Ghulam Nabi Azad (Indian Politician) Biography

Quick Info

Profession	Politician
Nationality	Indian
Date of Birth	07/03/1949
Age	77 years
Birthplace	Soti village, Doda district, Jammu and Kashmir

Latest News about Ghulam Nabi Azad

09/03/2026

Azad publicly backed the idea of One Nation One Election, saying it would help nation-building and strengthen local leadership. He also argued that simultaneous elections would not harm democratic values or federal integrity.

28/02/2026

Ghulam Nabi Azad commented on the escalating conflict in the Middle East and urged all parties to exercise restraint and pursue diplomacy. The statement was issued in his capacity as chairman of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party.

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Bio/Wiki

Ghulam Nabi Azad is a veteran Indian politician who served as the 7th Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 2005 to 2008.
He was the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare from 2009 to 2014, during which he expanded the National Rural Health Mission and launched the National Urban Health Mission.
Azad served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha from 2014 to 2021.
In August 2022, he resigned from the Indian National Congress after 50 years of association, citing discontent with party leadership.
On 26 September 2022, he founded the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), serving as its Chief Patron and Founder.
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, in 2022.

Physical Stats & More

Eye Color	Black
Hair Color	Black

Educational Qualification(s)

College/University	Gandhi Memorial Science College, Jammu and Kashmir University of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir G.G.M. Science College, Jammu
Degree	Bachelor of Science at Gandhi Memorial Science College, Jammu and Kashmir Master's degree in Zoology (1972) at University of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir Bachelor of Science at G.G.M. Science College, Jammu

Personal Life

School	High School, Kilhotran, Doda
Address	House No. 9, Hyderpora Bypass, District Badgam, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir

Relationships & More

Marital Status

Married

Marriage Date

1980

Family

Wife/Spouse

Shameem Dev Azad

Children

Saddam Nabi Azad
Sofiya Nabi Azad

Parents

Father	Rahamatullah Batt
Mother	Basa Begum

Siblings

Liaqat Ali (politician)
Ghulam Ali Azad (politician)
Ghulam Qadir Bhatt (politician)
Liaqat Ali
Ghulam Ali Azad
Ghulam Qadir Bhatt
Shakeela Begum

Career

Political Party	Democratic Azad Party (September 2022-present) Indian National Congress (1973-August 2022) Democratic Progressive Azad Party (September 2022-present)
Political Journey	1973: Joined Indian National Congress as the secretary for the Block Congress Committee in Bhalessa 1975: Nominated as the President of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Youth Congress 1980: Appointed as the President of the All-India Youth Congress 1982: Appointed in Central Government as Deputy Minister in charge of Law, Justice and Company Affairs Ministry 1983-1984: Served as the Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting 1984: Appointed as the Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha 1984-1986: Served as the Minister of State- Parliamentary Affairs 1986: Minister of State- Home Affairs October 1986-1987: Minister of State- Food and Civil Supplies 1989: Member of the Rajya Sabha June 1991- December 1992: Union Minister- Parliamentary Affairs January 1993- May 1996: Union Minister- Parliamentary Affairs January 1993- May 1996: Union Minister- Civil Aviation and Tourism 1996: Appointed as the Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir 2002: Member of the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir May 2004-October 2005: Union Minister- Parliamentary Affairs 2005: Resigned as Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha 2005: Appointed as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir 2005-2008: Served as the 7th Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir 2008: Elected as the MLA of the Bhaderwah Assembly constituency 2009: Appointed as the Minister of Health and Family Welfare 2015: Appointed as the Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha 2015-2021: Served as the leader of opposition 2022: Resigned from the Congress party 26 September 2022: Launched his own party named Democratic Azad Party in Jammu and Kashmir 1972: Completed M.Sc degree in Zoology from Kashmir University 1973: Joined Indian National Congress as Block Secretary of Congress Committee in Bhalessa 1973-1975: Block Secretary of Congress Committee of Blessa 1975: Nominated as President of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Youth Congress 1975-1977: President of J&K Pradesh Youth Congress Committee 1977: Elected as General Secretary of All India Youth Congress 1977-1980: General Secretary of All India Youth Congress 1980-1982: President of All India Youth Congress 1980: Member of Seventh Lok Sabha 1981-1982: Member of Committee on Public Undertakings 1981-1982: Member of Consultative Committee for Ministry of Defence 1982: Appointed as Union Deputy Minister for Company Affairs and Law September 1982: Union Deputy Minister in Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs 1982-1983: Union Deputy Minister for Company Affairs and Law 1983-1984: Served as Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting 1984: Elected to Eighth Lok Sabha 1984-1986: Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs 1985: Re-elected from Washim Constituency 1985-1986: Minister of State for Home Affairs October 1986-September 1987: Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies 1990: Elected to Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra (1990-1996) June 1991-January 1993: Union Cabinet Minister for Parliamentary Affairs 1991-1996: Union Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism 1996-2002: Member of Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir (30 November 1996 to 29 November 2002) 2002-2008: Member of Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir (30 November 2002 to 29 November 2008) May 2004-October 2005: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development 2 November 2005: Appointed Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir 2005-2008: Served as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir 29 April 2006: Resigned from Rajya Sabha upon becoming Chief Minister 2008: Elected as MLA of Bhaderwah Assembly constituency 2009: Appointed as Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare 2009-2014: Served as Minister of Health and Family Welfare 2014-2021: Served as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha 26 August 2022: Resigned from Indian National Congress 26 September 2022: Announced formation of Democratic Progressive Azad Party 26 September 2022-present: Chief Patron and Founder of Democratic Progressive Azad Party 2014-2021: Served as the Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha 26 August 2022: Resigned from the Indian National Congress 26 September 2022: Launched his own party named Democratic Progressive Azad Party in Jammu and Kashmir

