Dr Jitendra scores another hat-trick

Jammu, June 9: After winning from Udhampur parliamentary constituency for the third time in a row, Dr Jitendra Singh Sunday scored another envious hat-trick by making it to Modi 3.0 Council of Ministers as the Minister of State (Independent charge) yet again.

He was among 71 members of the Council of Ministers of Narendra Modi, who took oath as the Prime Minister of India for the third time.

The President of India Droupadi Murmu administered the Oath of Office and Secrecy to the members of the Council of Ministers at Rashtrapati Bhawan this evening.

Dr Singh created a history by retaining his place in the new Council of Ministers for the third time in a row– a feat in J&K political landscape, very few politicians could achieve.

Though the portfolios have yet to be announced yet it is being presumed that he is very likely to retain crucial ministries he was holding in Modi 2.0.

In the 2024 parliamentary elections, Dr Jitendra, as BJP nominee, defeated Congress candidate Chowdhary Lal Singh by a margin of 1,24,373 votes, from Udhampur Lok Sabha seat.

Scoring a hat-trick, he got 5,71,076 votes with 51.28 percent vote share while Chowdhary Lal Singh polled 4,46,703 votes with 40.11 percent vote share.

In 2019, Dr Jitendra had annexed Udhampur-Kathua-Doda LS seat by defeating his nearest rival Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh by a margin of 3.57 lakh votes. His victory margin was among ten highest margins registered across the country in 2019.

In 2014, Dr Jitendra had earned sobriquet of “giant-killer” after defeating the former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, (then) a Congress candidate with a margin of 62,000 votes.

Born on November 6, 1956, to Rana Rajinder Singh and Shanti Devi, Dr Jitendra, a medico by profession, rose to prominence during Shri Amarnath land row in 2008.

After he became an MP for the first time in 2014, he was made the Union Minister of State in PMO. He retained this charge with additional crucial ministries (independent charge) during his second tenure as well, beginning from 2019.

He and his wife Manju Singh are proud parents of two sons.

Besides being a medical practitioner, Dr Jitendra won acclaim as an author, Professor, newspaper columnist, Diabetologist and consultant physician.

As far as his educational qualification is concerned, he had his MBBS, MD (Medicine), Fellowship (Diabetes) MNAMS (Diabetes and Endocrinology), Honorary PhD degrees from Stanley Medical College, Chennai (Tamil Nadu); All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi, Government Medical College, Jammu and Amity University, Noida.

His ministerial journey started, when he was elected to the 16th Lok Sabha in May 2014.

As per Lok Sabha site, from July 7, 2021 onwards, he served as the Union Minister of State (Independent charge), Ministry of Science and Technology; and Union Minister of State (Independent charge), Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Prior to it, from May 30, 2019 onwards, he remained Union Minister of State, Prime Minister's Office; Minister of State, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Minister of State, Department of Atomic Energy; and Minister of State, Department of Space.

During the period from May 30, 2019 and July 7, 2021, he served as Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region after he was re-elected as an MP for the second time in May, 2019.

During the period from May 22, 2016 and May 28, 2016, he served as the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports while from November 9, 2014 to May 25, 2019 he remained Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.

He served as the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Science and Technology; and Ministry of Earth Sciences from May 27, 2014 to November 9, 2014. From May 27, 2014 to May 25, 2019, he also served as the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office; Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Department of Atomic Energy; and Department of Space