Mani Shankar Aiyar Age, Caste, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More StarsUnfolded

ProfessionPolitician, Diplomat, Journalist/Writer and Social WorkerPhysical Stats & MoreEye ColourBrownHair ColourSalt and PepperPoliticsPolitical PartyIndian National Congress (INC)

Political Journey• 1991-1996: Member, Tenth Lok Sabha
• 1999-2004: Member, Thirteenth Lok Sabha
• 2004-2009: Member, Fourteenth Lok Sabha
• 23 May 2004-2009: Union Minister of Panchayati Raj
• 23 May 2004-28 Jan. 2006: Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas
• 29 Jan. 2006-2008: Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports
• 6 April 2008-2009: Union Minister of the Development of North-Eastern Region
• March 2010-2016: Nominated to Rajya Sabha
• April 2010: Member, Committee on Rural Development
• Nov. 2010: Member, National Social Security Board for Unorganised Workers Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of External Affairs
• Sept. 2011: Member, Central Advisory Committee for a pilot scheme called 'Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana'
• Dec. 2011: Member, Parliamentary Forum on Disaster Management
• May 2012: Member, Central Silk BoardAwards2006: 'Outstanding Parliamentarian Award', by the then President, Pratibha Devisingh PatilBooks PublishedAiyar has written 9 books:
• How To Be A Sycophant, NBS, New Delhi, 1990.
• Rajiv Gandhi: The Great Computer Scientist of India, Mughal Publishers, New Delhi, 1991.
• Remembering Rajiv, Rupa & Co., New Delhi, 1992.
• One Year in Parliament, Konark, New Delhi, 1993.
• Pakistan Papers, UBSPD, New Delhi, 1994.
• Knickerwallahs, Silly-Billies and Other Curious Creatures, UBS Publishers, 1995.
• Rajiv Gandhi's India, 4 vols. (General Editor), UBSPD New Delhi, 1997.
• Confessions of a Secular Fundamentalist, Penguin, 2004.
• A Time of Transition: Rajiv Gandhi to the 21st Century, Penguin, 2009.Personal LifeDate of Birth10 April 1941Age (as in 2019)78 YearsBirthplaceLahore, Punjab, British India (now Punjab, Pakistan)Zodiac signAriesNationalityIndianHometownDehradun, UttrakhandSchool• Welham Boys' School
• The Doon SchoolCollege/University• St. Stephen's College, Delhi
• Trinity Hall, Cambridge, LondonEducational Qualification• BA (Economics)
• MA (Economics)ReligionHinduismCasteHindu Brahmin of Tamil originFood HabitVegetarian/Non-VegetarianAddressPermanent: 12, Avaiyambalpuram, Mayiladuturai-709001
Present: 12, Safdarjung Lane (Opposite the Exit Gate of Delhi Gymkhana Club), New Delhi-110011HobbiesReading, Writing and Listening to musicControversies• In 2000, he got in a public brawl with politician Amar Singh. He insulted Mulayam Singh Yadav and remarked: "Oh that bloody Mulayam, he looks just like me. It could be because my father visited Uttar Pradesh at some point. Why don't you check with Mulayam's mother?"
• In 2014 while on a tour to Cellular Jail, Andamans as the Cabinet Minister, he said that there was no difference between the revolutionary Veer Savarkar and Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, as they shared a 'divisive' philosophy.
• In September 2011, he visited his alma matter—St. Stephen's College—to speak about 'Governance and Corruption: Is Panchayati Raj A Solution?'. However, he mocked Hansraj College and it's former student Ajay Maken. This left students agitated but he refused to apologise. However, students of Stephen's College went on to apologise to Hansraj College and extended a hand of friendship.
• In August 2013, he tried to assault Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Agarwal in the Rajya Sabha, when he alleged that Mani was a Pakistani Spy when Mani refused to discuss the murder of 5 Indian soldiers by the Pakistani Army and instead suggested discussing rising gas prices.
• In 2015 in an interview with Dawn News when he visited Pakistan, Aiyar is said to have suggested that Pakistan should remove Narendra Modi from power, to be able to continue peace talks between India and Pakistan.
• In an interview before the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, he said that a tea seller (The then Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi of the BJP) can never become the Prime Minister of India, but can sell tea in AICC meetings. His comment was disowned by the Congress saying it's his personal view and not the party's view. Rahul Gandhi asked him not to make personal attacks.
• Mani Shankar Aiyar justified November 2015 Paris attacks as a response to France banning Hijab. He also justified Charlie Hebdo shooting as a backlash for the death of Muslims. His comments were disapproved by his own party members.
• In 2017, he got involved in another controversy when he termed Narendra Modi a "Neech Aadmi", a casteist slur meaning "sub-human" or "lowly person". Following his remark, Mr Aiyar was suspended from the party's primary membership. However, on 18 August 2018, his suspension was revoked by Congress President Mr. Rahul Gandhi.
• In May 2019, justifying his "Nech Aadmi" comment, Mr. Aiyar said- “Modi will, in any case, be ousted by the people of India on 23 May. That would be a fitting end to the most foul-mouthed prime minister this country has seen or is likely to see. Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?”Relationships & MoreMarital StatusMarriedMarriage Date14 January 1973FamilyWifeSuneet Vir Singh (aka Suneet Mani Aiyar)

Mani Shankar Aiyar with his wife Suneet Vir Singh

ChildrenSon- None
Daughter-
• Suranya Aiyar (Eldest, Lawyer)
• Yamini Aiyar (Senior Research Fellow; Director of the Accountability Initiative)
• Sana Aiyar (Youngest, Associate Professor, at MIT)ParentsFather- Late Vaidyanatha Shankar Aiyar (chartered accountant)
Mother- Bhagyalakshmi Shankar AiyarSiblingsBrother- Swaminathan Aiyar (Indian journalist and columnist)

Sister- NoneStyle QuotientCar Collection• Maruti Suzuki SX4 2010 Model: 4 Lakhs INR (as in 2014)
• Tata Sumo 1999 Model: 30,000 INR (as in 2014)AssetsMovable: As in 2014
• Cash: 45,000 INR
• Deposits in Banks, Financial Institutions and NBFC's: 1,36,72,600 INR
• Bonds, Debentures and Shares in companies: 50,000 INR
• Investments in NSS, Postal Savings and Insurance Policies: 8,03,584 INR

Immovable: As in 2014
1 Resedential Building in New Delhi worth 10 Crore INR

Money FactorSalary88,91,683 INR (as in 2012-13)Net Worth8,43,19,020 INR (as in 2014)

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