Nepal’s Gen-Z-led demonstrations turned deadly and claimed lives, set government buildings on fire, amid severe countrywide backlash online and on Kathmandu streets.
The years of frustration among Gen Z fueled protests with those in power that multiplied when the Nepali regime banned social media platforms.
And, amid all this chaos, what made Gen Z furious was the display of luxurious life on social media by the Nepali ruling elite.
Netizens criticized the luxurious lifestyles in a country where people live hand to mouth, and the country relies on foreign remittances for its foreign reserves.
It’s a harsh fact that one in four Nepali people live below the poverty line.
After all the chaos that has toppled the regime, one question stuck to netizens: why did “Nipo Kid” lead to a revolt against the Nepali government?
During the turmoil, social media users stormed the internet with snaps of the Instagram stories of the country’s ruling elite's kids enjoying vacations abroad, while back home Gen Z received bullets amid clashes with the security forces.
Netizens used the hashtag "#nepokids"; many young children of the Nepali ruling elite were called out by their countrymen for being ignorant of the reality on the ground, where one in every four Nepalis lives below the poverty line.
Social media users posted videos and photos across platforms, including TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), that spotlight Nepali children of the country’s ruling elite enjoying vacations abroad on their taxpayers' money.
Therefore, hashtags like #PoliticiansNepoBabyNepal and #3NepoBabies have amassed millions of views on Reddit, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
Here’s a quick rundown of the names that have gone viral on social media:
Another "nipo kid" is Shivana Shrestha, who is a popular singer and daughter-in-law of former Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.
She often shares posts of her luxurious home decor and high fashion attire.
Bith, Shrestha, and her husband, Jaiveer Singh Deuba, were the center stage of the "Nipo Kids" trend online.
While she chose to remain silent amid protests, which has now cost her a price, her Instagram followers are declining.
Shrinkhala Khatiwada is the daughter of former Nepali health minister Birodh Khatiwada, and her mother, Munu Sigdel Khatiwada, is also a state parliamentarian from Bagmati province.
With over a million followers on Instagram, her feed showcases stunning travel destinations, including London, the United States, and Switzerland.
Smita Dahal was no exception to the online trend of Nipo Babies.
She was criticized for showing off luxurious handbags on social media that once again establish the fault lines between the luxury lifestyle of the ruling elite and economic struggles of common Nepalis.