New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended birthday greetings to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, wishing him a long life and good health.

Taking to social media platform X, the Prime Minister conveyed his wishes to the National Conference leader on the occasion of his birthday.

“Greetings to Jammu and Kashmir CM Shri Omar Abdullah Ji on his birthday. May he be blessed with a long life and wonderful health,” PM Modi said.

Omar Abdullah was born on March 10, 1970, in Rochford, Essex, England. He belongs to one of the most prominent political families in Jammu and Kashmir. His grandfather, Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, popularly known as the “Lion of Kashmir,” was a towering political figure in the region and played a crucial role in shaping its political landscape. In 1939, Sheikh Abdullah founded the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, which later emerged as one of the region’s most influential political parties.

Omar’s father, Farooq Abdullah, also served multiple terms as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and has been a key leader in the National Conference. His mother, Mollie Abdullah, is British, which gave Omar a multicultural upbringing that combined influences from both India and the United Kingdom.

For his early education, Omar studied at Burn Hall School in Srinagar and later attended the Lawrence School in Sanawar, Himachal Pradesh. He subsequently moved to Mumbai, where he completed his Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Sydenham College. After finishing his undergraduate studies, he pursued higher education in Scotland and obtained a postgraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Strathclyde.

Omar Abdullah entered politics at a relatively young age. In 1998, he was elected to the 12th Lok Sabha from the Srinagar parliamentary constituency, becoming one of the youngest Members of Parliament at the time. He was re-elected in the 1999 general elections and soon joined the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government as Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry. In 2001, he was appointed Union Minister of State for External Affairs.

In a significant political development, Omar Abdullah took oath as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on October 16, 2024. His swearing-in marked the formation of the first elected government in the region after it was reorganised as a Union Territory following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. His party, the National Conference, secured a strong mandate in the Assembly elections by winning 42 out of the 90 seats.

The oath-taking ceremony was held in Srinagar and was attended by several prominent political leaders, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. Omar Abdullah’s Cabinet includes five ministers from the National Conference, while the Congress party extended outside support to the government without joining the Cabinet.

During his inaugural address, Abdullah emphasised the importance of restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and addressing the concerns of residents who felt sidelined during the period of Presidential rule.

Following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, Omar Abdullah was placed under preventive detention for several months. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he contested from the Baramulla constituency but was defeated by Engineer Sheikh Rashid.

Apart from his political career, Omar Abdullah has also been associated with initiatives aimed at promoting education and tourism in Jammu and Kashmir. He has supported various charitable activities and trusts working for social welfare.

Omar Abdullah married Payal Nath in 1994, though the couple separated in 2011. They have two sons, Zahir and Zamir.

Over the years, Abdullah has remained an influential political figure in Jammu and Kashmir, balancing his family’s political legacy with his own leadership while addressing the region’s complex political and social challenges.

–IANS

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