Political Party

Democratic Azad Party (September 2022-present)
Indian National Congress (1973-August 2022)
Democratic Progressive Azad Party (September 2022-present)

Political Journey

1973: Joined Indian National Congress as the secretary for the Block Congress Committee in Bhalessa
1975: Nominated as the President of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Youth Congress
1980: Appointed as the President of the All-India Youth Congress
1982: Appointed in Central Government as Deputy Minister in charge of Law, Justice and Company Affairs Ministry
1983-1984: Served as the Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting
1984: Appointed as the Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
1984-1986: Served as the Minister of State- Parliamentary Affairs
1986: Minister of State- Home Affairs
October 1986-1987: Minister of State- Food and Civil Supplies
1989: Member of the Rajya Sabha
June 1991- December 1992: Union Minister- Parliamentary Affairs
January 1993- May 1996: Union Minister- Parliamentary Affairs
January 1993- May 1996: Union Minister- Civil Aviation and Tourism
1996: Appointed as the Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir
2002: Member of the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir
May 2004-October 2005: Union Minister- Parliamentary Affairs
2005: Resigned as Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
2005: Appointed as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir
2005-2008: Served as the 7th Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir
2008: Elected as the MLA of the Bhaderwah Assembly constituency
2009: Appointed as the Minister of Health and Family Welfare
2015: Appointed as the Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha
2015-2021: Served as the leader of opposition
2022: Resigned from the Congress party
26 September 2022: Launched his own party named Democratic Azad Party in Jammu and Kashmir
1972: Completed M.Sc degree in Zoology from Kashmir University
1973: Joined Indian National Congress as Block Secretary of Congress Committee in Bhalessa
1973-1975: Block Secretary of Congress Committee of Blessa
1975: Nominated as President of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Youth Congress
1975-1977: President of J&K Pradesh Youth Congress Committee
1977: Elected as General Secretary of All India Youth Congress
1977-1980: General Secretary of All India Youth Congress
1980-1982: President of All India Youth Congress
1980: Member of Seventh Lok Sabha
1981-1982: Member of Committee on Public Undertakings
1981-1982: Member of Consultative Committee for Ministry of Defence
1982: Appointed as Union Deputy Minister for Company Affairs and Law
September 1982: Union Deputy Minister in Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs
1982-1983: Union Deputy Minister for Company Affairs and Law
1983-1984: Served as Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting
1984: Elected to Eighth Lok Sabha
1984-1986: Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs
1985: Re-elected from Washim Constituency
1985-1986: Minister of State for Home Affairs
October 1986-September 1987: Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies
1990: Elected to Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra (1990-1996)
June 1991-January 1993: Union Cabinet Minister for Parliamentary Affairs
1991-1996: Union Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism
1996-2002: Member of Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir (30 November 1996 to 29 November 2002)
2002-2008: Member of Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir (30 November 2002 to 29 November 2008)
May 2004-October 2005: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development
2 November 2005: Appointed Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir
2005-2008: Served as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir
29 April 2006: Resigned from Rajya Sabha upon becoming Chief Minister
2008: Elected as MLA of Bhaderwah Assembly constituency
2009: Appointed as Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare
2009-2014: Served as Minister of Health and Family Welfare
2014-2021: Served as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha
26 August 2022: Resigned from Indian National Congress
26 September 2022: Announced formation of Democratic Progressive Azad Party
26 September 2022-present: Chief Patron and Founder of Democratic Progressive Azad Party
2014-2021: Served as the Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha
26 August 2022: Resigned from the Indian National Congress
26 September 2022: Launched his own party named Democratic Progressive Azad Party in Jammu and Kashmir

Social Media

Twitter	https://x.com/ghulamnazad

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Ghulam Nabi Azad is an Indian politician with over four decades of experience in the Indian National Congress.
2. He served as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 2005 to 2008 and as the Minister of Health and Family Welfare from 2009 to 2014.
3. In 2022, Azad resigned from the Indian National Congress citing his discontent with the party leaders.
4. He is often referred to as the 'crisis manager' of the Congress party.
5. Azad was honored with the Padma Bhushan award in 2022.
6. Ghulam Nabi Azad is an Indian politician with over five decades of experience in Indian politics.
7. He served as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 2005 to 2008 and as Minister of Health and Family Welfare from 2009 to 2014.
8. During his tenure as Health Minister, he expanded the National Rural Health Mission and launched the National Urban Health Mission to serve urban poor populations.
9. In 2022, Azad resigned from the Indian National Congress citing discontent with party leadership.
10. He founded the Democratic Progressive Azad Party in September 2022 as a new political venture at the national level.

Ghulam Nabi Azad Politician Indian Soti village, Doda district, Jammu and Kashmir