• Holds a record for managing the same ministry for eleven consecutive years.
• Acclaimed as the “Expressway Man of India.”
• National highway construction has reached a pace of 30 kilometres per day.
• Under his leadership, the NHAI secured a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
• A man without enemies, he has earned praise even from the opposition.
• National High-Speed Corridors have witnessed a staggering 2,560% growth.
• A staunch proponent of privatization.
Nitin Jairam Gadkari currently serves as the 40th Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways. A remarkable distinction is that, since 2014—spanning eleven years to date—he has continuously managed the same ministry. By virtue of steering a single ministry across three consecutive terms, he stands as one of the most senior leaders within the BJP. He served as the party’s National President between 2009 and 2013. A lawyer by profession, he currently represents the Nagpur parliamentary constituency in the Lok Sabha. In the past, he has served as a minister for various portfolios, including Water Resources, River Development, Shipping, Rural Development, and MSME. The media frequently refers to Nitin Gadkari as the “Expressway Man of India.” He was, in particular, the driving force behind the construction of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Subsequently, similar expressway projects were undertaken across various regions of the country under his leadership. The World Economic Forum has recognized him as the “Pioneer of Public-Private Partnerships” in the roads sector. During his tenure as the Minister of Road Transport and Highways, the country’s national highways expanded by 60%, evolving into the second-largest highway network in the world.
The highway network, which stood at 91,287 kilometers in 2014, expanded to 146,194 kilometers by 2024. National High-Speed Corridors witnessed a staggering growth of 2,560%; specifically, from a mere 93 kilometers in 2014, they reached 2,474 kilometers by 2024. National Highways with four or more lanes (excluding High-Speed Corridors) expanded from 18,278 km in 2014 to 45,947 km in 2024.
Nitin Gadkari was born on May 27, 1957, in Nagpur, into a Marathi Brahmin family. Nitin Gadkari’s wife is Kanchan Gadkari. The couple has three children. Their eldest son, Nikhil, is married to Rutuja Pathak. Their second son, Sarang Gadkari, is married to Madhura Rode. Their family is strictly vegetarian. During his youth, he served as a leader in the Bharatiya Yuva Morcha and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. He completed his M.Com and LL.B. degrees from Nagpur University. He maintains excellent relations even with leaders of opposition parties. Opposition leaders, too, often commend his conduct within Parliament.
Between 1995 and 1999, he served as the Minister for Public Works in Maharashtra and also as the President of the Maharashtra unit of the BJP. Gadkari is a staunch proponent of privatization. He engaged in discussions with numerous private entities and investors, successfully channelling substantial funds toward privatization initiatives. Consequently, the Maharashtra government allocated 7 billion rupees specifically for improving rural connectivity. Against this backdrop, within the next four years, 98% of the population in Maharashtra is expected to gain access to all-weather roads. Under this project, 13,736 remote villages across Maharashtra are set to be connected. It is noteworthy that, since the country’s independence, these villages had previously lacked any road connectivity. A remarkable outcome of this road connectivity is the transformation of the Melghat-Dharni region in the Amravati district—an area that had long suffered from severe malnutrition and a lack of adequate medical aid—into a region where healthcare services are now readily accessible, effectively shedding its status as a malnutrition-prone zone. Gadkari is the architect behind the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (Prime Minister’s Rural Roads Scheme). Recognized as an effective parliamentarian, he received the prestigious Late Madhavrao Limaye Award from the Nashik Public Library. Having held various public offices in Maharashtra, he has contributed immensely to the development of the state. Nitin Gadkari assumed office as the party’s National President in December 2009—a critical juncture when the BJP had suffered defeats in the Lok Sabha elections on two consecutive occasions. Co-authored with Tuhin Sinha, his book India Aspires provides a detailed exposition of his development models. In it, he clearly outlines his vision on topics such as the utilization of green energy as an alternative to fossil fuels, as well as waste management. He firmly asserts that the principles of Deendayal Upadhyaya are indispensable for the upliftment of the underprivileged. He continued to serve as the party president until January 2013. In May 2014, he assumed office as the Union Minister for Transport and Highways. When he took charge, the pace of national highway construction stood at just 2 kilometers per day. He implemented measures to accelerate this pace, increasing it to 16.5 kilometers per day in his first year, 21 kilometers in the second year, and reaching 30 kilometers per day by 2018. During his tenure, one percent of the one trillion rupees allocated for these projects was specifically earmarked for tree plantation and beautification initiatives. Continuing in the same portfolio during his second term, he further boosted the pace of national highway construction to 36 kilometers per day in 2019. Consequently, he set a target of constructing 68 kilometers of highways per day. His ultimate objective is to achieve Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) in the energy sector. As part of this initiative, it is noteworthy that he arrived at Parliament driving a Toyota Mirai—an FCEV powered by hydrogen fuel. Gadkari’s initiatives—such as blending ethanol with gasoline in petrol, and promoting the process of incorporating plastic into asphalt and bitumen roads—have garnered praise from both the ruling and opposition parties. He spearheaded the ‘Namami Gange’ project. During his tenure, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) achieved a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the rapid pace of road construction. Cutting across party lines, he is widely acclaimed as the “Development Man.” The ‘Bharat New Car Assessment Program’ (Bharat NCAP), which he initiated, garnered praise from all quarters, irrespective of political affiliation. Under this program, the inclusion of six airbags was made mandatory to ensure enhanced safety for car passengers. However, this decision drew the ire of certain automobile manufacturing companies. Gadkari annually organizes the “Khasdar Sanskrutik Mahotsav.” This festival features a diverse array of programs showcasing India’s rich cultural heritage, traditional arts, music, and dance. Gadkari has officially registered himself as an “agriculturist.” He established a company named “Ketaki Overseas,” which specializes in exporting fruits to international markets. Under the umbrella of his group, there are 17 sugarcane plantations located in the Vidarbha region. He founded ‘Puri Power and Sugar Limited’ (currently known as the Puri Group) in 1995.
Currently, under his leadership, work is underway on several key highway projects across the country: 1. Delhi-Mumbai Expressway: Upon its completion, the travel time between these two cities is expected to be reduced from 24 hours to 12 hours. 2. The objective of this project is to construct a network of national highways spanning 35,000 kilometers across the nation. It focuses primarily on economic corridors and border roads. 3. Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel is being constructed between Srinagar and Leh to facilitate travel under all weather conditions. 4. Green Highways: Emphasis is being placed on planting trees along roadways and constructing eco-friendly roads. 5. Multi-modal Logistics Parks: Modern logistics parks are being established along major routes across the country to reduce freight transportation costs.
