Dr Raman Singh (born 15 October 1952) is an Indian politician of the Bharatiya Janata Party who was Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh from December 2003 to December 2018, three consecutive terms. An ayurvedic doctor by training, he became known for rebuilding the state’s public food distribution system. He has been Speaker of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly since December 2023.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Raman Singh |
| Born | 15 October 1952, Kawardha, Madhya Pradesh (now Chhattisgarh), India |
| Age | 74 |
| Party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Offices | Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh (2003–2018); Speaker, Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly (2023–present) |
| Constituency | Rajnandgaon |
| Education | Government Ayurvedic College, Raipur (BAMS, 1975) |
| Spouse | Veena Singh |
| Children | 2 (Abhishek and Asmita) |
Early Life
Raman Singh was born in Kawardha, the son of a lawyer. He qualified in ayurvedic medicine at Raipur and practised in his home town, where he treated poor patients free and was known as a doctor before he was known as a politician. He joined the Jana Sangh as a young man.
Political Career
He was elected a municipal councillor in 1983 and to the Madhya Pradesh assembly from Kawardha in 1990 and 1993. In 1999 he won the Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha seat, defeating the Congress veteran Motilal Vora, and became Minister of State for Commerce and Industry in Atal Bihari Vajpayee‘s government.
Sent back to lead the party in the new state, he defeated Ajit Jogi’s Congress government in 2003 and won again in 2008 and 2013. His government computerised ration records, moved fair-price shops from private dealers to community bodies and sold rice to poor families at one or two rupees a kilogram, earning him the nickname “Chawal wale Baba”. The system was studied by other states and praised by the Supreme Court’s food commissioners. The state also added power capacity and built a new capital, Naya Raipur.
His years were marked by the Maoist insurgency in Bastar. The state-backed Salwa Judum militia was declared unlawful by the Supreme Court in 2011, and Maoist attacks killed 76 security men at Dantewada in 2010 and much of the state Congress leadership in 2013.
The BJP was heavily defeated in 2018. He became a national vice-president of the party, and when it returned to power in December 2023 he was elected Speaker.
Personal Life
His son, Abhishek Singh, was a member of the Lok Sabha from Rajnandgaon.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Raman Singh born?
Raman Singh was born on 15 October 1952 in Kawardha, Madhya Pradesh (now Chhattisgarh), India and is 74 years old.
Featured image: Dr Raman Singh (left), then Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, calls on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, New Delhi, 1 February 2005. Photo by Prime Minister’s Office, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
