Pralhad Joshi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Joshi in 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Union Minister of Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 25 July 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Dhruv Singh Rawat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Dharmendra Pradhan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 10 June 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Piyush Goyal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 10 June 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Raj Kumar Singh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Karnataka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 12 July 2012 – 12 January 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | K. S. Eshwarappa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | B. S. Yediyurappa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 24 May 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Vijay Sankeshwar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Constituency | Dharwad, Karnataka | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 27 November 1962 Bijapur, Mysore State, India (present-day Karnataka) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse(s) | Jyothi Joshi ( m. 1992) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Shri Kadasiddheshwar Arts College and HS Kotambri Science Institute | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation |
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Pralhad Venkatesh Joshi[2] (born 27 November 1962) is an Indian politician who is serving as the 13th Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and the 10th Minister of New and Renewable Energy since 2024.[3] In July 2026, following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan amid the NEET 2026 Paper leak controversy and criticism over the management of the National Testing Agency (NTA), Joshi assumed office as the Union Minister of Education while continuing to hold his existing portfolios in the Union Cabinet.[4]
He was also the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, and played a prominent role in the smooth passing of crucial bills like Abrogation of Article 370, Citizenship Amendment Bill and many more in both the houses. He also served as the Minister of Coal and the Minister of Mines from 2019 to 2024. Joshi has also been a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha since 2004, representing the Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency. He was also the State President of Bharatiya Janata Party, Karnataka (BJP) from 2014 to 2016. He served in the panel of chairpersons of the Lok Sabha (2014–2018).
Joshi first came to public notice with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) when they organised a movement to hoist the Flag of India at the Idagah Maidan Hubli, Karnataka during 1992–1994. Recently, the Supreme Court of India has upheld the Karnataka High Court order restoring the ownership of the said maidan to the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation. He has been elected to Lok Sabha in the general elections of 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024.
Early life and education[edit | edit source]
Pralhad Joshi was born on 27 November 1962 in Bijapur, Mysore State, India, to father, Venkatesh Joshi, and mother, Malatibai Joshi.[5][6] His father was an Indian Railways employee and Joshi is the third child of his parents.[6] Joshi's primary education was in the Railway School, his secondary education in New English School in Hubballi, and for his higher education, Joshi graduated from Shri Kadasiddeshwar Arts College in Hubballi.[6]
Early political career[edit | edit source]
An industrialist by vocation in his early days, Pralhad Joshi ingratiated himself into the political fray by organising a movement to hoist the tri-colour flag at Idagah Maidan Hubli Karnataka from 1992 to 1994. He also led the "Save Kashmir Movement" during those years, which established him as a known figure in those regions of the state.[7] He was then elected the president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Dharwad district. He first contested in the 14th Lok Sabha elections in 2004, where he won from the Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency by defeating INC's B.S Patil.
He's won three consecutive elections from that constituency and is the incumbent MP of Dharwad. In the 2009 General elections, he won by the second-highest margin amidst 28 constituencies in Karnataka, while most of the ministers and Members of Parliament secured a loss in the same year. In 2019, he retained the Dharwad seat for a second term by a margin of over one lakh votes.[8]
Joshi has been a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from a young age.[6]
Union Minister[edit | edit source]
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Joshi took oath as a Cabinet minister on 30 May 2019, and he was appointed the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, the Minister of Coal and the Minister of Mines.[9] His tenure in these ministerial posts lasted till June 2024, and after the 2024 Indian general election, Joshi was appointed the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and the Minister of New and Renewable Energy in June 2024.[10] Joshi's win, for the fifth time in a row, from the Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency was a record of consecutive wins by any candidate in the constituency; however Joshi stated that he was unhappy due to winning with a reduced vote margin.[11]
After nationwide student protests over the 2026 NEET paper leak controversy, which lead to the resignation of Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan on 25th July, Joshi was handed additional charge as the Education minister. [12]
Personal life[edit | edit source]
Joshi is married to Jyoti Joshi and they have three daughters.[6] Joshi has been reported to be a reader and has interests in Indian classical music and cricket.[13]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Current Lok Sabha Members Biographical Sketch". Retrieved 23 September 2006.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Pralhad Venkatesh Joshi | National Portal of India". www.india.gov.in. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ↑ "Pralhad Joshi appointed as Minister of New and Renewable Energy. What's in store for the sector?". Moneycontrol. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024.
- ↑ "Pralhad Joshi was assigned the additional charge of the Ministry of Education". news18.com.
- ↑ Lok Sabha (2022). "Pralhad Joshi". Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 PTI (9 June 2024). "Pralhad Joshi, RSS loyalist & five-time MP, returns as union minister". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ Pereira, Aaron (8 May 2018). "In Hubli's disputed Idgah, a lesson for Gurugram". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 23 July 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ↑ "Pralhad Joshi: Age, Biography, Education, Wife, Caste, Net Worth & More – Oneindia". www.oneindia.com. Archived from the original on 23 July 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ↑ Staff Writer (31 May 2019). "PM Modi allocates portfolios. Full list of new ministers". Mint. Archived from the original on 5 September 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ "Pralhad Joshi takes charge as Cabinet Minister for second time". The Hindu. 12 June 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ "Pralhad Joshi wins for a record fifth time but says he is not happy with the reduced margin". The Hindu. 4 June 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ "Pralhad Joshi appointed as Education Minister after Pradhan resigns from post". The Print. 25 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Karnataka's representative in Union Cabinet: Pralhad Joshi profile". Deccan Herald. 10 June 2024. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
| Lok Sabha | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Vijay Sankeshwar |
Member of Parliament for Dharwad North 2004 – 2009 |
Succeeded by Constituency ceased to exist |
| Preceded by Constituency created |
Member of Parliament for Dharwad 2009 – Present |
Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Narendra Singh Tomar |
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs 31 May 2019 – 10 June 2024 | |
| Preceded by Piyush Goyal |
Minister of Coal 31 May 2019 – 10 June 2024 | |
| Preceded by Piyush Goyal |
Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution 10 June 2024 – Present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by Piyush Goyal |
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy 10 June 2024 – Present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by Narendra Singh Tomar |
Minister of Mines 31 May 2019 – 10 June 2024 | |
External links[edit | edit source]
- Members of Fourteenth Lok Sabha – Parliament of India website (archived)
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| Coal |
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| Petroleum and Natural Gas |
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| Department of Atomic Energy |
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