Dharmendra Pradhan
Dharmendra Pradhan
(Age 55 Yr. )
Personal Life
| Education | Utkal University, Talcher Autonomous College |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Profession | Politician |
| Place | Talcher, Orissa, India |
Physical Appearance
| Height | 5' 6 |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair Color | Black |
Family
| Parents | Father- Debendra Pradhan (Politician) |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Mridula Thakur Pradhan (Chairman Vikash foundation, Social Worker) |
| Childern/Kids | Son- Nishant Pradhan |
| Siblings | Brother- Soumendra Pradhan |
Political Career
Pradhan’s political journey began with his active involvement in the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). His leadership skills were quickly recognized, and he soon rose through the ranks of the BJP.
Parliamentary Career: Pradhan was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 2004 from the Deogarh constituency in Odisha. Later, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Bihar in 2012 and subsequently from Madhya Pradesh in 2018.
Ministerial Positions
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas (2014-2021): Pradhan is best known for his tenure as the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, where he oversaw several significant initiatives. He was a key architect of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, which aimed to provide free LPG connections to millions of low-income households. This program was lauded for its impact on improving health and environmental conditions by reducing reliance on traditional cooking fuels.
Minister of Steel (2019-2021): In addition to his role in the Petroleum Ministry, Pradhan also served as the Minister of Steel, where he worked on policies to boost the domestic steel industry and enhance production capacities.
Minister of Education and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (2021-present): Currently, Pradhan holds the portfolio of Minister of Education and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. In these roles, he is responsible for driving reforms in India’s education sector and vocational training programs. He is focusing on implementing the National Education Policy 2020, which aims to overhaul the educational framework of the country, and on enhancing skill development initiatives to meet the demands of a rapidly changing job market.
Key Contributions and Initiatives
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana: Spearheaded the initiative to provide free LPG connections to over 80 million low-income families.
Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP): Introduced reforms in the oil and gas sector to attract more investment.
National Education Policy 2020: Overseeing the implementation of NEP 2020 to transform India’s educational landscape.