Jagdish Kharel, a journalist known for his incisive questioning of politicians and other high-profile personalities on Image Channel’s talk show Hot Seat, has joined Nepal’s interim government as Minister for Communication and Information Technology.

The appointment followed a recommendation from Prime Minister Sushila Karki and has drawn public attention to how Kharel will perform in his new role.

Kharel, 43, currently serves as news editor at Image Channel. He began his media career over 25 years ago at Image Radio, gradually moving from radio to television. His career has been marked by a reputation for challenging political figures and making leaders answer tough questions.

Born in 1982 in Sunkhani village, Dolakha, Kharel was influenced by his father’s social work. He showed early talent for public speaking, winning school-and district-level competitions and often being encouraged to pursue either politics or media.

After completing his grade 10, he moved to Kathmandu for further education, where his elder brother advised him to study journalism. Kharel got trained in public speaking and later joined Image Radio.

At Image Radio, Kharel hosted the program ‘Prasangbas’ and took on multiple roles, including reading news, often working from early morning until late evening. He joined Image Channel in 2009, where his reputation for direct and tough questioning of political leaders grew.

During Nepal’s armed conflict, Kharel avoided political involvement, while some of his friends joined the Maoists.

Now, he has opted to enter government from outside traditional party lines.

As minister, Kharel faces the challenge of translating his journalistic approach into policy and governance. Observers will be watching to see whether his bold questioning style carries over to his ministerial duties.