Pema Khandu

Some Lesser Known Facts About Pema Khandu

• Growing up, Pema actively played sports like Football, Cricket, Badminton and Volleyball. Pema still loves to play these sports.

• Pema Khandu’s educational background led him to pursue a career in politics.

• In 1998, he began assisting his father Dorjee Khandu, former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, in his political journey.

• Although he began his political career in 2000 by joining the Indian National Congress, Pema did not contest any elections until his father’s untimely demise in a helicopter crash in 2011.

• While he was serving as the tourism minister in Nabam Tuki’s Congress government, a constitutional crisis in January 2016, led to the imposition of President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh. After the President’s rule was lifted, Pema became a cabinet minister in the Kalikho Pul government.

• Soon, the Supreme Court restored Nabam Tuki as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, who resigned from the post shortly after. Later, Pema Khandu took the oath as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh in July 2016, becoming the youngest chief minister in India.

  

• During his tenure as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu launched various special campaigns like Sarkar Aapke Dwaar, Hamara Arunachal Abhiyan, and Chief Minister Arogya Arunachal Yojana.

• He has also worked on improving the Department of Horticulture, the education sector, the Eri silk industry, and the infrastructure in Arunachal Pradesh.

  

• In 2019, Khandu was appointed as the President of the Arunachal Pradesh Football Association.

• An ardent music lover, Khandu often entertains the audience at official social gatherings with renditions of Kishore Kumar and Mohammad Rafi‘s classics.

• He has also served as the Chairman of the Bodhi Language and Literature Promotional Society.

• Khandu also initiated the popular Mission Krishi Veer initiative to supply fruits and vegetables to the Indian Army and paramilitary soldiers stationed in Arunachal Pradesh.

• Pema Khandu loves travelling in his leisure time.

• To promote unity and cooperation between the military and the general public in the state, Khandu often organises sports at village, block, and district levels in Arunachal Pradesh.

  

• Khandu has launched various initiatives for the conservation of the environment like a widespread plantation drive in Tawang district. He has also worked to improve community health by organising various periodic medical camps.

• In December 2024, a report was published by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) in which it was mentioned that he was the second wealthiest CM of any state.