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Margaret Alva Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 4 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth14 April 1942

Age80 Years (as of 2022)

BirthplaceMangalore, Karnataka, India

ProfessionPolitician, Advocate

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseNiranjan Thomas Alva (died 2018)

FamilyFour children: Niret Alva, Nivedith Alva, Nikhil Alva, Manira Alva; parents P. A. Nazareth and E. L. Nazareth

Net worthRs 4,18,03,586 (as of 2009)

Margaret Alva Biography

Margaret Alva is an Indian politician, lawyer and long-serving public servant from Karnataka. A member of the Indian National Congress for most of her life

Early life and background

Margaret Nazareth, who later took the surname Alva after marriage, was born on 14 April 1942 in Mangalore, Karnataka. She grew up in a Christian family and completed her early schooling in Mangalore before moving to Bangalore for higher studies. Alva earned a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru, and went on to study law at Government Law College, Bengaluru. During her college years she was active in debating and student movements and was recognised as Best All Round Student at Mount Carmel College in 1961.

She married Niranjan Thomas Alva, an advocate and businessman, on 24 May 1964 and later moved to New Delhi. Margaret and Niranjan had four children: three sons, Niret, Nivedith and Nikhil Alva, and a daughter, Manira Alva. Her parents were P. A. Nazareth and E. L. Nazareth, and she grew up alongside siblings John Mohan Nazareth, Pascal Alan Nazareth, Corinne Rego and Joan Peres.

Career

Margaret Alva began her professional life as a lawyer and moved into politics in the late 1960s, influenced in part by her in-laws Joachim and Violet Alva, both of whom were active in public life and the Indian National Congress. Her formal political work within the Congress started with roles in women's and student organisations, including leadership positions at the state and national level.

Alva served for many years in Parliament. She was first elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1974 and held that seat through multiple terms until 1998. During this long parliamentary career she served on numerous committees and undertook a variety of responsibilities: she was Convenor of the Karnataka Pradesh Mahila Congress, National Convenor of Mahila Congress, a member of consultative committees related to External Affairs and Information & Broadcasting, and held posts on panels such as the Panel of Vice-Chairmen of the Rajya Sabha and as Deputy Chief Whip of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha.

In government she was appointed to several ministerial junior portfolios. These included Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Youth Affairs & Sports, Women and Child Development in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, and later Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions with responsibilities that at times included Parliamentary Affairs. She also chaired parliamentary committees such as the Committee on Papers Laid on the Table and the Committee on the Empowerment of Women.

Alva moved from the upper house to the Lok Sabha after winning from Uttara Kannada and served as a Member of Parliament in the 13th Lok Sabha. She contested the Uttara Kannada seat in 2004 but lost that election. Beyond parliamentary and ministerial duties, she held organisational posts within the All India Congress Committee, including General Secretary from 2004 to 2008, before resigning from the party in 2008.

Governor and public appointments

After a long legislative career, Alva was appointed to gubernatorial posts. She served as Governor of Uttarakhand from 2009 to 2012, became Governor of Rajasthan in 2012, and held additional short-term charges as Governor of Gujarat and Governor of Goa in July–August 2014. Throughout her career she also chaired and participated in numerous national and international bodies focused on women, education and cultural exchange, including roles with the YWCA, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, SAARC and UN expert groups.

Public profile

Alva has been associated with legislative initiatives to advance women’s rights, including work on reservation for women in local bodies and on amendments addressing equal remuneration and laws concerning dowry and trafficking. She has received several honours and awards over the years, including the Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award and recognition such as the Nelson Mandela Award for minority empowerment.

Her public life has included moments of controversy and disagreement with party leadership; in 2008 she criticised candidate selection practices in her home state and was relieved of her AICC general secretary position for violating party discipline.

Latest updates

As of 2022 Margaret Alva is 80 years old. Her husband Niranjan Alva died in 2018. She continues to be recognised for a long parliamentary and public service career spanning legislative work, ministerial roles and gubernatorial appointments. Her interests outside politics include oil painting, interior decoration and ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Margaret Alva, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Governor of Uttarakhand

Served as Governor of Uttarakhand from 2009 to 2012

2009-2012
Governor of Rajasthan

Served as Governor of Rajasthan in 2012

2012
Governor (additional charges) of Gujarat and Goa

Held short additional charges as Governor of Gujarat (7–15 July 2014) and Governor of Goa (12 July – 7 August 2014)

2014
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Career Highlights

  1. Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (1974–1998)
  2. Union Minister of State in multiple ministries including Parliamentary Affairs, Youth Affairs & Sports, Women and Child Development, and Personnel
  3. Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha (13th Lok Sabha) representing Uttara Kannada
  4. General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (2004–2008)
  5. Governor of Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Goa and Gujarat (additional charge)
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Net Worth

Rs 4,18,03,586 (as of 2009, declared assets and liabilities on public record)

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

Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Margaret Alva born?

Margaret Alva was born on 14 April 1942.

What is Margaret Alva known for?

Margaret Alva is known for politician, Advocate.

What is Margaret Alva’s marital status?

Margaret Alva's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Margaret Alva married to?

Margaret Alva is publicly listed as married to Niranjan Thomas Alva (died 2018).

What is Margaret Alva’s net worth?

Margaret Alva's net worth is commonly listed as Rs 4,18,03,586 (as of 2009), based on available public profile information.