Yogi Adityanath (born 5 June 1972) is a Hindu monk and Indian politician who has been Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, since 2017. He is the head priest of the Gorakhnath Math in Gorakhpur and a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In 2022 he became the first Chief Minister in decades to be re-elected in Uttar Pradesh after completing a full term.
Quick Facts
| Birth name | Ajay Mohan Singh Bisht |
| Born | 5 June 1972, Panchur, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India |
| Age | 54 |
| Office | Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (since 19 March 2017) |
| Religious role | Mahant (head priest), Gorakhnath Math |
| Party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Former constituency | Gorakhpur (Lok Sabha, 1998–2017) |
| Education | BSc in Mathematics, HNB Garhwal University |
Early Life
Yogi Adityanath was born Ajay Mohan Singh Bisht in a village in Uttarakhand’s Pauri Garhwal district. He earned a mathematics degree from HNB Garhwal University. In the 1990s he became involved in the Ram temple movement and became a disciple of Mahant Avaidyanath of the Gorakhnath Math in Gorakhpur. He took monastic vows and the name Yogi Adityanath.
Political Career
In 1998, aged 26, Adityanath won the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat, becoming one of the youngest MPs. He held it for five terms until 2017. In 2002 he founded the Hindu Yuva Vahini. In 2014 he succeeded Avaidyanath as head of the Gorakhnath Math.
After the BJP’s landslide in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh election, Adityanath was chosen as Chief Minister. His government has highlighted expressways, airports, investment and its focus on law and order. Critics have raised concerns over police encounters, demolitions of property and polarising rhetoric. The BJP won again in 2022, and he began a second term. He oversaw the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya in January 2024 alongside Narendra Modi. He also oversaw the 2025 Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, which was marred by a deadly crowd crush. He is expected to lead the BJP into the 2027 state election against Akhilesh Yadav‘s Samajwadi Party.
Personal Life
As a monk, Adityanath is unmarried and wears saffron robes. He continues to serve as head of the Gorakhnath Math alongside his duties as Chief Minister.
Key Offices Held
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Yogi Adityanath born?
Yogi Adityanath was born on 5 June 1972 in Panchur, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India.
