✦ Celebrity stories, facts and career updates. Explore F4U now →

Home › Biography › A. Raja (Politician)

A. Raja (Politician) biographyFeatured Biography

Image source: StarsUnfolded

Celebrities

A. Raja (Politician) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 15, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth26 October 1963

Age61 Years (as of 2024)

BirthplaceVelur, Perambalur, Tamil Nadu, India

ProfessionPolitician, Advocate

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseM.A. Parameshwari (died 29 May 2021)

FamilyFather - S.K. Andimuthu; Mother - Chinnapillai; Brother - Andimuthu Kaliaperumal; Daughter - Mayuri

Net worthRs. 4.95 Crore (as of 2019)

A. Raja (Politician) Biography

Andimuthu Raja is an Indian politician and lawyer from Tamil Nadu who has served multiple terms in the Lok Sabha and held several Union ministerial posts.A

Early life and background

Andimuthu Raja was born on 26 October 1963 in Velur, Perambalur district, Tamil Nadu. He grew up in a modest Tamil Dalit family and completed his schooling in Tiruchirappalli, traveling there regularly from his hometown. Raja earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1984 from Bharathidasan University and went on to study law, obtaining a Bachelor of Law in 1987 from Madurai Kamaraj University. He also attended Government Arts College, Musiri, and Government Law Colleges in Madurai and Tiruchirapalli.

Career

Raja entered parliamentary politics in the mid-1990s and became known as a DMK grassroots organizer who rose from block-level leadership to national office. He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1996 and was re-elected in subsequent elections, representing constituencies in Tamil Nadu including Perambalur and later Nilgiris.

Over his parliamentary career Raja held a series of Union government posts. From October 1999 to September 2000 he was Minister of State for Rural Development, and from September 2000 until December 2003 he served as Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare. After the 2004 election he joined the Union Cabinet as Minister of Environment and Forests from May 2004 to May 2007. In 2007 he took charge as Union Cabinet Minister for Communications and Information Technology and continued in that role after the 2009 election until he stepped down in 2010 amid controversy.

Raja remained active in electoral politics after the 2G-related proceedings. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election he won the Nilgiris seat in Tamil Nadu by a substantial margin, and he again won the Nilgiris Lok Sabha seat in 2024.

Public profile

Raja is a member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and is professionally trained as an advocate. He has been described in public sources by a nickname, and his public persona combined party activism with constituency work and media visibility during his ministerial years.

His personal interests include writing poetry and listening to music. He has been married; his wife M. A. Parameshwari died of cancer on 29 May 2021. The couple married on 2 April 1996 and have a daughter, Mayuri. Raja’s family background includes his parents S. K. Andimuthu and Chinnapillai and a brother, Andimuthu Kaliaperumal.

Controversies and legal matters

Raja’s tenure as Communications and Information Technology Minister became a focal point of legal and political controversy connected to the allocation of 2G spectrum in 2007. Allegations and investigations related to spectrum allocation led to his stepping down as minister in 2010 and to criminal proceedings that included arrest in early 2011. In December 2011 the Supreme Court described the 2008 allotments as unconstitutional and canceled licences issued that year. In December 2017, the trial court acquitted Raja and others of the criminal charges in that case.

Other investigations and actions by enforcement agencies have been reported in later years. In December 2022 the Enforcement Directorate provisionally attached land in Coimbatore that it said was linked to a probe; and in March 2024 Raja attracted public criticism for remarks about cultural slogans that led to calls for action from political opponents.

Personal and miscellaneous details

Raja’s recorded physical stats list him at approximately 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) with black hair and black eyes. He is identified as Hindu and belongs to a Scheduled Caste. Public records list residential and financial details including bank deposits, jewellery and property holdings, and a motor vehicle.

Latest updates

As of 2024 Raja is 61 years old and continues to serve as the elected Member of Parliament from the Nilgiris constituency after winning that seat in the 2019 and 2024 general elections. His public life continues to include both political activity within the DMK and attention from law-enforcement and media coverage related to past and ongoing investigations.
◈

Recent Work

Member of Parliament, Nilgiris constituency

Won the Nilgiris Lok Sabha seat in 2019 and again in 2024, representing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

2019-2024
✦

Career Highlights

  1. Elected to the Lok Sabha in 1996 and re-elected in subsequent terms
  2. Served as Union Minister of State for Rural Development and for Health & Family Welfare
  3. Union Cabinet Minister for Environment & Forests (2004–2007)
  4. Union Cabinet Minister for Communications and Information Technology (2007–2010)
₹

Net Worth

Rs. 4.95 Crore (as of 2019)

Figures are editorial estimates based on publicly available reporting and may change as new information emerges.

?

Frequently Asked Questions

When was A. Raja (Politician) born?

26 October 1963

What is A. Raja (Politician) known for?

Politician, Advocate

What is A. Raja (Politician)’s marital status?

Married

Who is A. Raja (Politician) married to?

M.A. Parameshwari (died 29 May 2021)

What is A. Raja (Politician)’s net worth?

Rs. 4.95 Crore (as of 2019)