Arackaparambil Kurien Antony (born 28 December 1940), known as A. K. Antony, is an Indian politician of the Indian National Congress. He was Chief Minister of Kerala three times and served as India’s Defence Minister from 2006 to 2014, the longest continuous tenure in that office. He is known for his simple lifestyle and reputation for personal honesty, which earned him the nickname “Saint Antony”.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Arackaparambil Kurien Antony |
| Born | 28 December 1940, Cherthala, Travancore (now Kerala), India |
| Age | 85 |
| Party | Indian National Congress |
| Offices | Chief Minister of Kerala (1977–1978, 1995–1996, 2001–2004); Defence Minister (2006–2014) |
| Education | Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam; Government Law College, Ernakulam (LL.B.) |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Antony (m. 1985) |
| Children | 2 (Anil and Ajith) |
Early Life
Antony was born in Cherthala in Alappuzha district. His father died when he was a child, and he paid for part of his education with odd jobs. He became known as a student leader, heading the Kerala Students Union and leading agitations such as the “single penny” boat-fare strike, and then led the state Youth Congress.
Political Career
He was elected to the assembly in 1970 and became president of the state Congress at 32. On 27 April 1977, aged 36, he became Kerala’s youngest Chief Minister. He resigned in 1978 when the party supported Indira Gandhi in a by-election, and for some years led a breakaway Congress faction before returning. He was Chief Minister again in 1995–96, when he banned the sale of arrack, and from 2001 to 2004, resigning after the party’s poor showing in the Lok Sabha election.
As Minister for Civil Supplies under P. V. Narasimha Rao he resigned in 1994 on moral grounds over a sugar import controversy, although he was not accused. Manmohan Singh made him Defence Minister in October 2006. He tightened rules on arms purchases and cancelled deals where bribery was alleged, including the AgustaWestland helicopter contract in 2014; critics said his caution slowed the modernisation of the forces. He chaired the party’s disciplinary committee and retired from the Rajya Sabha in 2022.
Personal Life
Antony married Elizabeth, a bank officer, in 1985. Their elder son, Anil Antony, joined the BJP in 2023. He lives in Thiruvananthapuram.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was A. K. Antony born?
A. K. Antony was born on 28 December 1940 in Cherthala, Travancore (now Kerala), India and is 85 years old.
Featured image: A. K. Antony, then Defence Minister, addresses the Army Commanders’ Conference, New Delhi, April 2011. Photo by Ministry of Defence, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
