Priyank Kharge

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Priyank Kharge
Kharge in 2017
Cabinet Minister
Government of Karnataka
Incumbent
Assumed office
03 June 2026
Chief minister
D. K. Shivakumar
Portfolios
Cabinet Minister, Government of Karnataka
In office
20 May 2023 – 29 May 2026
GovernorThawarchand Gehlot
CabinetSiddaramaiah II
Chief Minister
Siddaramaiah
Portfolio(s)
In office
8 June 2018 – 23 July 2019
GovernorVajubhai Vala
CabinetKumaraswamy II
Chief Minister
H. D. Kumaraswamy
Ministry
Social Welfare
Preceded byH. Anjaneya
Succeeded byGovind Karjol
Member of Karnataka Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
2013
Preceded byValmiki Nayak
ConstituencyChittapur
Minister of State of IT & BT and Science & Technology
Government of Karnataka
In office
2016–2018
Personal details
Born (1978-11-22) 22 November 1978[1]
Bangalore, Karnataka
PartyIndian National Congress
SpouseShruthi P. Kharge
Parent(s)Mallikarjun Kharge (father)
Radhabai Kharge (mother)
OccupationPolitician

Priyank Mallikarjun Kharge (born 22 November 1978) is an Indian politician from Indian National Congress and serving as the Cabinet Minister in the Government of Karnataka. He has been serving as the Minister for Home Affairs and Information Technology, since 2026.[2] He is a three-time Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Chittapur constituency in Kalaburagi District of Karnataka.

Early life and background

Priyank Kharge was born to Mallikarjun Kharge and Radhabai Kharge on 22 November 1978. His father is the current Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha.[3][4] According to MyNeta he has completed his schooling from MES College, Malleswaram from 1996 to 1998.[5]

Political career

Kharge entered into the politics as an activist of the National Students' Union of India in 1998. In 1999, he became the NSUI College General Secretary. Later in 2001, he started serving as NSUI State General Secretary till 2005. He was also the Secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress from 2005 to 2007. He served as a Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress General Secretary from 2007 to 2011.

Kharge entered electoral politics by contesting Chittapur in the 2009 Karnataka Assembly by-election but was defeated by Valmiki Nayak of Bharatiya Janata Party.

In 2011, he was elected as Vice President of Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress, till 2014.

He was then elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 2013.

In 2016, at the age of 38, he became the youngest minister to be sworn into the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s cabinet as the Minister of IT, BT & Tourism. He has also served as a Cabinet Minister of Social Welfare in the coalition Government headed by H D Kumaraswamy.[6] Kharge is also the Chairman of IT and Data for the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.[7] As the Information Technology Minister, Kharge has introduced a Startup Booster Kit which has facilities like access to mentors, cloud credits and incubators. In 2017, he started Bengaluru Tech Summit to boost the tech industry.[8][9]

Kharge at the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in 2026

In 2018, he again won from Chittapur and was made the Social Welfare Minister under H.D. Kumaraswamy led Congress – JD(S) Coalition Government.[10][11]

In 2023, he won from Chittapur once again, this time pitted against BJP's Manikanta Rathod. Following the victory of the Congress party, he took the Department of Information Technology and Biotechnology along with the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.[12]

After Siddaramaiah stepped down as Chief Minister in May 2026, Kharge was seen as the front-runner for the Home Minister post in the new Cabinet led by D K Shivakumar.[13] He was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister on 3 June and was allocated Home Ministry (excluding Intelligence) two days later, besides retaining the information technology and biotechnology department he handled previously.[14][15]

Positions held

Priyank Kharge entered politics as an activist of the National Students' Union of India in 1998.

  • 1999: NSUI College General Secretary
  • 2001–2005: State NSUI General Secretary
  • 2005–2007: Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Secretary.
  • 2007–2011: Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress General Secretary
  • 2011–2014: Elected as Vice President of Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress
# From To Position
1. 2013 2018 MLA (1st term) from Chittapur
  • Minister for IT&BT, Govt. of Karnataka (2016 and 2018)[16]
2. 2018 2023 MLA (2nd term) from Chittapur
  • Minister for Social Welfare(from 2018 to 2019), Govt. of Karnataka[17]
3. 2023 Present MLA (3rd term) from Chittapur
  • Cabinet Minister - Govt of Karnataka[16]

Personal life

Kharge is 12th Pass and is married to Shruti Kharge. He is an Ambedkarite and a Buddhist.[18]

References

  1. "Priyank Kharge: Age, Biography, Education, Wife, Caste, Net Worth & More - Oneindia".
  2. "CM DK Shivakumar keeps finance, Priyank Kharge gets home in new Karnataka Cabinet". India Today. 4 June 2026. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
  3. Centre, National Informatics. "Digital Sansad". Digital Sansad. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  4. "Escaping Blaze at 7 to Congress Chief at 80, Mallikarjun Kharge's Firefighting Continues".
  5. "Priyank Kharge-Indian national Congress".
  6. "minister with Independent Charge". kla.kar.nic.in.
  7. Balasubramanyam, K. R. "Information Technology and Bio-Technology Minister". The Economic Times.
  8. "Karnataka now has launched a Startup Booster Kit – Here's what is in it". businessinsider.in.
  9. "Karnataka plans startup booster kit". Deccan Herald. 6 July 2016.
  10. "Priyank began his political career in NSUI". The Hindu. 20 June 2016.
  11. "Sitting and previous MLAs from Chittapur Assembly Constituency". elections.in.
  12. "Priyank Kharge: Karnataka election results 2023: Priyank Kharge of Congress wins from Chittapur". The Economic Times. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  13. "MLA Priyank Kharge meets Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge ahead of June 3 Karnataka cabinet swearing-in". The Economic Times. 2 June 2026. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  14. "Priyank Kharge becomes Karnataka home minister". Rediff. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  15. "Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge meets top cops". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  16. "Priyank Kharge sworn in as Minister for second time". The Hindu. 20 May 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  17. "Announce 5-Day Work Week: Karnataka Minister's Request To HD Kumaraswamy". NDTV.com. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  18. "Priyank Kharge: Today's India is not what any of our founding fathers had dreamt of, says Priyank Kharge | Bengaluru News - Times of India".