Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Ashwani Kumar (politician)

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: May 6, 2025

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Ashwani Kumar (politician) made an impact.

Ashwani Kumar is an Indian politician and lawyer. He was a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, representing Punjab. He held the position of Union Minister of Law and Justice. He also served as Union Minister of State in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, as well as in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Kumar's career highlights his involvement in Indian politics and government.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1991: Appointed Additional Solicitors General of India

In 1991, Ashwani Kumar was appointed as one of the youngest Additional Solicitors General of India at the age of 37.

2002: Became Member of Rajya Sabha

In 2002, Ashwani Kumar became a member of the Rajya Sabha.

2003: Authored Book

In 2003, Ashwani Kumar authored a book titled Law, Ideas and Ideology in Politics; Perspectives of an Activist.

2003: Founder President of Indo-French Parliamentary Friendship Group

In 2003, Ashwani Kumar was the founder president of the Indo-French Parliamentary Friendship Group constituted by the Speaker of Lok Sabha.

2004: Visiting Scholar at CSIS

In 2004, Ashwani Kumar was a visiting scholar at CSIS, Washington.

2008: Guest Speaker at The Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University

In 2008, Ashwani Kumar was a guest speaker at The Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

2009: Appointed to Standing Committee on External Affairs

In 2009, Ashwani Kumar was appointed Member of Standing Committee of Parliament on External Affairs.

2010: Chairman of Select Committee

In 2010, Ashwani Kumar served as the chairman of the Select Committee of Rajya Sabha for "The Prevention of Torture Bill".

January 2011: Appointed Minister of State

From January 19, 2011, Ashwani Kumar was the Minister of State in the Ministry of Planning; Ministry of Science and Technology; and Ministry of Earth Sciences.

July 2011: End of Term as Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs

Ashwani Kumar's term as the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs ended in July 2011.

2011: Represented India at Summer Davos

In 2011, Ashwani Kumar represented India at the Summer Davos meeting of the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, People's Republic of China.

2011: Keynote Speaker at STS Forum

In 2011, Ashwani Kumar was the keynote speaker at the 8th Annual Meeting of the Science and Technology Forum (STS) in Kyoto, Japan.

October 2012: Appointed Minister of Law and Justice

From October 28, 2012, Ashwani Kumar served as the Minister of Law and Justice.

2012: Keynote speaker at Harvard Club, New York City

In 2012, Ashwani Kumar was the keynote speaker at the Harvard Club, New York City on "The Legal Architecture for consolidating the economic reform process in India" and was also a guest lecturer at MIT.

May 2013: End of Term as Minister

Ashwani Kumar's term as the Minister of Law and Justice and the Minister of State in the Ministry of Planning; Ministry of Science and Technology; and Ministry of Earth Sciences ended on May 11, 2013.

May 2013: Resignation from Cabinet

In May 2013, Ashwani Kumar resigned from the cabinet following controversy over vetting a draft report of Ranjit Sinha concerning the Indian coal allocation scam. He officially resigned on May 10, 2013.

2013: Member of Standing Committee on Defense and Public Accounts Committee

In 2013, Ashwani Kumar was a member of the Standing Committee of Parliament on Defense and a member of the Public Accounts Committee.

2013: Speaker at Aix Le Cercle des economists

In 2013, Ashwani Kumar was a speaker at the Aix Le Cercle des economists in Aix-en-Provence, France.

2013: Represented India at United Nations

In 2013, Ashwani Kumar was nominated to represent India at the United Nations General Assembly Session in New York City and made an address there.

2013: Appointed Special Envoy to Japan

In 2013, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appointed Ashwani Kumar as his Special Envoy "to maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges with Japan" and prepare for the upcoming visit of Japan's Emperor and the Empress to India.

2014: Appointed Member of National Literacy Mission

In 2014, Ashwani Kumar was appointed a Member of the National Literacy Mission and was a Member of the Indian Ministerial delegation for the 3rd Indo-US Strategic Dialogue and the 1st Indo-Japan Economic Dialogue held in New Delhi.

2014: Appointed to INC Committees

In 2014, Ashwani Kumar was appointed a member of the Co-ordination Committee of the INC in Rajya Sabha and a member of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee of the INC.

January 2015: Nominated to Committees of Rajya Sabha

In January 2015, Ashwani Kumar was nominated as a Member of the General Purposes Committee of Rajya Sabha and as a Member of the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Defence.