ITANAGAR, 9 Jun: The political career of Kiren Rijiju, who was inducted into the union Cabinet on Sunday, is a riveting story of tenacity, commitment and leadership.
Born on 19 November, 1971, in Nakhu village in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, Rijiju has gone a long way from modest beginnings to a prominent player in Indian politics.
His career encompasses multiple significant responsibilities that demonstrate his persistent dedication to public service, as well as the advancement of his home state and the country.
After completing his undergraduate studies from Hansraj College under the Delhi University, he went on to the varsity’s faculty of law campus to obtain his law degree (LLB).
Along with developing his academic abilities, his time in school helped him develop his physical abilities, and he still enjoys playing football and badminton in particular.
Rijiju first entered politics in 2004 and won a seat in the 14th Lok Sabha, representing the Arunachal West constituency. During his term, he showed a strong attention to the interests of his citizens and a commitment to enhancing government and infrastructure.
His perseverance was evident when he joined the Congress and acted as an advisor to former chief minister Dorjee Khandu, despite a setback in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
With his comeback to the BJP, Rijiju’s career entered a new phase.
Reelected to the Lok Sabha in 2014, he profited from the strategic Northeast focus of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and emerged as a key player in the ‘Look East’ policy. His role as an important representative for Arunachal was further cemented by his reelection in 2019.
Rijiju has held a number of important government roles during his career. In his capacity as the state minister for home affairs from 2014 to 2019, he played a pivotal role in tackling domestic security issues and advocating development projects in the Northeast.
His subsequent appointments to the positions of MoS (independent charge) for youth affairs and sports, and MoS (minority affairs) had shown his adaptability and dedication to a variety of responsibilities.
During his stint as law minister (2021-2023), Rijiju was well-known for his candid opinions about the judiciary and the collegium system, which generated a great deal of discussion and controversy.
Rijiju’s appointment as a Cabinet minister of earth sciences in May 2023 emphasised his significance in the central government. It was indicative of the confidence placed in him to supervise important matters of environmental science and policy – fields that are essential to India’s sustainable growth. (PTI)
