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Raghubar Das Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 14, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth3 May 1955

Age69 Years (as of 2024)

BirthplaceRajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh

ProfessionPolitician

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseRukmani Devi

FamilySon - Lalit Kumar; Daughter - Renu Sahoo; Father - Chavan Ram; Mother - Sonbatti Das; Siblings - Jagdev Sahu, Mool Chand Sahu, Premvati Bai, Mahari Bai, Dedu Bai

Raghubar Das Biography

Raghubar Das is an Indian politician with a long career in the BJP who has served as Chief Minister of Jharkhand and, since October 2023, as the Governor (

Early life and background
Raghubar Das was born on 3 May 1955 in Rajnandgaon (now in Chhattisgarh). Raised in a family whose father worked as a clerk at Tata Steel and a mother who was a homemaker, he grew up in Jamshedpur and completed schooling at Harijan School, Jamshedpur. He went on to attend Jamshedpur Co-operative College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science and later a Bachelor of Laws.

From an early age Das took on work to support his family. He laboured at Tata Steel as a daily wage worker, worked in an electronics shop, and ran a coal stall. Those experiences, he has said, shaped his early adult years. While at college he became active in student politics and rose to serve as union president. During the Emergency (1975–1977) he was imprisoned under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act after joining protests associated with Jayaprakash Narayan.

Career
Das entered formal party politics after his release and was an early member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He first joined the Janata Party in 1977 and then became a founding member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980, attending the party’s first national committee meeting in Mumbai the same year. He built his base in Jamshedpur, serving in several local organizational roles including booth manager and secretary positions, and later rose through state and national party ranks.

In electoral politics Das won the Jamshedpur East assembly seat in 1995, a victory that marked the start of a sustained presence in state government. When Jharkhand was formed in 2000 he served as Labour and Employment Minister, and in 2004 he became president of the BJP’s Jharkhand unit. He was returned from Jamshedpur East in 2005 and served in the Arjun Munda cabinet as Urban Development and Commercial Tax Minister.

Das continued to win his seat in 2009 and 2014. Following the 2009 election he was appointed Deputy Chief Minister. In August 2014 he became a BJP national vice-president. On 28 December 2014 he was sworn in as the 6th Chief Minister of Jharkhand. As chief minister he held key portfolios including Home Affairs, Finance, and Planning and Development. He remained in office until 23 December 2019, when he resigned after the BJP lost its majority in the state assembly. In 2019 he contested the Jamshedpur East seat but was defeated.

In the latter part of his career Das was appointed as the 26th Governor of Odisha, taking office on 31 October 2023.

Public profile
Das is married to Rukmani Devi and the couple have two children: a son, Lalit Kumar, who has worked as an assistant manager at Tata Steel, and a daughter, Renu Sahoo. His family includes siblings who have been employed in public and private-sector roles in Jharkhand.

Over the decades Das has been a visible figure in state and national politics. He is identified with the BJP leadership and has been described as part of the party’s core team. His public image includes personal details often noted in profiles: he stands about 173 cm tall, has dark brown eyes and black hair, and follows Hinduism. He has stated that he is influenced by the teachings of Kabir.

Controversies and legal matters
Public records list a number of criminal charges registered at various times, including allegations related to rioting, wrongful confinement, and obstruction; these charges appear in official disclosures. During his tenure as Urban Development Minister in 2005, allegations arose regarding a sewerage consultancy contract for Ranchi; a legislative committee at the time did not find irregularities, and later the case was transferred for inquiry to the Anti-Corruption Bureau in 2020. In 2017 a viral video showing a religious ceremony in which women washed his feet drew criticism and calls for an apology from political opponents. In 2019 a complaint was filed under the SC/ST Act after remarks he made about an opponent’s caste during campaign events.

Personal details and assets
Das lists formal qualifications in science and law. Public declarations from 2019 include details of movable assets and specified monthly salaries associated with offices he has held, and an estimated net worth figure for that year is recorded in the same disclosures. He has lived for many years in Jamshedpur and has owned at least one vehicle noted in public profiles.

Latest updates
As of October 2023 Raghubar Das serves as the Governor of Odisha. His long career spans student activism, prison during the Emergency, decades of organizational work within the BJP, multiple ministerial roles in Jharkhand, a term as chief minister, and his current gubernatorial post.
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Recent Work

Governor of Odisha

Assumed office as the 26th Governor of Odisha

2023
Chief Minister of Jharkhand

Served as the 6th Chief Minister of Jharkhand, holding portfolios including Home, Finance and Planning and Development

2014-2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Founding member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (1980)
  2. Elected MLA from Jamshedpur East (1995, 2005, 2009, 2014)
  3. Deputy Chief Minister of Jharkhand (2009)
  4. 6th Chief Minister of Jharkhand (2014–2019)
  5. 26th Governor of Odisha (from 31 October 2023)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Raghubar Das born?

3 May 1955

What is Raghubar Das known for?

Politician

What is Raghubar Das’s marital status?

Married

Who is Raghubar Das married to?

Rukmani Devi