Kamal Nath (born 18 November 1946) is an Indian politician of the Indian National Congress. He was elected to the Lok Sabha nine times from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, one of the longest records in Parliament, and held several Union ministries, including Commerce and Industry. He was Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh from December 2018 until March 2020, when his government fell after a split in the party.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Kamal Nath |
| Born | 18 November 1946, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Age | 79 |
| Party | Indian National Congress |
| Offices | Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh (2018–2020); Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Road Transport, Urban Development, Environment |
| Constituency | Chhindwara |
| Education | The Doon School; St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta (B.Com.) |
| Spouse | Alka Nath (m. 1973) |
| Children | 2 (Nakul and Bakul) |
Early Life
Kamal Nath was born in Kanpur into a business family. At The Doon School he became a close friend of Sanjay Gandhi, son of Indira Gandhi. He graduated in commerce in Calcutta and worked in the family business before joining the Youth Congress.
Political Career
He first won Chhindwara in 1980; campaigning for him, Indira Gandhi called him her “third son”. He lost the seat only once, in a 1997 by-election. He is credited with bringing roads, training institutes and industry to the largely tribal district.
As Minister of State for Environment and Forests he represented India at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. He was Minister of Commerce and Industry from 2004 to 2009, when he was India’s chief negotiator at the World Trade Organization and refused to give way on farm subsidies in the Doha round. He later held Road Transport and Highways, Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs.
Appointed head of the state Congress in 2018, he led it to a narrow win that December and became Chief Minister, announcing a farm loan waiver on his first day. In March 2020 Jyotiraditya Scindia and 22 legislators left the party, and he resigned before a floor test. The Congress lost the 2023 state election under his leadership.
Controversy
Kamal Nath has been accused by some witnesses of being present with a mob at a gurdwara in Delhi during the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. He has always denied any wrongdoing, and he has not been convicted of any offence.
Personal Life
He married Alka in 1973. Their son Nakul Nath was MP for Chhindwara from 2019 to 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Kamal Nath born?
Kamal Nath was born on 18 November 1946 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India and is 79 years old.
Featured image: Kamal Nath, then Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, addresses a press conference, New Delhi, July 2006. Photo by Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India), licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
