N. Biren Singh Age, Caste, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About N. Biren Singh

• N. Biren Singh is an Indian politician, former journalist, and former footballer. He served as the twelfth Chief Minister of Manipur from 15 March 2017 to 11 March 2022.

• He was inclined towards sports since childhood. Biren actively took part in football in his college days.

• At the age of 18, Biren was spotted playing football by the BSF leaders, who recruited him in the Border Security Force’s (BSF) football team. Initially, he played for BSF in domestic competitions. Soon, he became the first football player from Manipur to play outside the state.
  

  N. Biren Singh as a football player

• In 1981, Biren played for the Durand Cup. In the tournament, his team (BSF’s football team) defeated Kolkata’s Mohun Bagan to lift the coveted trophy.

• Biren resigned from BSF’s football team in 1982 but continued playing for Manipur’s football team until 1992.

• In 1992, Biren founded, Naharolgi Thoudang, a vernacular daily, despite having any experience in journalism.

• Apparently, he was arrested on sedition charges in the year 2000 for publishing the speech of an activist.

• Biren worked as the editor of Naharolgi Thoudang till 2001 and then quit the job to make a career in politics.

• In 2002, he began his political journey by joining the regional Democratic Revolutionary People’s Party (DRPP). The same year, he contested the Manipur Legislative Assembly elections from the Heingang constituency and won.

• Biren was appointed as the Minister of State of Vigilance in the Manipur state government in 2003.

• Later, when the Democratic Revolutionary People’s Party (DRPP) merged with the Indian National Congress (INC), he had to formally join the Indian National Congress (INC) in 2003.

• In 2007, he was elected as the Member of Legislative Assembly (on a ticket from the Indian National Congress) from the Heingang constituency.

• The same year, Biren was appointed as the Minister of Irrigation & Flood Control and Youth Affairs & Sports.

• In 2012, Biren retained his Heingang (Legislative Assembly) seat for the third consecutive term, however, he was excluded from Manipur’s cabinet. This resulted in a rift between Biren and the then Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh.

• At that time, he was the vice-president of the then Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee.

• In October 2016, he resigned from both, the Indian National Congress and the Manipur Legislative Assembly due to poor relations with the then CM of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh.

• He then joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2016 and became the Spokesperson and Co-convener of the Election Management Committee of BJP Manipur Pradesh.
  

  N. Biren Singh addressing the public

• In 2017, he was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (on a ticket from BJP) from the Heingang constituency.

• In 2015, Singh was elected as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party in Manipur.

• N. Biren Singh was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Manipur on 15 March 2017; Singh is the first-ever Chief Minister of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Manipur.
  

  N. Biren Singh taking oath as the Chief Minister of Manipur

• In January 2018, Singh laid the foundation stone for a new academic building of Manipur Public School. The cost of the project was estimated to be Rs. 10.80 crore by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs and included new classrooms, headmaster’s room, common rooms, library, laboratories, toilets, and separate hostels for boys and girls. The project was undertaken by Manipur Minorities and the OBC Economic Development Society (MOBEDS).
  

  N. Biren Singh laying the foundation stone for a new building of Manipur Public School

• Biren launched the first-ever state-level Ginger Festival at Parbung in Pherzawl District in April 2018. The festival aimed at promoting agriculture in the Pherzawl district, one of the most backward in the state of Manipur. The effort was praised by the farmers who said that they reported an increase in their sale as their organic produce (ginger) got sold throughout the year.
  

  N. Biren Singh inaugurating the first Ginger Festival in Manipur

• During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in India, Manipur became the second state in India to declare itself coronavirus free under the leadership of N. Biren Singh. Initially, there were only two patients in Manipur who had tested positive for the virus and successfully recovered from it.

• In June 2020, Biren faced a tough time as 9 MLAs supporting his government in Manipur withdrew their support from his government, blaming him for a lack of action during the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, Singh’s government had to achieve a vote of confidence. Apparently, he was among the eight MLAs who did not present themselves in the legislative assembly proceedings during which the trust motion was passed.

• In 2022, he marked a landslide victory in the Legislative Assembly elections, winning the Heingang constituency seat by defeating Congress candidate P Sharatchandra by 18,271 votes.
  

  N. Biren Singh after winning the 2022 Legislative Assembly elections

• On 11 March 2022, Singh submitted his resignation from the post of Chief Minister of Manipur to the Governor of Manipur at the Raj Bhavan. Although he formally resigned from the post of Chief Minister, Singh said that he would serve as the caretaker Chief Minister of Manipur.
  

  N. Biren Singh submitting his resignation as the Chief Minister of Manipur

• In his spare time, Biren Singh likes reading books and watching and playing football.
  

  N. Biren Singh playing football

• Apart from being a politician, Singh is also a social worker. He is often seen raising issues for the welfare of the indigenous people of Manipur.
  

  N. Biren Singh at a social event

• N. Biren Singh was once awarded the Best State Journalist Award by the former Chief Minister of Manipur W Nipamacha.
  

  N. Biren Singh receiving the Best Journalist Award from the former Chief Minister of Manipur W Nipamacha

• In January 2017, N. Biren Singh’s son Nongthombam Ajay Singh was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for five years and was imposed a fine of Rs. 10,50,000 by a sessions court in Imphal West after being convicted in the murder case of 21-year-old Irom Roger. He was also charged under Section 27 of the Arms Act and was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for a period of four years. A fine of Rs. 50,000 was also imposed on him. ^[9]The Indian Express

• In 2018, Biren Singh was conferred with the Champions of Change Award for his exceptional work to the nation. The award was presented to him by Vice-President of India Sri. Venkaiah Naidu at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
  

  N. Biren Singh receiving Champions of Change Award

• In 2017, Biren Singh became the first Chief Minister in India to have been a sportsman before becoming a politician.

• Singh’s daughter, Anjubala Nongthongbam, is married to R K Imo Singh (politician). R K Imo Singh is the son of Rajkumar Jaichandra Singh, the first Union Minister from Manipur in the Rajiv Gandhi-led government.
  

  N. Biren Singh’s wife, daughter and son-in-law