Nitin Gadkari

Nitin Gadkari
Former President of Bharatiya Janata Party
In office 1st january 2010 – 22nd January 2013
Preceded by	Rajnath Singh
Succeeded by	Rajnath Singh
Minister for PWD, Maharashtra
In office 27th May 1995 – 1999
Personal details
Born	(1957-05-27) May 27, 1957 Nagpur, India
Nationality	Indian
Political party	Bharatiya Janata Party
Spouse(s)	Kanchan Gadkari
Children	Nikhil, Sarang and Ketki
Alma mater	Nagpur University
Occupation	Lawyer, Industrialist
Religion	Hindu
Website	nitingadkari.in

Nitin Gadkari Marathi नितीन गडकरी  pronunciation ; (born 27 May 1957) is an Indian politician and former President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Mr Gadkari was appointed to head BJP in December 2009 after the party suffered a defeat in the general elections earlier that year. He is also known for the works during his tenure as a Public Works Department Minister in the state of Maharashta when he constructed a series of roads, highways and flyovers across the state including the Yashwantrao Chavan Mumbai–Pune Expressway.

Background, family and education

Nitin Gadkari was born in Nagpur, India, to a middle class Hindu family hailing from Nagpur district. During his teens, he worked for the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and the student union ABVP.

Nitin Gadkari is married to Kanchan Gadkari and they have three children; Nikhil, Sarang and Ketki. He currently lives in Nagpur close to the head office of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. On 24 June 2012, Sarang Gadkari married Madhura Rodi.

Political career

Nitin Gadkari served as the Minister of Public Works Department(PWD) of the Government of Maharashtra from 1995 to 1999 and restructured it from top to bottom. He has served as the president of the Maharashtra BJP.

Support for privatization

He showed strong support for privatization when he campaigned for investment in the infrastructure areas from private firms. He addressed several meetings between private investors, contractors, builders and various trade organizations and diverted large amounts of budgeted projects towards privatization. He managed to convince the state to allocate Rs. 700 Crores for rural connectivity. In the next 4 years, 98% of the total population of Maharashtra achieved an all-weather road connectivity. It also helped to solve the malnutrition problems prevailing in remote Melghat-Dharni area of Amravati district which previously had no access to medical aid, ration or educational facilities. The project aimed to connect 13,736 remote villages which remained unconnected since independence by road.^{[citation needed]}

Chairman of NRRDC

The Union Government appointed him the Chairman of National Rural Road Development Committee. After a series of meetings and studies, Gadkari submitted his report to the central government and gave the presentation to the Hon. Prime Minister of India. His new report was accepted and a new rural road connecting scheme now popularly known as Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana was launched. The ambitious scheme is of Rs. 60,000 crores.

Positions served

• Ex Minister, Govt of Maharashtra
• Chairman, Purti Group Of Companies
• President, Bharatiya Janata Party, Maharashtra State
• Ex-Leader of Opposition, Maharashtra Legislative Council
• Former Minister for Public Works Department, Maharashtra State
• Member of Legislative Council, Maharashtra State
• Elected to the Maharashtra Govt. Legislative Council in 1989 from graduates constituency, Nagpur Region.
• Re-Elected in the year 1990.
• Re-Elected in the year 1996 and elected unopposed in 2002.
• Inducted in the Maharashtra State Government Cabinet as the Minister for Public Works on May 27, 1995.
• Ex-Member of the High Power Committee for Privatisation, Government of Maharashtra.
• Ex-Chairman, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, India.
• Ex-Guardian Minister for Nagpur District, Govt. of Maharashtra.
• Ex-Chairman, Mining policy Implementation Committee, Govt. of Maharashtra.
• Ex-Chairman, Metropolis Beautification Committee, Govt. of Maharashtra.
• Ex-Leader of Opposition, Maharashtra Legislative Council, Chairman National Rural Road Development Committee
• Chairman, Review Committee of CPWD, Govt. of India.
• State President of Bhartiya Janata Party, Maharashtra.
• National President of BJP, India.

Industrial career

Nitin Gadkari does not consider himself a career politician. He is known to control these establishments in the following way;

• Poly sack Industrial Society Ltd - Founder and Chairman.
• Nikhil Furniture and Appliances Pvt. Ltd - Promoter and Director.
• Antyodaya Trust - Founder and Member
• Empress Employees Co-operative Paper Mills Ltd - Founder and Chairman.

Gadkari is also an agriculturist. He has not only promoted but also has major interests in the fields of Water Management, Solar Energy Projects and the use of modern tools in agriculture. Recently, he started exporting fruits to various countries under the banner Ketaki overseas Trading Company.

Nitin Gadkari heads Purti group, a company with presence across multiple industries.

Allegations of Corruption

In September 2012, Anjali Damania, an IAC activist, claimed that she has personally met Mr. Gadkari and requested his help for exposing the alleged INR 70000 crore Irrigation scam in Maharashtra. She claimed that Gadkari out-rightly rejected to help her citing that he had business interests with Sharad Pawar and that both the leaders mutually help each other to reach their personal financial goals and ambitions. Gadkari has threatened the activist of legal proceedings in case she does not apologise to him. In response to these allegations, Gadkari himself said he was open for any investigation. India Against Corruption party has also claimed that Gadkari flouted rules to help his own industries instead of helping farmers of Maharastra.