Anurag Thakur
Anurag Singh Thakur (born 24 October 1974) is an Indian politician from the Bharatiya Janata Party and a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh. He currently serves as the Second Modi ministry Minister of Sports, Youth Affairs, and Minister of Information and Broadcasting. His father, Prem Kumar Dhumal, served as Himachal Pradesh’s former chief minister. Anurag was first elected to the Lok Sabha in a by-election as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party in May 2008. He is a long-serving, four-term Member of Parliament, who hails from a Himachal Pradesh political family. He served in the 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th Lok Sabha.
On July 29, 2016, he became the first BJP MP in office to be commissioned as a regular officer in the Territorial Army. He took part in a court battle between the Himachal Pradesh State Government and the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association over ownership of the Dharamshala International Cricket Stadium.
Early life and education
Thakur was born on 24 October 1974 in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh and his family belongs to the Hindu Rajput community. He is Prem Kumar Dhumal and Sheela Devi’s younger son. His father, Prem Kumar Dhumal, served as Himachal Pradesh’s previous chief minister. He completed his undergraduate studies from Doaba College in Jalandhar, Punjab.
| Name | Anurag Singh Thakur |
| Born | 24 October 1974 Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Siblings | Arun Singh Thakur |
| Parents | Prem Kumar Dhumal, Sheela Devi |
| Occupation | Politician, Cricket Player |
| Children | Udayveer Thakur, Jaiaditya Thakur |
| Education | Doaba College, Dayanand Model School |
| Spouse | Sheffali Thakur (m. 2002) |
| Height | in Feet Inches- 5’6” |
| weight | 70kg approx. |
| Nationality | Indian |
Political career
Thakur replaced his father as a member of India’s 14th Lok Sabha in May 2008 after winning the Hamirpur constituency. In 2009, 2014, and 2019, he won reelection to the 15th, 16th, and 17th Lok Sabhas. Thakur was then chosen to serve as the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha’s national president in 2010. He was the first member of parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party to receive the Sansad Ratna Award, which was instituted in 2010 to honour the efforts of lawmakers.
Minister
Thakur was appointed Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs in May 2019. In the Second Modi cabinet, Thakur was appointed on July 7, 2021, as the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of Information and Broadcasting as part of reforms to the Union Council of Ministers.
Cricket career
Professional player
When Anurag Thakur was the president of HPCA in November 2000, he participated in a Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir. In a first-class cricket match against Jammu and Kashmir during the 2000–2001 season, he represented Himachal Pradesh and captained the team. By 4 wickets, Jammu and Kashmir prevailed.In order to meet the BCCI requirement (which states that state administrators must have at least one first-class match experience) for becoming a selector at the state level, he “picked himself” for the match. He played just one first-class cricket game, and that was his debut.
Personal life
On November 27, 2002, Thakur wed Shefali Thakur, a former minister in the Himachal Pradesh government and the daughter of Gulab Singh Thakur.
