George Kurian: BJP Veteran with Five Decades in Public Life
BJP veteran’s five-decade journey spans law, minority outreach and national politics
- George Kurian born in Kerala, began career in law
- Joined BJP at 19, built long political career
- Served in Minority Commission and BJP minority morcha
- Currently Union MoS for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Minority Affairs
GG News Bureau
Thiruvananthapuram, 8th April: Union Minister of State George Kurian has emerged as a prominent face in national politics, with a career spanning nearly five decades in public life and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Born on September 20, 1960, in Nambiakulam in Kerala’s Kottayam district, Kurian pursued a Bachelor of Legislative Law (LLB) from the Indian School of Legal Thought under Mahatma Gandhi University and later completed a Master of Arts. He went on to practise as an advocate in the Supreme Court.
Kurian joined the BJP at the age of 19 in 1980, a move that drew criticism at the time, particularly given his background as a member of the Christian community. Despite early resistance, he built a steady political career through student movements and grassroots engagement.
Over the years, he held several key positions within the party, including executive member of the BJP’s Kerala unit, spokesperson, and national vice president of the BJP Minority Morcha. He also served as a board member of the National Commission for Minorities and later became its vice-chairman—the first Malayali to hold the post.
Kurian also worked closely with senior leadership, serving as Officer on Special Duty to former Union Minister O. Rajagopal and acting as a translator for Prime Minister Narendra Modi during visits to Kerala.
In electoral politics, he contested the 2016 Kerala Assembly elections from Puthuppally but lost to then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. He was later elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh.
Kurian currently serves as Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying since 2018, and holds additional charge of Minority Affairs since 2024.
His wife, Annakutty, is a retired nursing officer from the Indian Army.
