Farooq Abdullah: A Political Journey in the Heart of Kashmir

Farooq Abdullah was born on October 21, 1937, in Soura, near Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. He comes from a prominent political family; his father, Sheikh Abdullah, was a prominent political figure in Kashmir.

Abdullah completed his schooling from Tyndale Biscoe School in Srinagar. He pursued his higher education in medicine at the SMS Medical College in Jaipur, Rajasthan, and later completed a postgraduate residency at the King George Medical College in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

Farooq Abdullah entered politics following the footsteps of his father, Sheikh Abdullah, who founded the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (NC). He became actively involved in politics during the 1960s.

Abdullah served as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir multiple times. His first term was from 1982 to 1984, and he subsequently served two more terms from 1986 to 1990 and from 1996 to 2002.

Abdullah also had a stint in national politics. He served as a Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy from 2009 to 2014 in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

Abdullah has been associated with sports administration as well. He served as the President of the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) for many years, contributing to the development of cricket in the region.

Abdullah's political career has been marked by controversies, including allegations of corruption and nepotism. However, he has also enjoyed considerable popularity among certain sections of the populace in Jammu and Kashmir.

Abdullah has been a vocal advocate for greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir within the Indian Union. He has often called for dialogue and reconciliation to address the longstanding political issues in the region.

Farooq Abdullah is married to Molly Abdullah. The couple has a son, Omar Abdullah, who is also a prominent political figure and has served as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

Farooq Abdullah is active in politics. He has been a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha representing the Srinagar constituency since 2017, and he remains an influential figure in Jammu and Kashmir politics.