Jammu: Born in Soti village in Doda district, Ghulam Nabi Azad is the first Chief Minister of J&K from the Jammu region.
Traditionally, since 1947, the leader of the J&K government has always been from the Valley that Pakistan has coveted.
The appointment of a Chief Minister from Jammu suggests a change in the political climate of J&K.
His critics often call him a non resident Kashmiri but Azad is a native Kashmiri whose family, like many others, was forced to migrate from South Kashmir to Jammu?s Doda district many generations ago.
Though many call him an ?outsider?, Azad went to university in Srinagar. He married noted Kashmiri singer Shameema Devi in 1980.
Azad, who resigned as the Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs, is known for his organisational skills.
He led the Congress as its general secretary to victory in several states, including Karnataka, Kerala and recently in Andhra Pradesh.
The most dificult challenge that lies in front of Azad is reducing the number of ministers to 10 per cent of the strength of the state assembly.
Political Career
Ghulam Nabi Azad started his political career started 30 years ago when he served as president of the Youth Congress in Jammu and Kashmir during the emergency.
A postgraduate in Zoology, Azad lists politics as his profession in his official bio-data.
He started his career in politics in 1973 and rose through the ranks to become president of the All India Youth Congress, a parliamentarian and one of the longest serving national general secretaries of the Congress party.
When Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister in 1984, Azad was appointed Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs.
A few years later he was made Minister of state for Home and then Minister of Food and Supplies.
In 1991 he became a cabinet minister, handling Parliamentary Affairs and Civil Aviation.
In August 2002 Azad was asked to take over as President of the state unit.
Many took this as demotion and as a punishment transfer but he surprised everyone by leading the party to an impressive performance.
Azad has now resigned from the posts of Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs to take on the mantle of the Chief Minster of Jammu and Kashmir.
He will be the first chief minister from the Jammu region of the state.
(With Agency inputs)
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