Astha Laxmi Shakya

Astalaxmi Shakya is a Nepalese politician and former Chief Minister of Bagmati Province. She is first woman chief minister of Nepal. Governor Bishnu Prasad Prasain appointed Shakya as the chief minister as per Article 168 (1) of the Constitution of Nepal after she was unanimously elected parliamentary party leader of the CPN (UML) on 18 August 2021, following the resignation of outgoing chief minister Dormani Poudel, as both the parliamentary party leader and chief minister. On 9 March 2023 she was chosen as a candidate in the 2023 Nepalese vice presidential election from Communist Party of Nepal (UML).

First elected to parliament in 1999, Shakya served as the Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare from 2004 to 2005 and Ministry for Industry from 2008 to 2009. She also currently serves as the vice-president of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).

Early life and education Shakya was born in Kathmandu in 1954. She was born on the eighth day of Dashain festival on the day culturally known as Astami, which is how she got her name. She was a second child among eight in a Newar family at Jhochhen, near Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square. After the completion of School Leaving Certificate in 1972 she joined a Chinese language class at Basantapur with her friend Sulochana Manandhar, who is now a writer. and Minister of Industry and Commerce.

Shakya was also elected as a Constituent Assembly Member in November 2014.

Personal life In 1981, Shakya married Amrit Kumar Bohara, who is now a member of Standing Committee of the CPN- UML. They both applied in their party for marriage and the party decided to grant them permission. She has two children, a son and a daughter. Both spent most of their childhood at her friends' houses, growing up separately in different places.