A. K. Antony is a veteran Indian politician who has served in various high-level positions in the government of India. He is known for his moderate and pragmatic political views. He is also a strong advocate for secularism and communal harmony.
Antony was born in Sherthalai, Kerala, India, in 1940. He studied law at the University of Kerala and then worked as a lawyer before entering politics. He joined the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1965 and was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1970. He served in various ministerial positions in the INC governments of K. Karunakaran and C. Achutha Menon, including as Finance Minister and Home Minister.
In 1977, Antony was appointed Chief Minister of Kerala. He served in this position for two years, before being defeated in the 1979 elections. He returned to the Chief Minister’s office in 1995 and served for another two years. In 2001, he was again elected Chief Minister and served until 2004.
In 2006, Antony was appointed Minister of Defence by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He served in this position for eight years, until 2014. During his tenure as Defence Minister, Antony oversaw the modernization of the Indian armed forces. He also played a key role in the resolution of the Indo-Sri Lanka peace process.
- Full name: Arackaparambil Kurien Antony
- Born: December 28, 1940, in Sherthalai, Kerala, India
- Education: University of Kerala (LLB)
- Political party: Indian National Congress
- Spouse: Elizabeth Antony
- Children: Anil Antony, Ajith Antony
- Occupation: Politician, lawyer
- Notable positions held:
- Minister of Defence (2006-2014)
- Chief Minister of Kerala (1977-1978, 1995-1996, 2001-2004)
- Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly (1996-2001)
- Awards and honors:
- Padma Bhushan (2007)
- Padma Vibhushan (2018)