Nitish Kumar (born 1951)

 Nitish Kumar is a prominent Indian  politician who has served as the Chief Minister of Bihar for several terms. He was born on March 1, 1951, in Bakhtiarpur, Bihar, India. Kumar is a well-known face in Indian politics and has held various important positions in his career spanning over four decades.

Early Life and Education

Nitish Kumar was born to Kaviraj Ram Lakhan Singh and Parmeshwari Devi in Bakhtiarpur, Bihar. His father was a renowned freedom fighter and a leader of the Congress party, which played an instrumental role in India's struggle for independence from British rule. Kumar completed his schooling from a local school in Bakhtiarpur before pursuing a degree in engineering from Bihar College of Engineering, Patna (now NIT Patna).

Political Career

Nitish Kumar began his political career in the early 1970s when he joined the Jayaprakash Narayan-led student movement. He was later appointed as the secretary of the Bihar State Yuva Lok Dal, a youth wing of the Janata Party. In 1985, Kumar was elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly for the first time from the Harnaut constituency. He went on to serve as a member of the Bihar Legislative Council from 1986 to 1989.

In 1989, Nitish Kumar was elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, from the Barh constituency. He was appointed as the Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Co-operation in the V.P. Singh government. He later served as the Union Minister for Railways from 1998 to 1999 in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government.

Kumar's first stint as the Chief Minister of Bihar began in 2000 when he formed a coalition government with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, he resigned from the post in 2005 following differences with the BJP over the issue of appointment of police officials. He later formed his party, the Janata Dal (United), and contested the 2005 Bihar Assembly elections in alliance with the BJP. The alliance won a clear majority, and Nitish Kumar became the Chief Minister of Bihar for the second time.

Kumar's tenure as the Chief Minister was marked by various initiatives aimed at improving the state's infrastructure, health, and education sectors. His government launched the "Bihar Development Model," which focused on creating opportunities for growth and development in the state. Kumar's efforts towards improving the law and order situation in Bihar earned him the nickname "Sushasan Babu" or the "Mr. Good Governance."

In 2010, Nitish Kumar won a second term as the Chief Minister of Bihar, again in alliance with the BJP. However, the alliance ended in 2013 after Kumar opposed the BJP's decision to nominate Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, as its prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Kumar resigned as the Chief Minister, but he returned to power a few months later after forming a coalition government with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Indian National Congress (INC).

Kumar resigned from the post of Chief Minister in 2017 after a disagreement with his coalition partner, the RJD, over corruption charges against its leader Lalu Prasad Yadav. However, he was sworn in as the Chief Minister again a few hours later, this time in alliance with the BJP.

Personal Life

Nitish Kumar is married to Manju Kumari Sinha, and the couple has a son named Nishant Kumar. Kumar is known for his simple and austere lifestyle and is often seen wearing white cotton clothes.

Conclusion

Nitish Kumar's contributions to Indian politics are.