Why Balen Shah Spoke At The UN With His Sunglasses On

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah addressed his maiden speech to the UN General Assembly on Thursday during which he told world leaders how a warming climate is destabilising the Himalayan ecology.

However, the 36-year-old leader, who is always seen with his full-frame rectangular dark sunglasses, which have become an integral part of his political and cultural identity, addressed the assembly wearing them.

Apart from the sunglasses, he was also wearing other elements of his ‘uniform’ that he has become so famous for, such as a traditional black Nepalese hat and a black blazer.

According to the Kathmandu PostShah is particular about when and how to wear his sunglasses. He keeps them on during parliament sessions, public ceremonies, military parades and while taking photographs with foreign ambassadors.

He does not wear his glasses during cabinet meetings, private conversations or joint meetings.

Why Balen Shah Never Removes His Sunglasses

The rapper-turned-politician whose signature dark sunglasses have followed him from his music career into high political office, add mystique to his persona, as he chooses to communicate through his social media only and rarely gives interviews or conferences.

His sunglasses have become a selling point for a leading online shopping platform in Nepal, called Daraz. Typing in “Balen Shah glasses” displays an assortment of eyewear styled after his signature shades.

Read | Nepal PM Balendra Shah’s India-China Balancing Act In UN Climate Pitch

When Shah won the Kathmandu mayoral race as an independent in 2022, he stunned the country’s political elite. His signature black suit and dark glasses cemented his status as a fresh outsider free from standard party ties.

Following a youth-led uprising in September 2025 that overthrew the government of K.P. Sharma Oli, the leader, maintained his trademark appearance throughout his campaign trail earlier this year.

In the subsequent March parliamentary elections, his newly adopted Rastriya Swatantra Party secured a historic landslide victory, during which he personally defeated Oli in an eastern district to claim the role of prime minister.

And since taking office, he has always worn his sunglasses.

The Three Times Balen Shah Removed His Sunglasses

But there have been three instances when he decides to keep his sunglasses down and address the public eye to eye.

In July, he removed his sunglasses when he addressed the public after deadly Hindu-Muslim clashes in southern Nepal. The next month, in August, he removed his sunglasses again during his tour of sites devastated by the floods.

And finally, in a third instance, he had taken his sunglasses off months back to tell his supporters, “I love you.”

Shah faced an eyewear restriction in August when House Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal banned dark sunglasses during parliamentary proceedings to avoid public criticism.

However, The Kathmandu Post later reported that Shah’s office defended the look, stating a doctor had medically advised the Prime Minister to wear them for protection against bright light.