KATHMANDU: Rubi Kumari Thakur has been elected as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR). A proportional representative lawmaker from the Harka Sampang-led Shram Sanskriti Party, Thakur assumed the post with backing from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and other parties, making her Nepal’s youngest-ever holder of the office.

Two female lawmakers had registered their candidacies for the Deputy Speaker post on April 9. Thakur represented the Shram Sanskriti Party, while Saraswati Lama represented the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP).

With the decisive support of the RSP, which holds a commanding super majority in the House, Thakur’s election was confirmed.

Her proposal was moved by Aren Rai and seconded by Ashok Kumar Chaudhary and Ambika Devi Sangroula.

She had submitted her candidacy at the House of Representatives Secretariat accompanied by RSP General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti.

As she was all but assured of victory after filing her candidacy on April 9, Thakur had expressed deep gratitude to her supporters. “I am just a girl from a village in Madhesh. This achievement belongs to all the people of Madhesh,” she had said.

Thakur, born in 2000 in Mujeliya, Dhanusha District, comes from a humble background. Her father, Sogarath Thakur, worked abroad (including in Saudi Arabia), while her mother, Renu Devi, managed the household.

Growing up amid social discrimination and family responsibilities in the Madhesh region, she learned self-reliance early.

After passing the Secondary Education Examination (SEE), she completed a three-year diploma in civil engineering-related studies at Balara Polytechnic in Dhanusha.

She then worked for seven months at an architecture consultancy firm, earning Rs 20,000 per month and sending part of her salary home to support her family.

Her entry into politics was unexpected. Inspired by Harka Sampang’s social media activities, she became actively involved.

During the March 2026 general election campaign, she canvassed in Dhanusha-4 for the Shram Sanskriti Party. Sampang nominated her as a proportional representative candidate from the Madhesi cluster, making her one of the party’s youngest lawmakers.

She secured her seat in the House of Representatives on March 26, 2026, via the proportional representation (PR) list.

At just 26, Thakur balances her parliamentary duties with her studies — she is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering.

As the youngest lawmaker in the current House and now the youngest Deputy Speaker in Nepal’s history, she has pledged to champion social justice, women’s empowerment, and the eradication of harmful practices such as the dowry system and child marriage, which persist in parts of Madhesh despite existing laws.

Her election fulfills the constitutional provision that the Speaker and Deputy Speaker must come from different parties and that one of them must be a woman.

With the strong support of the RSP, her party’s seven MPs and other parties, Rubi Kumari Thakur’s path to the Deputy Speaker’s chair was secured, marking a historic moment for youth representation and Madhesi inclusion in Nepal’s federal parliament.

She has committed to using her position to strengthen parliamentary effectiveness, promote inclusive representation, and advocate for transparent governance while addressing long-standing social issues.