Honourable Governor Arif Mohammed Khan
Early Life and Education
Arif Mohammad Khan (born 18 November 1951) is an Indian politician affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He currently serves as the Governor of Kerala and is a former Union Minister, having held various portfolios including energy and civil aviation. Arif Mohammad Khan was born on 18 November 1951 in Bulandshahr. He attended Jamia Millia School in Delhi, Aligarh Muslim University, and Shia College at the University of Lucknow for his education.
Early Political Career
Khan began his political journey as a student leader, serving as President of the Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union in 1972-73 and as its honorary Secretary in 1971-72. He contested his first legislative assembly election in 1972 from the Siyana constituency in Bulandshahr under the Bharatiya Kranti Dal but lost. However, he became a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1977 at the age of 26.
Political Transitions and Leadership Roles
After joining the Indian National Congress, Khan won the 1980 Lok Sabha elections from Kanpur and the 1984 elections from Bahraich. He later resigned from Congress due to disagreements over the Muslim Personal Law Bill and joined the Janata Dal. Khan was re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989 and served as Union Minister for Civil Aviation and Energy. He later joined the Bahujan Samaj Party and eventually the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), holding various ministerial roles before becoming the Governor of Kerala.