
Ghulam Nabi Azad, an Indian politician from
Indian National Congress, presently serves as the Minister of Health and Family Welfare of the Indian Government. Azad was the Parliamentary Affairs Minister of Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh, till October, 2005, after which he became the Chief Minister of
Jammu and Kashmir. He was considered as the Crisis Manager and attained success in many states like
Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka and
Kerala. Ghulam Nabi Azad led the Congress party to victory in the 2002 Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir. Ghulam Nabi Azad was the 3rd Congress
Chief Minister after G.M. Sadiq and Syed Mir Qasim.
Early Life of Ghulam Nabi Azad
Ghulam Nabi Azad was born on 7th March 1949, at Village Soti in
Doda district. He successfully completed his Post-graduation in M.Sc in Zoology from
University of Kashmir, in the year 1972.
Political Career of Ghulam Nabi Azad
Ghulam Nabi Azad remained Block Secretary of Congress Committee, Blessa, from 1973 to 75. Azad was nominated, in 1975, as President of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Youth Congress. In the year 1977, he was attributed as President of Congress Committee, Doda district. In that same year, Azad was nominated as General Secretary of All India Youth Congress. He persisted as the President of All India Muslim Youth Conference from 1978 to 81, besides this in the year 1986 he was designated as Member of Congress Working Committee and nominated as General Secretary of AICC in 1987.
In 1982, Azad was seated for the first time as Union Deputy Minister for Company Affairs and Law. Later in this Ministry, Ghulam Nabi Azad took over the office as Minister of State. From Washim Constituency in 1985, he was all over again elected as Member of Indian Parliament and was inducted in Union Cabinet as Minister of State for Home Affairs. Later, he was given Food and Civil Supplies portfolio. Azad was elected as
Rajya Sabha Member in the year 1990. He was inducted as Cabinet Minister for Parliamentary Affairs in 1991 with
Narasimha Rao Ministry and later given Tourism and Civil Aviation portfolio. Azad was made President of JKPCC during the Assembly elections in 2002. Congress under him bagged 21 seats and thus became the second largest party in the Assembly.
Ghulam Nabi Azad was Union Minister for Urban Development and Law and Parliamentary Affairs in the
Dr. Manmohan Singh led UPA Government. Azad is a senior member of the Union council of ministers. In the 2nd United Progressive Alliance Government, under Dr. Manmohan Singh, Azad was appointed as the Health Minister of India. At a HIV/AIDS conference, on 4 July 2011, Azad stated that homosexuality was not natural, to which the LGBT community protested.
Personal Life of Ghulam Nabi Azad
Ghulam Nabi Azad got married to well known Kashmiri singer, Shameem Dev Azad in the year 1980 and the couple has a son and a daughter.
(Last Updated on : 24/12/2011)