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Digambar Kamat Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth8 March 1954

Age68 Years (as of 2022)

BirthplaceMargao, Goa, Portuguese India

ProfessionPolitician, Real Estate Developer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseAsha Kamat

FamilySon: Yogiraj Kamat; Daughter-in-law: Neha Kamat; Granddaughter: Radha Kamat

Digambar Kamat Biography

Digambar Vasant Kamat is an Indian politician and real estate developer from Margao, Goa. A long-serving legislator, he served as Goa's 11th Chief Minister

Early life and background

Digambar Vasant Kamat was born on 8 March 1954 in Margao, Goa, then part of Portuguese India. He grew up in Margao and completed a B.Sc. degree from Parvatibai Chowgule College, University of Bombay, in 1973. His father is Vasant Kamat. Kamat is married to Asha Kamat and the couple have a son, Yogiraj Kamat; his daughter-in-law is Neha Kamat and they have a granddaughter, Radha Kamat.

Career

Kamat began his public life in local civic roles in Margao. In 1979 he became chairman of the Goa Agriculture Produce Market Committee and later held related regional and national positions in agriculture marketing bodies, including membership and a vice-chair role in COSAMB, New Delhi. He served as a councillor of the Margao Municipal Council in 1985 and built a steady presence in Goa's political institutions over the following decades.

He contested his first assembly election from Margao on an Indian National Congress ticket in 1989 but did not win. Kamat's legislative career progressed after he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government in 1994 and became a member of the Goa Legislative Assembly. Across the 1990s and 2000s he held a variety of committee roles in the assembly, including the Public Accounts Committee, the Committee on Government Assurances, the Committee on Public Undertakings, and the Rules and Business Advisory Committees. He was also appointed to the Town and Country Planning Board.

In June 2007 Kamat became the 11th Chief Minister of Goa, a post he held until March 2012. During his long legislative tenure he chaired several select and standing committees and led initiatives related to public accounts, public undertakings and service commissions. He was elected leader of the opposition in the Goa Legislative Assembly in July 2019 and served in that position until March 2022.

Kamat has been active beyond electoral politics. He held leadership positions in sports and cultural organizations: he served as president of the Swimming Federation of India from 2006 until 2019 and was Honorary Secretary of the Goa Badminton Association in the late 1970s. He is a life member of several local clubs and cricket associations in Goa, and his extracurricular interests include reading, badminton, swimming and travel.

Political affiliations and later developments

Throughout his career Kamat has moved between the two major parties in Goa. He began as a Congress member, joined the BJP-led coalition in 1994, returned to the Indian National Congress in 2005 and remained with Congress through multiple elections. In March 2022 he was appointed a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee; that position was later rescinded. On 14 September 2022 he and seven other MLAs left the Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Public profile

Kamat has been recognized within sports administration and received awards from COSAMB as well as the Bakshi Bahadur Jivabadada Kerkar State award for sports performance in the mid-1990s. He is known locally as a social and cultural activist—serving as trustee of the Margao Ambulance Trust, founder and president of the Samrat Club and Rotaract Club in Margao, and head of the Damodar Education Society.

Latest updates

In 2019 Kamat was elected leader of the opposition in the Goa Legislative Assembly. He retained his Margao assembly seat in the 2022 election. In 2022 his party affiliation changed when he and seven other legislators joined the BJP in September. In earlier April 2022 media reports that he was leaving Congress were publicly denied by Kamat, who said those reports were untrue at that time.
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Recent Work

Leader of the Opposition, Goa Legislative Assembly

Elected leader of the opposition on 17 July 2019 and served until 31 March 2022.

2019-2022
Chief Minister of Goa

Served as the 11th Chief Minister of Goa.

2007-2012
President, Swimming Federation of India

Led the national swimming federation from 2006 to 2019.

2006-2019
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Career Highlights

  1. 11th Chief Minister of Goa (8 June 2007 – 9 March 2012)
  2. Leader of the Opposition in the Goa Legislative Assembly (18 July 2019 – 31 March 2022)
  3. President of the Swimming Federation of India (2006–2019)
  4. Multiple chairmanships of legislative committees including Public Accounts and Committee on Public Undertakings
  5. Longstanding MLA representing the Margao constituency
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Digambar Kamat born?

8 March 1954

What is Digambar Kamat known for?

Politician, Real Estate Developer

What is Digambar Kamat’s marital status?

Married

Who is Digambar Kamat married to?

Asha Kamat