Nitish Kumar
Longest-serving Chief Minister of Bihar and president of the Janata Dal (United)
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- 75 yrs
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Nitish Kumar is a socialist leader from Bihar who served as the state’s Chief Minister for most of the period from 2005 to 2026, longer than anyone else. A former Union Railway Minister and national president of the Janata Dal (United), he has been a member of the Rajya Sabha since 2026.
Biography
Early life
Nitish Kumar is the son of an Ayurvedic practitioner and freedom fighter. He graduated in electrical engineering from the Bihar College of Engineering (now NIT Patna) in 1972 and joined Jayaprakash Narayan’s movement in the 1970s, which shaped his socialist politics.
National politics
Elected MLA from Harnaut in 1985, he moved to the Lok Sabha in 1989. In 1994 he co-founded the Samata Party with George Fernandes; it later merged into the Janata Dal (United). In Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government he served as Minister of Railways, Agriculture and Surface Transport, resigning as Railway Minister in 1999 after the Gaisal train disaster.
Chief Minister of Bihar
After a seven-day term in 2000, Kumar became Chief Minister in November 2005 in alliance with the BJP, pledging to restore law and order and infrastructure. His government’s programme of free bicycles for schoolgirls, 50 percent reservation for women in local bodies and road building drew wide praise; later it introduced prohibition of alcohol (2016).
He changed alliances several times — leaving the NDA in 2013, joining the Grand Alliance in 2015, returning to the NDA in 2017, leaving again in 2022 and rejoining in 2024 — while remaining Chief Minister for most of that period. His final term ended in April 2026, when he moved to the Rajya Sabha.
Sushasan Babu
Nitish Kumar earned the nickname “Sushasan Babu” (Mr Good Governance) for improving law and order, roads and school enrolment in Bihar after 2005. His government introduced reservations for extremely backward classes and Mahadalits within existing quotas, and in 2023 conducted a state caste survey whose findings fed a national debate.
Shifting alliances
Kumar’s frequent changes of alliance — between the BJP-led NDA and the RJD–Congress Grand Alliance — earned him the nickname “Paltu Ram” from critics, but allowed him to remain in power for most of two decades. He was one of the architects of the INDIA opposition bloc in 2023 before returning to the NDA in January 2024, a move that helped the BJP retain power at the centre.
Timeline
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1951
Born in Bakhtiarpur, Patna district, Bihar
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1985
Elected MLA from Harnaut
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1989
Elected to the Lok Sabha
From Barh.
-
1994
Co-founds the Samata Party
With George Fernandes.
-
1998
Union Railway Minister
In the Vajpayee government.
-
1999
Resigns as Railway Minister after the Gaisal train disaster
-
2005
Chief Minister of Bihar
Sworn in on 24 November.
-
2010
Re-elected in a landslide
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2014
Resigns as Chief Minister after the Lok Sabha defeat
Jitan Ram Manjhi succeeds him.
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2016
Prohibition introduced in Bihar
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2023
Bihar caste survey published
-
2024
Returns to the NDA
January.
-
2026
Moves to the Rajya Sabha
Ends his last term as Chief Minister.
Did you know?
-
1
His government’s bicycle scheme for schoolgirls has been studied by economists as a successful way to raise enrolment.
-
2
He trained as an electrical engineer.
-
3
He resigned as Railway Minister taking moral responsibility for a train crash.
-
4
His caste survey of Bihar sparked a national debate.
Gallery
Connections
Related people
-
Lalu Prasad Yadav
Politics & Leadership · Founder of the Rashtriya Janata Dal; former Chief Minister of Bihar and Railway Minister
Fellow JP-movement leader, ally and rival
-
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Politics & Leadership · Tenth Prime Minister of India and a founder of the Bharatiya Janata Party
Prime Minister he served under
Frequently asked
Who is Nitish Kumar?
Nitish Kumar is a socialist leader from Bihar who served as the state’s Chief Minister for most of the period from 2005 to 2026, longer than anyone else. A former Union Railway Minister and national president of the Janata Dal (United), he has been a member of the Rajya Sabha since 2026.
How old is Nitish Kumar?
Nitish Kumar is 75 years old, born on 1 March 1951 in Bakhtiarpur, Patna district, Bihar.
Where is Nitish Kumar from?
Nitish Kumar was born in Bakhtiarpur, Patna district, Bihar.
What is Nitish Kumar known for?
Nitish Kumar is best known for Governance reforms in Bihar; bicycles for schoolgirls; prohibition.
Who is Nitish Kumar married to?
Spouse: Manju Kumari Sinha (died 2007).
References
- Nitish Kumar — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Nitish Kumar — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Official website. gov.bih.nic.in. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Nitish Kumar (Q122304) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Nitish Kumar.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/nitish-kumar
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