File photo of Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal.
Credit: PTI Photo
Political Party: BJP
Parliamentary Constituency: Mumbai North, Maharashtra
Coming from a family that had long association with the RSS and BJP, Piyush Goyal got his first lesson of politics from his late parents who had been devoted to the cause of Hindutva.
Goyal was also immensely influenced by late statesman and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who often used to stay with them during his Mumbai visit.
Goyal's father, late Ved Prakash Goyal, was a Rajya Sabha member and had served as the shipping minister. He was also one of the longest-serving treasurers of the party. Goyal's mother, late Chandrakanta Goyal, was a three-time MLA from Matunga.
The 59-year-old Goyal has an excellent academic record — an all-India second-rank holder chartered accountant and a second-rank holder in law from Mumbai University.
Goyal, who currently holds the commerce and industries portfolio in the Union Cabinet, is the blue-eyed boy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has been nominated by the BJP to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Mumbai North, considered one of the safest seats of the saffron party. A three-time Rajya Sabha member, Goyal has never contested any Lok Sabha or assembly polls before.
"Good economics makes for good politics. We are today at the cusp of a development explosion," Goyal often says.
Being a part of the India story under Modi’s command, Goyal is sure to get something big if the PM gets a third term in office, and take the 'Amrit Kaal' mission ahead.