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Lalu Prasad Yadav Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

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

Quick Info

Date of birth11 June 1948

Age77 Years

BirthplacePhulwaria, Gopalganj, Bihar, India

ProfessionPolitician

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseRabri Yadav

FamilyFather - Kundan Rai; Mother - Marachhiya Devi; Children include Tej Pratap Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Misa Bharti and others

Lalu Prasad Yadav Biography

Lalu Prasad Yadav is an Indian politician from Bihar, founder of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, former Chief Minister of Bihar and Union Railways Minister. His長

Early life and background

Lalu Prasad Yadav was born on 11 June 1948 in Phulwaria, Gopalganj, Bihar. He completed his higher education at B. N. College, Patna University, earning a B.A. and an LL.B. Before entering electoral politics he worked as a clerk at the Bihar Veterinary College in Patna. He began his public career in student politics, serving as General Secretary of the Patna University Students Union in 1970.

Career

Yadav entered national politics in 1977 when, at the age of 29, he was elected to the 6th Lok Sabha. He served in various state and national roles over the following decades. During the 1980s he was a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly; by 1989 he was Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly and held committee positions, and he returned to the Lok Sabha in the 9th Parliament that year.

In 1990 he moved from the assembly to the Bihar Legislative Council and became Chief Minister of Bihar, a post he held from 1990 to 1997. In 1996 his political career was shaken by the exposure of what is described in public records as the fodder scam. The following year, in 1997, he formed the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), a party that has since been the core of his political identity.

Yadav continued contesting national elections and was re-elected to the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998 and later to the 14th Lok Sabha in 2004. After the 2004 election he served as India’s Minister of Railways. He was re-elected again to the 15th Lok Sabha in 2009. In 2013 he received a jail sentence connected to the earlier fodder-scandal cases and was disqualified from the Lok Sabha. Subsequent years saw additional criminal convictions and legal actions tied to allegations of financial impropriety originating from his time as Bihar’s chief minister and other public offices.

Public profile

Yadav is widely known for his earthy public style, fondness for folk music and rural culture, and personal interests that include cooking and reading. He has been a prominent figure in Bihar politics for decades and cultivated strong voter bases among several communities. His family is also politically active: his wife Rabri Devi is a politician, and his sons Tej Pratap Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav have been involved in public life. He has many children in total, including daughters Misa (also spelled Misha) Bharti and others mentioned in public records.

Over the years Yadav has been associated with a number of controversies, most notably multiple convictions related to the so-called fodder scam and later convictions connected to separate treasury embezzlement cases. He has faced various investigations and court proceedings, including convictions and sentences imposed by special courts and the CBI. More recently, legal cases and charges linked to alleged land-for-jobs transactions were pursued by investigative agencies, and he and members of his family have been named in filings and granted bail in some instances.

Latest updates

In the 2000s and 2010s Yadav continued to be active despite legal setbacks. Court actions through 2024 and 2025 include convictions, sentences, chargesheets, and bail orders in cases connected to embezzlement and alleged corruption tied to his years in office. In May 2025 he expelled his son Tej Pratap Yadav from the RJD following a social media controversy involving a personal post that was later deleted.

Personal details

Yadav is identified with the Hindu faith and is a non-vegetarian. Public records give his hometown as Phulwaria in Gopalganj, Bihar, and list his parents as Kundan Rai and Marachhiya Devi. Physical statistics recorded in public profiles include an approximate height of 1.68 m and a weight around 80 kg. He is often referred to simply as Lalu.

Public image and influence

As a long-standing leader from Bihar who founded the RJD in 1997, Yadav has been a central figure in regional and national discussions about caste, rural politics and coalition-era governance. He has also been an outspoken and sometimes polarizing figure, drawing criticism and attention for remarks and campaign tactics over the years. Despite legal and political challenges, his role in Bihar politics and the visibility of his family have kept him in the public eye for several decades.
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Recent Work

Minister of Railways

Served as India’s Union Railways Minister after being re-elected to the 14th Lok Sabha in 2004.

2004
Chief Minister of Bihar

Led the Bihar state government from 1990 until 1997.

1990-1997
Founder, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)

Established the RJD in 1997 after leaving Janata Dal.

1997
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Career Highlights

  1. Elected to the 6th Lok Sabha in 1977 at age 29
  2. Chief Minister of Bihar (1990–1997)
  3. Founded the Rashtriya Janata Dal in 1997
  4. Served as Union Railways Minister after 2004 re-election to Lok Sabha
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Lalu Prasad Yadav born?

11 June 1948

What is Lalu Prasad Yadav known for?

Politician

What is Lalu Prasad Yadav’s marital status?

Married

Who is Lalu Prasad Yadav married to?

Rabri Yadav