Kathmandu, Sept. 7 -- Rakesh Mahato lies in a hospital bed in Kathmandu with a simple wish-to get up, take a few steps and make it home.

The 25-year-old from Sarlahi district has spent the entirety of the past year in hospital after being shot by police while protesting against corruption on September 8, 2025.

Mahato is among the thousands injured during the youth-led uprising, which has come to be known as the Gen Z protests. Although the immediate trigger was the KP Sharma Oli government's ban on social media, the youth were protesting systemic corruption and decades of power-sharing among a small group of ageing politicians.

The protests began as a peaceful demonstration but soon spiralled out of control, leading to massive casualti...