Mani Shankar Aiyar

Mani Shankar Aiyar Biography

Mani Shankar Aiyar is a former Indian diplomat turned politician. He is a member of the Indian National Congress party at present. He was a cabinet minister in Manmohan Singh ministry during 2004–2009, where he served as the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj. But he lost the election in 2009. He has served as the Union Cabinet Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas from May 2004 through January 2006 and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports till 2009. He was also the first Minister for the Development of the North East Region. He is currently a nominated member of parliament from Rajya Sabha.

Aiyer was born in Lahore on 10 April 1941 as the son of Tamil couple, Vaidyanatha Shankar Aiyar and Bhagyalakshmi Shankar Aiyar. His father was a chartered accountant. He lost his father at age 12 in an air crash. His younger brother, Swaminathan Aiyar is a noted journalist and author of several books. He did his schooling from Welham Boys' School, The Doon School and got graduation degree from St. Stephen's College, Delhi. While at Doon, he was an editor of The Doon School Weekly. His mother taught at school in negotiation for his school fees, following his father’s death. After graduation, Aiyer did B.A. in Tripos in Economics at Trinity Hall, Cambridge at the University of Cambridge. He was also an active member of the Marxist Society in Cambridge and joined politics during this time.

He served 26 years in the IFS, the last five of which were on deputation to the Prime Minister's Office under Rajiv Gandhi. He resigned from service in 1989 to take up a career in politics and media. He got elected to parliament from Mayiladuthurai in 1991, 1999 and 2004 but was defeated in 1996, 1998 and 2009. He got married to Suneet Mani Aiyar in 1973 and the couple has 3 children. Aiyer has authored 7 books and often being dragged to controversies for the statements made.

He described himself as an atheist in a TOI article in 2006.

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Updated: June 13, 2018