Omar Abdullah (born 1970)

 Omar Abdullah is an Indian politician and the scion of the Abdullah political dynasty of Jammu and Kashmir. He was born on March 10, 1970, in the Kashmir Valley town of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.

Omar Abdullah is the son of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and grandson of Sheikh Abdullah, who was the founder of the National Conference party and the first Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir after India's independence.

Omar Abdullah completed his schooling from Burn Hall School in Srinagar, and later attended Sydenham College in Mumbai, where he obtained his Bachelor's degree in Commerce. He then went on to pursue a Masters's degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland.

After completing his studies, Omar Abdullah returned to India and entered politics. He was elected to the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Indian parliament) in 1998 from the Srinagar constituency. He was only 28 years old at the time, making him one of the youngest members of parliament.

In 2001, Omar Abdullah was appointed as the Minister of State for External Affairs in the government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He held this position until 2002, when he resigned in protest against the communal riots in Gujarat.

In 2002, Omar Abdullah was elected to the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from the Beerwah constituency. He was subsequently appointed as the Minister of State for Home Affairs in the state government, and later served as the Minister of Commerce and Industries.

Omar Abdullah became the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in 2009, after his party, the National Conference, won the state assembly elections. He was the youngest person to hold this position at the time, at the age of 38.

As Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah focused on improving the state's infrastructure and economy, and worked towards creating a peaceful environment in the state. He also advocated for the revocation of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from certain parts of the state.

However, Omar Abdullah's tenure as Chief Minister was marked by a number of challenges. In 2010, the state witnessed violent protests and unrest, which led to the deaths of over 100 people. The protests were triggered by the killing of a teenager by security forces in the Kashmir Valley.

In 2014, Omar Abdullah's party suffered a major setback in the state assembly elections, winning only 15 out of 87 seats. As a result, he resigned as Chief Minister, and his party went into opposition

Since then, Omar Abdullah has been an active member of the opposition in Jammu and Kashmir, and has been a vocal critic of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the national level. He has also been a strong advocate for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, which was downgraded to a union territory by the Indian government in 2019.

Omar Abdullah has been known for his moderate views on the Kashmir issue, and has been a proponent of dialogue between India and Pakistan to resolve the long-standing conflict. He has also been critical of the use of force by security forces in the state, and has called for a more humane approach to dealing with the situation in Kashmir.

In addition to his political career, Omar Abdullah has also been a writer and a commentator. He has written a number of articles and columns on politics and social issues, and has been a regular guest on television news debates.

Omar Abdullah is married to Payal Nath, and the couple has two sons. He is an avid cricket fan, and has been involved in promoting the sport in Jammu and Kashmir.