Nitin Gadkari (born 27 May 1957) is an Indian politician of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who has served as Minister of Road Transport and Highways since 2014, making him the longest-serving minister in that post. Known as a practical administrator, he first made his name building the Mumbai–Pune Expressway and Mumbai’s flyovers as a Maharashtra minister in the 1990s. He was national president of the BJP from 2009 to 2013 and represents Nagpur in the Lok Sabha.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Nitin Jairam Gadkari |
| Born | 27 May 1957, Nagpur, Bombay State (now Maharashtra), India |
| Age | 69 |
| Party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Office | Minister of Road Transport and Highways (2014–present) |
| Constituency | Nagpur (Lok Sabha, since 2014) |
| Education | M.Com and LL.B., Nagpur University |
| Spouse | Kanchan Gadkari |
| Children | 3 (Nikhil, Sarang and Ketki) |
Early Life
Gadkari was born into a Marathi Brahmin family in Nagpur, where the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has its headquarters. He joined the RSS as a boy and was active in its student wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), during his college years. He earned a master’s degree in commerce and a law degree from Nagpur University.
Political Career
Gadkari was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council from the Nagpur graduates’ constituency in 1989 and held the seat for four terms. When the Shiv Sena–BJP alliance came to power in Maharashtra in 1995, he became Public Works Minister. In that role he oversaw the building of the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, India’s first six-lane access-controlled expressway, and more than 50 flyovers in Mumbai. He later served as Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council and as president of the Maharashtra BJP from 2004.
In December 2009 Gadkari became the national president of the BJP, one of the youngest people to hold the post. He did not seek a second term in 2013 after questions were raised about companies linked to him; he denied any wrongdoing.
Gadkari won the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat in 2014 and was made Minister of Road Transport and Highways in Narendra Modi‘s government. He has held the post ever since, winning Nagpur again in 2019 and 2024. Under him, the pace of national highway building rose sharply, and projects such as the Bharatmala programme, the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway and the nationwide FASTag electronic toll system were launched. At various times he has also been minister for Shipping, Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. He is a strong supporter of alternative fuels and in 2022 drove a hydrogen-powered car to Parliament.
Personal Life
Gadkari is married to Kanchan Gadkari, and they have two sons, Nikhil and Sarang, and a daughter, Ketki. He lives in Nagpur and is known for being on good terms with leaders across party lines. He has also been involved in agriculture, sugar and ethanol businesses in Vidarbha.
Offices Held
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Nitin Gadkari born?
Nitin Gadkari was born on 27 May 1957 in Nagpur, Bombay State (now Maharashtra), India and is 69 years old.
Featured image: Nitin Gadkari chairs a Ministry of Road Transport and Highways meeting with Minister of State General (Retd.) V. K. Singh, New Delhi. Photo by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
