Kamal Nath is an Indian Politician and a former Minister of Urban Development. He is a member and the Protem Speaker of the current 16th Lok Sabha of India. He represents theChhindwara constituency of Madhya Pradesh. He belongs to the Indian National Congress Party.
Early Life of Kamal Nath
Shri Kamal Nath was born on 18th November 1946 to Late Shri Mahendra Nath and Smt. Leela Nath at Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh). He studied at the Doon School and did his graduation at St. Xavier`s College, Kolkata (West Bengal).
Political Career of Kamal Nath
As a Youth Worker, in the year 1968, he joined the Indian National Congress. For the first time in 1980, he was elected to the 7th Lok Sabha from the Chhindwara constituency. Again in 1985, 1989, 1991, 1998, 1999 and 2004, he has afterward won Parliamentary elections from the same constituency. He has also served as the General Secretary of the Indian National Congress and a Member of the Congress Working Party, the highest decision making body of the Congress Party, during September 2002 to July 2004.
In 1982 and 1983, as a Member of Parliament, Kamal Nath represented India in the United Nations General Assembly. He also served for sometime on the Board of Directors of the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) - a Government of India Undertaking.
In June 1991, Kamal Nath was first appointed as Minister of Environment and Forests into the Union Council of Ministers. During his tenure, the forestation and development of dishonoured wastelands in India was taken up on a massive scale. He articulated global concepts on Environmental Tariffs and conceptualized Global Emission Quotas.
Kamal Nath led the Indian Delegation as Minister to the World Forestry Conference in Paris in the year 1991. He also led the delegations to the UNEP Governing Council meeting in Nairobi, the PREPCOM IV discussions in New York and the Kuala Lumpur Conference, all in 1992. During his tenure as Textile Minister following this, the country touched new heights in production and export of Cotton. From 1995 to 1996 he served as Union Minister of State, Textiles (Independent Charge). Kamal Nath served as the General Secretary of the INC from 2001 to 2004.
On May 24, 2004, Kamal Nath arrogated as the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry. As the Commerce and Industry Minister, his tenure has witnessed major trade policy initiatives.
On May 16, 2009 he again won the elections from his constituency for the 15th Lok Sabha and re-entered the Cabinet. He was shunted out of the Surface transport ministry to the Urban Development Ministry in a Cabinet reshuffle.
Kamal Nath has an exquisite interest in welfare issues, in particular tribal uplift and rural development. He is also holding the post of the President of the Board of Governors of the Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad district; Chairman, Madhya Pradesh Child Development Council; and Patron, Bharat Yuvak Samaj (Youth Wing of All India Bharat Seva Samaj).
Awards of Kamal Nath
The FDI magazine and the Financial Times Business have conferred the prestigious FDI `Personality of the year 2007` award on Kamal Nath for being instrumental in bringing large foreign investments to India.
In the year 2008, The Economic Times honoured him with the title "Business Reformer of the year".
In the year 2011, he was declared to be the richest Cabinet Minister in India.
In 2012, he was honoured with the "ABLF Statesman Award" at the Asian Business Leadership Forum Awards 2012.
Personal Life of Kamal Nath
Kamal Nath married Alka Nath on 27 January 1973 and the couple is blessed with two sons. He is also a member of (i) Calcutta Cricket and Football Clubs; (ii) Tollygunj Club, Calcutta; (iii) Delhi Flying Club, and Ex-Chief Patron, Delhi Distt. Cricket Association.