.

### Facts About Kathmandu (Tied to Balen’s Tenure):

11. **Hidden River Campaign**: Balen’s push to uncover the Tukucha River by demolishing illegal structures above it aims to restore a buried waterway lost to urban sprawl.

12. **Textbook-Free Fridays**: He introduced this program in Kathmandu’s community schools to teach practical skills, a radical shift from traditional rote learning.

13. **Waste Crisis Legacy**: Kathmandu’s garbage collection was stalled for two months before Balen’s tenure; he resolved it by outsourcing to private firms in 2022.

14. **Newa Heritage Focus**: Balen prioritizes preserving Newa architecture, a cultural hallmark of Kathmandu’s indigenous Newar community, often overlooked by past leaders.

15. **Sidewalk Police Clash**: He ordered Nepal Police to dismantle unauthorized sidewalk substations, asserting municipal control over public spaces.

16. **Airport Standoff**: Balen’s team removed unapproved fencing at Tribhuvan International Airport in 2022, leading to a legal tussle with the Civil Aviation Authority.

17. **Vendor Crackdown Criticism**: His strict policies against street vendors, vital to Kathmandu’s informal economy, have been accused of harming the urban poor.

18. **Live Transparency**: Kathmandu’s municipal meetings are now broadcast live under Balen, a first for the city to boost accountability.

19. **Squatters’ Conflict**: His 7-day notice to vacate riverbank slums in 2022 led to violent clashes, highlighting Kathmandu’s housing crisis for landless residents.

20. **Indian Film Ban**: Balen briefly banned Indian movies in Kathmandu in 2023 over cultural disputes, defying a court order and risking contempt charges.

These facts highlight Balen Shah’s multifaceted journey—from a rapper and engineer to a transformative, yet controversial, mayor—and shed light on Kathmandu’s evolving urban challenges and cultural identity under his leadership. If you’d like deeper details on any of these, let me know!