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M. J. Akbar Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

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

Quick Info

Date of birth11 January 1951

Age74 Years (as of 2025)

BirthplaceTelinipara, West Bengal, India

ProfessionPolitician, Writer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseMallika Joseph Akbar

FamilyParents: Sheikh Akbar Ali and Imtiaz Akbar; Children: Prayaag Jawad Akbar (son), Mukulika Akbar (daughter)

M. J. Akbar Biography

Journalist-turned-politician M. J. Akbar built a prominent career in Indian media before moving into national politics. He has edited and launched several刊

Early life and background
Mobashar Jawed "M. J." Akbar was born on 11 January 1951 in Telinipara, West Bengal. He grew up in a family whose parents are listed as Sheikh Akbar Ali and Imtiaz Akbar. Akbar completed his schooling at Calcutta Boys' School and earned a BA (Hons.) in English from Presidency College, Calcutta, where he studied from 1967 to 1970. He later made New Delhi his hometown.

Career
Akbar began his career in journalism soon after graduating, joining The Times of India as a trainee in 1971. He rose through editorial ranks to become sub-editor at The Illustrated Weekly of India and went on to hold senior editorial roles at major Indian publications. He edited a popular political weekly for the Ananda Bazar Patrika Group and, in 1982, launched The Telegraph, a newspaper that became influential in Indian journalism.

Across the 1990s and 2000s Akbar continued to shape print media. He launched The Asian Age in February 1994 with editions in India and an international edition in London. He served as editor-in-chief of The Deccan Chronicle and later held editorial leadership roles including Editorial Director of India Today and the English news channel Headlines Today. In 2010 he launched a new Sunday newspaper, The Sunday Guardian.

Akbar is also an author. His non-fiction works include titles published in the 1990s and 2000s on topics ranging from communal violence and Kashmir to global religious conflict. He has written fiction as well as popular histories, and his 1990 biography of Jawaharlal Nehru marked his entry into book publishing. In 2012 he published Tinderbox: The Past and Future of Pakistan.

Political career
Akbar first entered electoral politics when he was elected as a Congress Member of Parliament from Kishanganj, Bihar, serving from 1989 to 1991. He later worked as an official spokesman for Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and spent time advising the Ministry of Human Resources in 1991. After stepping back from politics in December 1992, he returned full time to journalism.

In March 2014 Akbar joined the Bharatiya Janata Party as a national spokesperson. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Jharkhand in July 2015, and on 5 July 2016 he was sworn in as Minister of State for External Affairs. In May 2025 he was named to a multi-party delegation tasked with briefing European and UK officials about India’s military actions toward Pakistan.

Public profile
Akbar’s public life has been closely tied to his editorial work and political roles. He has been a visible figure in national media and has launched and led several publications. Personal details reported in the public record list his height as approximately 171 cm (5'7") and weight around 70 kg. His hair is described as grey and semi-bald, and his eye colour as black.

Personal life
Akbar married fellow journalist Mallika Joseph in 1975. The couple have two children: a son, Prayaag Jawad Akbar, and a daughter, Mukulika Akbar. His religion is listed as Islam. Publicly available biographical notes identify New Delhi as his hometown and give an address in Gurgaon, Haryana.

Controversies
Public reporting records that in October 2018 several women made allegations of sexual harassment against Akbar, and that he subsequently stepped down from his ministerial post. Specific allegations and accounts have been part of public discourse and reporting.

Latest updates
In May 2025 Akbar participated in international briefings as part of a delegation assembled to build support for India’s position regarding military action involving Pakistan. This delegation visited the European Union and the United Kingdom to present India’s perspective.

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 M. J. Akbar, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

Member of multi-party delegation to EU and UK

Briefed European Union and United Kingdom officials in May 2025 to present India’s perspective on military action concerning Pakistan.

2025
Minister of State for External Affairs

Served as Minister of State for External Affairs after taking oath on 5 July 2016.

2016
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Career Highlights

  1. Launched The Telegraph in 1982
  2. Founded The Asian Age in 1994 with an international edition in London
  3. Elected to Lok Sabha from Kishanganj (1989–1991)
  4. Joined BJP as national spokesperson in 2014 and elected to Rajya Sabha in 2015
  5. Sworn in as Minister of State for External Affairs on 5 July 2016
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 M. J. Akbar born?

M. J. Akbar was born on 11 January 1951.

What is M. J. Akbar known for?

M. J. Akbar is known for politician, Writer.

What is M. J. Akbar’s marital status?

M. J. Akbar's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is M. J. Akbar married to?

M. J. Akbar is publicly listed as married to Mallika Joseph Akbar.