Nitin Jairam Gadkari

Nitin Gadkari was born on 27th May 1957 in a farming family in Nagpur, known as the orange city. His mother Bhanutai Jairam Gadkari mother had a significant influence on him.

The government's actions during the Emergency deeply disturbed Gadkari, prompting him to campaign against the Emergency as a student.

Gadkari became closely involved with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), dedicating himself to social work. He was especially inspired by RSS founder K. B. Hedgewar's ideals of humanity and nation-building.

The Emergency was a pivotal moment for Gadkari, marking the start of his active political involvement. During this period, he completed his Post-Graduate degree in Commerce, studied Law, and earned a Diploma in Business Management.

A key principle in Gadkari’s political life has been improving the lives of the underprivileged through Antyodaya, which aims to eradicate poverty, provide basic needs, and ensure opportunities for the poorest.

As a dedicated practitioner of Antyodaya, Gadkari initiated numerous projects for the benefit of landless labourers, small farmers, and tribal communities. These projects included education, healthcare, water conservation, and agriculture. He also established Ekal Vidyalayas (one-teacher schools) in tribal areas and organised over 1500 heart surgeries, artificial limb transplants, and programs for sickle cell eradication. He promoted tribal crafts, organic farming, and biofuel.

Gadkari's first significant opportunity to implement Antyodaya through governance came in 1995 when he became the Minister of the Public Works Department in Maharashtra.

He quickly realised that road connectivity was crucial for the development of backward villages. As PWD Minister, he overcame funding challenges and achieved all-weather road connectivity for 98 per cent of Maharashtra's population, including 13,736 remote villages, within four years. This helped reduce malnutrition among the tribal population in Vidarbha.

Gadkari's agricultural reforms in Maharashtra, such as water conservation and organic farming, significantly reduced farmers' suicides.

He introduced the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model, known as BOT (Build Operate Transfer), for development projects. This approach led to the construction of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and 55 flyovers in Mumbai in record time. The same model was later used for the "Golden Quadrilateral" and other projects by the National Highway Authority of India, freeing budget funds for rural road development.

Gadkari's reputation as an achiever earned him the nickname "Flyover Man." He proposed the "Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana" to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which the NDA government implemented to improve rural road connectivity nationwide. Vajpayee also tasked him with contributing to the National Highways Development Project (NHDP).

Gadkari is dedicated to promoting a transport fuel that is an import substitute, cost-effective, indigenous, and pollution-free. He has emphasised the adoption of green hydrogen as a clean and homegrown energy source for various industries and the mobility sector.

He has launched a hydrogen-powered car in Delhi as a pilot project. Road safety has always been a priority for Gadkari. His efforts include creating a new comprehensive Highway Capacity Manual and successfully enacting a world-class Road Safety Act, which was passed by both houses of Parliament.

Gadkari entered politics in 1980, starting with the BJP youth wing Janata Yuva Morcha, then becoming a BJP leader in Vidarbha. He served as the PWD Minister in the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra from 1995-99 and was the leader of the opposition in the state Legislative Council for four consecutive terms, rising from a grassroots BJP worker to a national leader.

In 2005, he became BJP’s State President in Maharashtra and was elevated to the party's national president in 2009 at the age of 52.

Gadkari was elected to the 16th Lok Sabha from Nagpur by a significant margin. On 26th May 2014, he became the Minister for Road Transport in Narendra Modi's government. He was re-elected in the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

As the Union Minister for MSME, Gadkari has engaged with all stakeholders and introduced various welfare schemes to support artisans and daily wage workers in cottage and village industries, helping preserve India’s traditional arts and cultural heritage. For his massive contributions, he is inducted into the Modi 3.0 cabinet.