From Clubs To Civic Movements: Who Is Sudan Gurung, Youth Activist Leading Nepal's Gen Z Revolt Against Social Media Ban?

Kathmandu: As Nepal witnessed one of its deadliest youth uprisings in recent memory, a 36-year-old grassroots organiser emerged as the face of the resistance.

Sudan Gurung, president of the youth-led NGO Hami Nepal, has become a central figure in the mass protests sparked by the government’s September 4 decision to block 26 major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube and X.

The ban drew widespread demonstrations led largely by Gen Z students, many of whom took to the streets in school uniforms, books in hand, heeding Gurung’s call for peaceful but symbolic dissent.

On Monday, September 8, as protests escalated outside Nepal’s Parliament complex in Kathmandu, police fired tear gas, water cannons and live rounds into the crowds, killing at least 19 people and injuring over hundreds. The violence also brought Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak’s resignation and led to a heavy deployment of the Nepali Army around Parliament. Facing mounting pressure, the government rolled back the ban later that evening.

Who Is Sudan Gurung?

Sudan Gurung is not a career politician. His journey into activism began in tragedy. According to The Annapurna Express, Gurung lost his child during the 2015 earthquake, a life-altering moment that pushed him away from event management and into disaster relief and civic engagement.

He went on to establish Hami Nepal, an NGO focused on emergency response and youth mobilisation, which has since grown into a prominent civic movement.

Before the blackout, Gurung’s team used social media to map out protest routes and share safety instructions with demonstrators. His messaging emphasised structure, non-violence, and symbolism, directing students to represent their future by wearing uniforms and carrying books, rather than signs or slogans.

His leadership drew thousands of young people to the streets ofKathmandu and beyond, with protests erupting in Pokhara, Butwal, Bhairahawa, Bharatpur, Itahari and Damak.

Gurung also has a history of confronting institutional opacity. He previously led a protest at Dharan’s Ghopa Camp, demanding transparency at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences. His organisation also worked alongside Dharan Mayor Harka Sampang in earlier campaigns and helped coordinate efforts to bring stranded Nepali citizens back from Israel, as discussed in a recent podcast interview with Sushant Pradhan for his YouTube channel.

From Clubs to Civic Movements

Once known for organising parties and nightlife events, Gurung’s transformation into a youth leader was unexpected, but deliberate. Speaking on Pradhan's podcast, he recalled his earlier life of “partying and clubbing” and how the 2015 disaster shifted his priorities permanently. That experience laid the foundation for his current role as a leading voice for Gen Z in Nepal, a generation increasingly frustrated with corruption, unemployment and lack of digital freedom.

With social media now restored following public pressure, Gurung remains at the forefront of the civic dialogue in Nepal. His influence has grown beyond protest coordination, positioning him as a key figure in a youth movement that seems unlikely to disappear, even after the immediate demands are met.