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Najma Heptulla Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 6, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth13 April 1940

Age83 Years (as of 2023)

BirthplaceBhopal State, British India (Now, Madhya Pradesh, India)

ProfessionIndian Politician, Government Official, Social Advocate, Writer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseAkbarali A. Heptulla (1966–2007)

FamilyThree daughters

Najma Heptulla Biography

Najma Heptulla is an Indian politician, academic and author who has served multiple terms in the Rajya Sabha, held ministerial office, and been appointed a

Early life and background

Najma Akbarali Heptulla was born Sayyida Najma bint Yusuf on 13 April 1940 in what was then Bhopal State, British India (now in Madhya Pradesh). She completed her schooling in Bhopal and went on to study at Vikram University, Ujjain, earning an M.Sc. in zoology and later a Ph.D. in cardiac anatomy. Her family identifies with the Dawoodi Bohra community and traces Arab descent.

Career

Heptulla’s political career began in the Rajya Sabha, to which she was first elected in 1980. Over the following decades she became a prominent parliamentary figure, serving as Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha for extended periods and being appointed to the chamber multiple times between 1986 and 2012. She has represented different states in the upper house, including a Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan (2004–2010) and later from Madhya Pradesh.

Originally a long-time member of the Indian National Congress, Heptulla held organizational responsibilities within the party, including a stint as general secretary. She was also active in international parliamentary forums: in 1993 she led the women parliamentarians’ group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and became founder president of the Parliamentarians' Forum for Human Development. She later served as president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and, in 2000, was elected president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

In 2004 she changed parties and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Within the BJP she rose to national office, including being named one of the party’s vice presidents in 2010. Following the 2014 national election, she was appointed Union Minister of Minority Affairs. During her ministerial tenure she emphasized inclusive development and economic and social advancement for minority communities.

In 2016 she was appointed Governor of Manipur. She has also stood as a candidate in national office contests, including the 2007 vice-presidential election.

Public profile

Outside parliamentary roles, Heptulla has been active on issues related to women’s empowerment and international representation. She led Indian delegations to major global forums, including participation at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing and the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Academic and policy work has been another strand of her public life: she has written on subjects such as human social security, environment, women’s reform and sustainable development, and is the author of a book on AIDS prevention as well as several other publications on science, technology and Indo–West Asian relations.

She has also held ceremonial and academic posts, including being elected chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia in 2017.

Personal life

Najma Heptulla married Akbarali A. Heptulla on 7 December 1966; he died in 2007. The couple had three daughters. Her parents are listed as Sayyid Yusuf bin Ali AlHashmi and Sayyida Fatima bint Mahmood. She has spoken and written in English and Urdu and cites interests in reading, writing, music and racquet sports.

Latest updates

Heptulla continued to be an active figure in public life well into the 2010s, holding ministerial office, a gubernatorial post and an academic chancellorship. Her long parliamentary career and body of writing have made her a recognized voice on minority affairs, women’s issues and cultural relations.

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 Najma Heptulla, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia

Elected as chancellor of the university in 2017

2017
Union Minister of Minority Affairs

Served as Union Minister of Minority Affairs after the 2014 national election, focusing on inclusive development for minorities

2014-2016
Governor of Manipur

Appointed Governor of Manipur

2016
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Career Highlights

  1. First elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1980
  2. Served as Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha for lengthy periods between 1985 and 2004 and appointed to the role across multiple terms
  3. Held leadership roles in the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations
  4. Switched from Indian National Congress to Bharatiya Janata Party in 2004
  5. Appointed Union Minister of Minority Affairs in 2014
  6. Elected chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia in 2017
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 Najma Heptulla born?

Najma Heptulla was born on 13 April 1940.

What is Najma Heptulla known for?

Najma Heptulla is known for indian Politician, Government Official, Social Advocate, Writer.

What is Najma Heptulla’s marital status?

Najma Heptulla's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Najma Heptulla married to?

Najma Heptulla is publicly listed as married to Akbarali A. Heptulla (1966–2007).