Amit Shah's birthday: 10 lesser-known facts about the BJP leader

Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah. Pic/PTI

Amit Shah's birthday: Often referred to as Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Chanakya, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been actively involved in the planning and implementation of the party's triumphant election strategies. Amit Shah will celebrate his birthday on October 22.

From being a member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in the 1980s to becoming the Union home minister, Amit Shah has seen a phenomenal rise in Indian politics. On his Amit Shah's birthday, here's a look at some interesting facts about the BJP leader.

• Amit Shah was born on October 22, 1964, to a prosperous Gujarati family in Mumbai. He received his initial education at his ancestral village of Mansa in Gujarat and later moved with his family to Ahmedabad.
• In 1980, at the age of 16, inspired by the ideology of Rashtriya SwayamSevak Sangh (RSS) he joined its student wing ABVP. In two years, due to his dedication to the organisation, he was made the joint secretary of the Gujarat unit of ABVP.
• After completing his graduation in biochemistry, he joined his family business of PVC pipe making.
• His journey as a political activist started in 1987 after he joined Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). However, it was his association with Narendra Modi in the early 90s that brought a significant change in his political career.
• In 1991, Amit Shah managed election campaign for Lal Krishna Advani which helped him to emerge as an excellent election manager and strategist.
• His prominence on the national stage started when he was appointed Rajya Sabha member in 2017 and later the BJP President.
• He was elected as Gujarat MLA in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2007. During his tenure as a Gujarat minister, he handled major portfolios including home, excise, and transport.
• Shah met Narendra Modi in 1982, and since then two leaders have led the BJP to victory in several states as well as national elections. During the poll campaigning for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Shah travelled across the country and held over 100 political rallies, more than any BJP leader except PM Modi.
• His excellent political skills as the BJP president, along with PM Modi's larger than life persona, helped the BJP score big on its major rival Congress, reducing its tally to just 52 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
• Shah was the BJP's in-charge for India's largest and politically most crucial state, Uttar Pradesh, during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP and its NDA won 73 out of 80 seats. As a result, Shah rose to national prominence and was appointed as the party's national president in July 2014.