Shri Praful Patel

Minister Of State (Independent charge)
Portfolio: Civil Aviation

Shri Praful Patel, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) was born on the 17th of February, 1957 in Kolkata. A member of the Tenth lok Sabha at the youthful age of 34 in 1991, Shri Praful Patel was elected three times consecutively to the Lok Sabha. i.e. the 10th, 11th and 12th Lok Sabha. In March 2006, he was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha for the second time.

Son of Late Shri Manoharbhai Patel and Late Smt. Shantaben Patel, Shri Patel graduated in Commerce prior to joining the family business with diverse interests in Bidis, Tobacco, Pharmaceuticals, finance, Real Estate, Packaging etc., eventually heading the group known as the "Ceejay Group".

Shri Praful Patel inherited his passion for politics and social service from his father who was a senior leader of the Congress in Maharashtra, as well as a great philanthropist. The Patel family runs the "Gondia Education Society" in the Gondia district of Maharashtra. The Society imparts education to 80,000 students in all disciplines ranging from Arts, Commerce, Engineering, Law, Pharmacy, Information Technology, Computer Sciences erc., paving a way for the youngsters to become self-reliant.

Widely traveled, Shri Praful Patel is an active member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), a premier networking platform of young global business leaders committed to sharing their individual and collective resources.

Other than Politics and Business, Shri Praful Patel is an avid sportsman, being President of the Western India Football Association and Vice President of both All India Football Federation and the Maharashtra Olympic Association. Social worker, Industrialist, Political Leader, Sports Enthusiast - Shri Patel, a multi faceted personality is very much a family man, married to Varsha, the couple is blessed with one son and three daughters.

Shri Praul Patel's induction into the Union Cabinet in May 2004 as the Minister of State for Civil Aviation with Independent Charge, comes as a high point in his political career spanning over two decades. Among various other prestigious portfolio's headed, he held the following positions :

1985 - 1991Chairman, Municipal Council, Gondia, Maharashtra
1991 - 1996Member, Tenth Lok Sabha
1996 - 1997Member, Eleventh Lok Sabha
1998 - 1999Member, Twelfth Lok Sabha
April 2000Elected to Rajya Sabha
 

Permanent Address

152, Urvashi Apartments, 66-B Nepancy Road, Mumbai-6
Tel: 022-23630503 Fax : 022-23692696

Local Address

26, Gurudwara Rakabganj Road, New Delhi - 110 001 Tel: 011-23712317, 23717980