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Ram Vilas Paswan Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

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

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Quick Info

Date of birth5 July 1946

Age74 Years

BirthplaceKhagaria, Bihar Province, British India

ProfessionPolitician

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseReena Sharma (1983-present); Rajkumari Devi (divorced 1981)

FamilySon - Chirag Paswan; Daughters - Usha, Asha, Nisha

Ram Vilas Paswan Biography

Ram Vilas Paswan was a prominent Indian politician from Bihar who built a long parliamentary career and headed the Lok Janshakti Party. A Dalit leader who—

Early life and background

Ram Vilas Paswan was born on 5 July 1946 in Khagaria in what was then Bihar Province, British India. He came from a Scheduled Caste family and grew up in the Khagaria area. He completed higher education that included post‑graduate studies in law and attended Koshi College, affiliated with Patna University.

Before entering full‑time electoral politics, Paswan cleared the Bihar Civil Service examination and was appointed Deputy Superintendent of Police. He developed interests in reading, writing poetry, and listening to music.

Career

Paswan began his electoral career in 1969 when he won a seat in the Bihar state legislative assembly as a member of the Samyukta Socialist Party from a reserved constituency. His national parliamentary career began after the Emergency: he opposed the Emergency measures of 1975, was imprisoned during that period for two years, and upon release joined the Janata Party. In the 1977 general election he won his first Lok Sabha seat and recorded a very large winning margin at the age of 31.

He was elected to successive Lok Sabha terms, representing Hajipur across multiple decades. In the 1980s he won re‑election to the 7th and 8th Lok Sabha. Following the 1989 election, he was appointed Union Minister of Labour and Welfare in the government led by Vishwanath Pratap Singh. He later held the Railways portfolio for the first time in 1996.

In 1999 Paswan served in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government as Union Communications Minister, a post he held until 2001. He left Janata Dal in 2000 and founded the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), which became his political vehicle for the rest of his career.

Under the United Progressive Alliance, Paswan served as Union Minister with responsibilities in the Ministries of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Steel after the 2004 election. Ahead of the 2014 general election he aligned with the National Democratic Alliance and reclaimed the Hajipur seat. In Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government he was the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. He did not contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

Public profile

Paswan was widely recognized as a prominent Dalit leader and for his long tenure in national politics. His political work included founding the Dalit Sena in 1983 to advance Dalit interests. His career included both electoral victories and setbacks; in the 15th Lok Sabha election his party failed to win any seats.

Throughout his life Paswan’s family featured in public view. He married Rajkumari Devi in the 1960s and later divorced; he married Reena Sharma in 1983. He had several children: daughters Usha and Asha from his first marriage, and son Chirag Paswan and daughter Nisha from his second marriage. His son Chirag later entered electoral politics and won a parliamentary seat in 2014.

Physical profile and other details

Paswan’s listed height was approximately 175 cm (about 5'9") and weight about 75 kg. He was described as having black eyes and black hair. He practiced Hinduism and was identified with the Scheduled Caste community.

Controversies and recognition

During his time as Communications Minister from 1999 to 2001, questions were raised regarding licence allocations to telecom operators; that period has been associated with reporting of large‑scale irregularities. Paswan was posthumously honored with the Padma Bhushan in 2021.

Latest updates

Ram Vilas Paswan died on 8 October 2020 at Fortis Hospital in Shalimar Bagh, Delhi. He was 74 years old at the time of his death. The reported cause of death was heart failure. Following his passing, public tributes included messages from family and political associates.

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 Ram Vilas Paswan, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

Served as Union Minister under Prime Minister Narendra Modi after winning the Hajipur seat in 2014.

2014–2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Elected to Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1969 (Samyukta Socialist Party)
  2. First elected to Lok Sabha in 1977 with a very large winning margin
  3. Union Minister of Labour and Welfare (V. P. Singh government, 1989)
  4. Union Railway Minister (first time in 1996)
  5. Union Communications Minister (1999–2001, Vajpayee government)
  6. Founded the Lok Janshakti Party in 2000
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 Ram Vilas Paswan born?

Ram Vilas Paswan was born on 5 July 1946.

What is Ram Vilas Paswan known for?

Ram Vilas Paswan is known for politician.

What is Ram Vilas Paswan’s marital status?

Ram Vilas Paswan's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Ram Vilas Paswan married to?

Ram Vilas Paswan is publicly listed as married to Reena Sharma (1983-present); Rajkumari Devi (divorced 1981).