Bhumika Shrestha becomes Nepal's first transgender lawmaker on March 5

Exam-focused facts from the 19 March 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Bhumika Shrestha has been confirmed as Nepal's first transgender lawmaker by the Election Commission.
She was elected as a proportional-representation Member of Parliament (MP) from the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).
The election for the 275-member House of Representatives was held on March 5.
Bhumika Shrestha is a 37-year-old activist from Kathmandu who has been associated with the Blue Diamond Society.
She received the International Women of Courage Award in 2022 for her work in advancing LGBTQ+ rights and social justice.
She was one of the first individuals to travel internationally using a passport marked under the other gender category.
Her advocacy contributed to the recognition of a third gender category in official documents in Nepal.