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Farooq Abdullah Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 5, 2026 • 3 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth21 October 1937

Age87 Years (as of 2024)

BirthplaceSrinagar district, Kashmir, British India

ProfessionPolitician

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseMolly Abdullah

FamilySon Omar Abdullah; Daughters Safia, Hinna, Sarah; Father Sheikh Abdullah; Mother Begum Akbar Jehan Abdullah; Brother Sheikh Mustafa Kamal; Sister Suraiya Abdullah

Net worthRs. 12 Crore (as in 2019)

Farooq Abdullah Biography

Farooq Abdullah is an Indian politician and long-serving leader of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference. A medical graduate who entered politics in 1980

Early life and background

Farooq Abdullah was born on 21 October 1937 in the Srinagar district of Kashmir, then part of British India. He is the son of Sheikh Abdullah, the veteran statesman who founded the National Conference party. Raised in Srinagar, he attended Tyndale Biscoe School before studying medicine at Sawai Man Singh Medical College in Jaipur, where he completed his MBBS in 1962.

After completing his medical training, Abdullah spent time in the United Kingdom practicing medicine. He later married Molly Abdullah, a British paramedic, and the couple have four children: a son, Omar Abdullah, who is active in politics, and three daughters, Safia, Hinna and Sarah.

Career

Abdullah made a formal entry into electoral politics in 1980 when he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Srinagar constituency. The following year he was named president of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, the party his father had helped establish.

In 1982 Abdullah became chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time. He served multiple terms as chief minister through the 1980s and 1990s, holding the office on several occasions. After a period away from active politics and time spent in the United Kingdom, he returned to lead the state government again and went on to remain a central figure in J&K politics.

At the national level, Abdullah has alternated between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha roles. He won Lok Sabha seats from Srinagar in several elections, including by-elections, and was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir in 2002 and re-elected in 2009. From 28 May 2009 until 26 May 2014 he served as India’s Minister of New and Renewable Energy under the National Democratic Alliance government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and later continued as part of the NDA alignment in 1999.

Over the decades Abdullah has remained an influential leader in the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference and in regional politics. His public profile has been shaped both by long service in elected office and by the contentious, highly charged political environment of the region.

Public profile

Abdullah’s life and career are closely tied to the politics of Kashmir and to the National Conference party. His tenure has included repeated returns to leadership positions in the state as well as representation of Srinagar in the national parliament. He is known to have named Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a favorite politician.

Physically, the available information lists his height around 178 cm (about 5'10") and weight around 92 kg (about 203 lbs). He has dark brown eyes and white hair. His personal interests are described as reading, traveling, listening to music and dancing.

Abdullah is identified as a Sunni Muslim. His family includes his father Sheikh Abdullah, mother Begum Akbar Jehan Abdullah, brother Sheikh Mustafa Kamal and sister Suraiya Abdullah. His son Omar Abdullah and son-in-law Sachin Pilot are noted as political figures.

Controversies and public remarks

Throughout his long public life Abdullah has been associated with several controversial statements and incidents that attracted media and public attention. Allegations and debates around election irregularities from the 1987 assembly polls, remarks he made on various political and social issues, and his public comments related to the politics of Jammu and Kashmir and the broader region have all contributed to a contentious public record.

Latest updates

As of the most recent information, Farooq Abdullah remains a senior figure in Jammu and Kashmir politics. He was recorded as winning the Srinagar seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha election by a substantial margin. His wife is listed as Molly Abdullah. The last available estimate of his net worth dates to 2019 and is given as Rs. 12 Crore.

Throughout decades in public life, Abdullah has retained a prominent place in the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir, combining a medical background with a long career in electoral and party leadership roles.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Farooq Abdullah, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

Minister of New and Renewable Energy

Served in the Union Cabinet from 28 May 2009 to 26 May 2014.

2009-2014
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha (Srinagar)

Elected from the Srinagar constituency in multiple elections, including 1980, 2009 and a 2017 by-election, and again in 2019.

1980, 2009, 2017, 2019
President, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference

Appointed party president in August 1981 and continued as a leading figure thereafter.

1981
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Career Highlights

  1. Elected to Lok Sabha from Srinagar in 1980
  2. Appointed President of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference in 1981
  3. First became Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in 1982 and served multiple terms
  4. Elected to Rajya Sabha in 2002 and re-elected in 2009
  5. Served as Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy (2009–2014)
  6. Won the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat in 2019 by a large margin
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Net Worth

Rs. 12 Crore (as in 2019)

Figures are editorial estimates based on publicly available reporting and may change as new information emerges.

Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Farooq Abdullah born?

Farooq Abdullah was born on 21 October 1937.

What is Farooq Abdullah known for?

Farooq Abdullah is known for politician.

What is Farooq Abdullah’s marital status?

Farooq Abdullah's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Farooq Abdullah married to?

Farooq Abdullah is publicly listed as married to Molly Abdullah.

What is Farooq Abdullah’s net worth?

Farooq Abdullah's net worth is commonly listed as Rs. 12 Crore (as in 2019), based on available public profile information.