Anand Sharma (born 5 January 1953) is an Indian politician of the Indian National Congress from Himachal Pradesh. He was Union Minister of Commerce and Industry from 2009 to 2014 and earlier Minister of State for External Affairs. A lawyer by training and a long-time party spokesperson, he served four terms in the Rajya Sabha and was deputy leader of the Congress in the House.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Anand Sharma |
| Born | 5 January 1953, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India |
| Age | 73 |
| Party | Indian National Congress |
| Offices | Minister of Commerce and Industry (2009–2014); Minister of State for External Affairs (2006–2009) |
| Parliament | Rajya Sabha (four terms between 1984 and 2022) |
| Education | R.P.C.S.D.B. College, Shimla; Himachal Pradesh University (LL.B.) |
| Spouse | Dr Zenobia Sharma |
| Children | 2 sons |
Early Life
Sharma was born in Shimla and studied law at Himachal Pradesh University. He was a founder member of the National Students’ Union of India, the Congress’s student body, in the early 1970s and later became national president of the Indian Youth Congress.
Political Career
He was first elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1984, at the age of 31, with the backing of Rajiv Gandhi. He became one of the party’s chief spokespersons and headed its foreign affairs department.
As Minister of State for External Affairs from 2006 he dealt especially with Africa and helped organise the first India–Africa Forum Summit in 2008. As Commerce and Industry Minister in Manmohan Singh‘s second government he represented India at the World Trade Organization, where at the Bali meeting of 2013 he secured protection for India’s food stockholding programme. He piloted the national manufacturing policy and the decision to allow foreign investment in multi-brand retail.
He chaired the parliamentary committee on home affairs and was one of the “G-23” leaders who sought reforms in the Congress in 2020. He lost the Kangra Lok Sabha seat in 2024, his first direct election.
Other Interests
Sharma was active in the international campaign against apartheid in the 1980s and has written on Nelson Mandela and on Mahatma Gandhi‘s years in South Africa.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Anand Sharma born?
Anand Sharma was born on 5 January 1953 in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India and is 73 years old.
Featured image: Anand Sharma, then Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, addresses a press conference, New Delhi, 12 January 2010. Photo by Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India), licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
