Ram Nath Thakur is an Indian politician who has served as MLA in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, Minister in several Bihar governments, and Rajya Sabha MP. He has been associated with JDU for more than a decade. He is also popular for being the elder son of popular Bihar politician, Karpoori Thakur.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Ram Nath Thakur was born on Friday, 3 March 1950 (age 74 years; as of 2024) in Pitaunjhia village (now Karpoorigram), Samastipur, Bihar, India. His zodiac sign is Pisces. He passed 10th standard (matric) at Shri Shankar High School, Rasalpur in 1966 [1]The Times of India and later passed 12th standard (inter) in the Arts stream at GKPD College, Karpoorigram in 1995. [2]MyNeta He started participating in political movements during his teenage years and later became a politician.
Ram Nath Thakur before entering politics
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 8″
Weight (approx.): 65 kg
Hair Colour: Salt & pepper
Eye Colour: Black
Family & Caste
He belonged to a middle-class Nai (Hajjam) family whose traditional occupation was of a barber. [3]India Today
Parents & Siblings
His father, Karpoori Thakur, served as Chief Minister of Bihar twice and was awarded India’s highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna, in 2024.
Ram Nath Thakur’s father, Karpoori Thakur
His mother, Phooleshwari Devi, was a homemaker.
Ram Nath Thakur’s mother, Phooleshwari Devi
He has a sister and a younger brother named Birendra Kumar Thakur, who is a doctor and is married to Kanaklata Thakur.
Birendra Kumar Thakur, Younger brother of Ram Nath Thakur
Kanaklata Thakur, wife of Birendra Kumar Thakur, Younger borther of Ram Nath Thakur
Wife & Children
He got married to Kumari Asha Rani on 17 May 1973. She passed away on 23 March 2020, at the age of 64 years, at Fortis Hospital, Delhi after battling cancer for a few years.
Kumari Asha Rani, Wife of Ram Nath Thakur
He has three daughters named Namita, Sneha, and Amrita who works in the Bihar government.
Daughters of Ram Nath Thakur
Other Relatives
His grandfather, Gokul Thakur, was a barber and farmer, and his grandmother, Ramdulari Devi, was a homemaker. His grandson, Aditya Anmol (Namita’s son), lives in California and holds a master’s degree in public policy.
Ram Nath Thakur’s grandfather, Gokul Thakur
He has a paternal niece named Jagriti Thakur, a doctor, who is married to Mritunjay Madhav, a Divisional Forest Officer at Himachal Pradesh Forest Department, and a paternal nephew named Abhinav Vikas Thakur, a cardiologist, from his younger brother Birendra Thakur.
Ram Nath Thakur’s paternal niece, Jagriti Thakur, with her husband, Mritunjay Madhav
Ram Nath Thakur’s paternal nephew, Abhinav Vikas Thakur
Religion
He follows Hinduism.
Signature
Ram Nath Thakur’s signature
Career
Early days & Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA)
From May 1988 to February 2000, he served as a member of the Bihar Legislative Council (MLC). He later joined Nitish Kumar’s party, Janata Dal (United) (also known as JDU) and became MLA for the first time in 2000 after winning legislative elections from Samastipur constituency and won again in 2005.
Ram Nath Thakur when he was an MLA
Portfolios/Ministries
From March 1990 to March 1995, he served as the Minister of the Department of Sugarcane Industries of Bihar in Lalu Prasad Yadav’s cabinet. From November 2005 to November 2010, he served as Minister of the Department of Revenue and Land Reforms, Law, Information and Public Relations in the Government of Bihar in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet.
Ram Nath Thakur when he was serving as a Minister in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet
Member of Parliament (MP) of Rajya Sabha
In April 2014, he was elected to Rajya Sabha from Bihar for the first time. He became Rajya Sabha MP for the second time in April 2020.
Ram Nath Thakur (left) filing nomination for Rajya Sabha
Member of parliamentary committees
- Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes from August 2014 to May 2019
- Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers from September 2014 to May 2019 and September 2019 to April 2020
- Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing from September 2014 to May 2019, September 2019 to April 2020 and June 2021 onwards
- Committee on Defence from September 2018 to May 2019
Ram Nath Thakur during a parliamentary session
- Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from July 2019 to April 2020 and July 2022 onwards
- Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament from October 2019 to April 2020 and November 2020 onwards
- Committee on Information and Communication Technology Management in Rajya Sabha from November 2019 to April 2020 and March 2021 onwards
- House Committee from July 2020 to April 2021
- Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment from July 2020 to September 2021
Ram Nath Thakur speaking during a Rajya Sabha session
- Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Civil Aviation from November 2020
- Committee on Ethics from April 2021
- Committee on Petitions from April 2021 to November 2022
- General Purposes Committee from July 2021
- Joint Committee on the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021 from December 2021 to August 2022
Private Member’s Bill
- The Freedom of Marriage and Association and Prohibition of Crimes in the Name of Honour Bill in 2023
Car Collection
He owns a Honda Amaze (2016 model) car and a Toyota Innova (2018 model) SUV. [4]MyNeta
Income/Salary
His income for the financial year 2018-19 was Rs 9,97,920. It excludes the income of his wife. [5]MyNeta
Assets & Properties
Movable Assets
- Cash: Rs. 1,22,000
- Bank Deposits: Rs. 42,54,000
- Bonds, Debentures and Shares in companies: Rs. 55,77,645 (In SBI Equity Hybrid Fund & SBI Long Term Equity Fund)
- Motor Vehicles: Rs. 27,80,836
- Jewellery: Rs. 70,000
- Other Assets (Household items): Rs. 91,000
Immovable Assets
- Agricultural Land: Rs. 30,57,000
Note: The given estimates of movable and immovable assets are according to the year 2020. It excludes the assets owned by his wife. [6]MyNeta
Net Worth
Thakur’s net worth for the financial year 2018-2019 was estimated to be Rs.1,59,53,031 (approx Rs 1 crore 59 lakhs). It excludes the net worth of his wife. [7]MyNeta
Facts/Trivia
- He also serves as the secretary of Prabhavati Ramdulari High School, Karpoori Gram, Samastipur, S.M.R. Charan Karpoori College, and Gokul Karpoori Phooleshwari College, Karpoori Gram, Samastipur, Bihar.
- He liked playing football and kabaddi during his teenage years.
- He was jailed a dozen times during the non-violent movement in the 1970s. His political ideas are influenced by Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, Jai Prakash Narayan (popularly called Lok Nayak), and his father, Karpoori Thakur (popularly called Jan Nayak).
References
| ↑1 | The Times of India |
|---|---|
| ↑2, ↑4, ↑5, ↑6, ↑7 | MyNeta |
| ↑3 | India Today |
