Gauri Kumari Yadav (born 19 January 1972) is a Nepalese politician who served as the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies from 10 April 2026 until her resignation on 10 September 2026. She is a member of parliament Pratinidhi Sabha from Rastriya Swatantra Party. She joined the active politics from Rastriya Swatantra Party in 2026 and secured a party ticket to contest 2026 general election from Mahottari 4.
In the 2026 general election, she won from Mahottari 4 and secured 30,132 votes, defeating Mahendra Kumar Raya, sitting MP of the Nepali Congress, and Surendra Kumar Yadav, former MP of People's Socialist Party, Nepal. She is also one of the 14 elected women candidates to the Pratinidhi Sabha in the 2026 general election, under the FPTP electoral system.
Early life and education Gauri Kumari was born in Samsi, Mahottari District. She has completed her I.Sc. degree in science.
Electoral performance In the 2026 Nepalese general election, Gauri Kumari secured a landmark victory in the Mahottari 4 constituency, representing the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). She won the seat with a total of 30,132 votes, accounting for approximately 50.59% of the total vote share. Her performance was particularly notable for unseating prominent established politicians, including the sitting Member of Parliament Mahendra Kumar Raya of the Nepali Congress and former MP Surendra Kumar Yadav of the People's Socialist Party, Nepal.
Gauri Kumari's election was a significant milestone in Nepal's parliamentary history, as she was one of only 14 women elected to the House of Representatives (Pratinidhi Sabha) under the First-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system during that cycle. Her success mirrored the broader surge of the RSP, which dominated the women’s wins by accounting for 13 of those 14 female candidates, signaling a major shift in the country's political landscape. Election Year Constituency Contested for Political party Result Votes % of votes Nepal general election 2026 Mahottari 4 Pratinidhi Sabha member Rastriya Swatantra Party 30,132 50.59%
Ministerial tenure and initiatives
During her tenure as Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Gauri Kumari Yadav pursued many significant initiatives concerning industrial revival, domestic production, consumer protection, easing LPG supply and the management of essential-goods supplies.
Industrial revival
One of Yadav's principal initiatives was the revival of the Hetauda Textile Industry, a state-owned enterprise that had remained closed for more than two decades. In May 2026, Yadav inspected the facility and stated that the government was preparing resources and a plan for its sustainable revival. In July, the government included the revival of the factory in its industrial action plan, with the Nepal Army undertaking feasibility and preparatory work and repairs to existing machinery.
Trial production subsequently began in August 2026. Yadav visited the factory during the trial phase and stated that the government intended to move beyond trial production toward continuous operation. The revival programme was presented by the government as part of efforts to promote domestic production, employment generation and industrial activity.
Yadav also identified other inactive state-owned enterprises for assessment and potential revival. The ministry reported that the assets and liabilities of several sick state-run industries were being assessed as part of the government's broader industrial-revival programme.
Consumer protection and market monitoring
Yadav's tenure also included efforts to strengthen market monitoring amid concerns over the prices and availability of essential goods. The ministry increased attention to market inspections and the monitoring of supply conditions, particularly during periods of shortages.
Trade facilitation and investment promotion
Yadav also engaged in bilateral discussions concerning trade and investment. In July 2026, she met the United States chargé d'affaires in Nepal to discuss bilateral trade, investment promotion and economic cooperation. She called for renewed market-access arrangements for Nepali goods and greater use of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement between Nepal and the United States.
During the same period, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies held discussions with a United Arab Emirates delegation concerning investment and economic cooperation. Areas discussed included potential investment in railway infrastructure and data centres, as well as technical assistance for certification and the export of Nepali agricultural products to Gulf markets.
Policy and administrative reforms
The ministry's 100-day programme included amendments to laws and regulations, industrial policy reform, trade facilitation, consumer protection and improvements to industry administration. In June 2026, the ministry reported completion of 32 assigned activities under the government's 100-day governance reform action plan, covering policy reform, industrial development, service delivery, investment promotion and industry administration.
Yadav also participated in parliamentary consideration of legislation concerning the mining sector. In August 2026, she presented the Mines and Minerals Bill for consideration in the House of Representatives of Nepal.
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