Praful Patel Age, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More

Bio/Wiki
Full Name	Praful Manoharbhai Patel
Profession(s)	Politician, Businessman, Philanthropist
Politics
Political Party	Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)
Political Journey	1985: Became the President of the Municipal Council Gondia (Maharashtra) 1991: Elected to the 10th Lok Sabha, a member of the Consultative Committee, Ministry of Environment and Forests (1991–1996), a member of the Committee on Science and Technology (1994–1995), a member of the Committee on Home Affairs (1995–1996) 1996: Re-elected to the 11th Lok Sabha, a member of the Committee on Finance (1996–97) 1998: Re-elected to the 12th Lok Sabha 2000: Elected to the Rajya Sabha, representing Maharashtra 2004: Minister of State for Civil Aviation 2006: Re-elected to the Rajya Sabha 2009: Elected to the 15th Lok Sabha for a fourth term 2011: Cabinet Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises 2016: Re-elected to the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra
Awards/Honours	• CAPA (Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation) award for the Aviation Minister of the Year (2005) • Honorary Doctorate from Leeds Metropolitan University (2007)
Personal Life
Date of Birth	17 February 1957 (Sunday)
Age (as of 2022)	65 Years
Birthplace	Nadiad, Bombay State (Now, Maharashtra), India
Zodiac sign	Aquarius
Nationality	Indian
Hometown	Nadiad, Maharashtra, India
School	Campion School, Mumbai
College/University	Sydenham College, Mumbai, India
Educational Qualification	B.Com
Address	Permanent- Ceejay House, 12th Floor, Dr. Anne Besant Road,Worli, Mumbai - 400 018 Maharashtra, India Present- 26, G.R.G. Road, New Delhi - 110 001
Religion	Hinduism
Caste	Patidar [1]TOI
Hobbies	Travelling
Controversies	• In October 2019, in an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), it was revealed that Praful Patel had links with the Underworld Don, Dawood Ibrahim's aide, Iqbal Mirchi. As per the investigation, Patel had helped Iqbal Mirchi (died in 2013 in London) in a money laundering case. However, Patel vehemently denied all the allegations. [2]Business Today • When he was the Civil Aviation Minister, the Enforcement Directorate grilled him over his role in aviation scam. According to the ED, Patel had alleged association with aviation lobbyist, Deepak Talwar who was arrested following the allegations that he received Rs. 272 crore in bribes. [3]Economic Times • On 17 August 2022, a contempt petition was filed against Patel by the Committee of Administrators (CoA) appointed by the Supreme Court of India; in the petition, Patel was accused of “impliedly” admitting to having “arranged” a letter from world football governing body FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) threatening a ban on India. According to the CoA, Patel interfered with the proceedings of the Hon’ble Court due to which the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was banned by FIFA in its 85-year-old history. [4]Newss 18
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Married
Marriage Date	10 February 1977 (Thursday)
Family
Wife/Spouse	Varsha Patel
Children	Son- Prajay Patel Daughters- Poorna Patel, Niyati Patel, Avni Patel
Parents	Father- Manoharbhai Patel (Politician) Mother- Shantaben
Siblings	None
Favourites
Actor	Salman Khan
Money Factor
Salary (approx.)	Rs. 1 Lakh/month + Constituency allowances Rs. 45,000 (US$650) + Parliament office allowance Rs. 45,000 (US$650) + Parliament session allowance (Rs. 2,000 (US$29) per day) [5]Rajya Sabha
Net Worth (approx.)	Rs. 252 crore (as in 2014) [6]My Neta

Some Lesser Known Facts About Praful Patel

• Patel’s father, Manoharbhai Patel, was also a politician who had served as an MLA in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from Gondia constituency.

• When Praful Patel was only 13 years old, his father passed away.

• Praful is also a businessman; he owns his family business of tobacco & bidi making. He has also shown interests in pharmaceuticals, finance, real estate, packaging, etc. Later, he also headed the ‘Ceejay House,’ a company trading in tobacco.

• The Patel family also runs the ‘Gondia Education Society,’ an organisation founded by his father in 1958 in Gondia District of Maharashtra. The organisation imparts education to more than 1 lakh students in all disciplines ranging from Arts, Commerce, Law, Engineering, Information Technology, Pharmacy, Computer Sciences, etc.
  

  The premises of Gondia Education Society

• When he was the Minister of Civil Aviation, he convinced the government to increase the foreign direct investment cap in the domestic airlines’ sector from 40% to 49%.

• Patel has also been associated with sports. He has also rendered his services to Gondwana Club, Nagpur Lions International Club, served as the Gondia Football President of the All India Football Federation, Cricket Club Mumbai, and Mumbai Cricket Association, Mumbai.

• Patel was instrumental in making AIFF (All India Football Federation) introduce the ‘Indian Super League.’
  

  Praful Patel, Nita Ambani, Sachin Tendulkar and Bollywood actors at the inauguration of ISL

• Patel was bestowed with the title of ‘Reformer of the Year’ by ‘The Economic Times.’

• In October 2009, he was made the President of AIFF for the first time.

• In 2011, when he was the Minister of Heavy Industry, he launched a project to build the world’s largest solar power plant near Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan. He also inaugurated the Auto Hub in Nagpur.

• In 2016, he was elected the President of AIFF for the third time unopposed.

• On 1 December 2016, Patel was appointed as the Senior Vice President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
  

  Praful Patel is pictured with the FIFA President, Gianni Infantino in a conference in Kolkata

• On 24 January 2017, Patel launched the inaugural edition of the Indian Women’s League at New Delhi.

• On 10 June 2023, the leader of the NCP party, Sharad Pawar, announced that Praful Patel and Supriya Sule have been appointed as working presidents of the party.