Charanjit Singh Channi Biography: From a Student Leader to a Punjab’s CM

Charanjit Singh Channi is the 27th Chief Minister of Punjab. Born to a Ramdasia Sikh family, Charanjit’s father was a Sarpanch. Following his father’s footsteps, Charanjit made his way to politics. He joined the Indian National Congress in 2012. In addition to it, he has been a three-time MLA from Chamkaur Sahib Assembly constituency. He was also a minister in the Amarinder Singh cabinet. Scroll down to know about Charanjit Singh Channi.

Charanjit Singh Channi Personal Details

Date of Birth	1 March 1963
Age	58 years
Father’s Name	S. Harsa Singh
Mother’s Name	Ajmer Kaur
Wife	Kamaljit Kaur
Children	Navjit Singh, Rhythmjit Singh
Political Party	Indian National Congress
Residence	Kharar, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab

Channi’s Political Career

Channi’s political career started in the year 2002 after his election for President of the Kharar Municipal council. He won the election from the Chamkaur Sahib Assembly Constituency on an independent ticket.

In 2012-2017, Charanjit Singh Channi was again elected from the seat, and in 2017, he got a ticket from Congress. From 2015-2016, he was elected as the leader of opposition in the Punjab legislative.

In 2017, he was elected as the Minister of Technical Education and Industrial Training in the cabinet of Amarinder Singh. In September 2021, he became the CM of Punjab after the formers CM Amarinder Singh’s resignation. Fifty-eight-year-old Charanjit Singh Channi is the first Dalit Sikh to become CM in Punjab.

Controversies Related to Charanjit Singh Channi

In 2018, the then Punjab technical education minister Charanjit Singh Channi was accused of sending inappropriate text messages to a female IAS officer. However, the matter was resolved as he apologised to the officer later.

In the same year, a video of Channi surfaced, showing him flipping a coin between two contenders to be a lecturer. He justified the act by saying that both candidates were equally potential for the position, and they themselves chose to toss the coin. On the BJP and Shiromani, Alkali Dal asked the voters to remove him.

The now Punjab’s CM is also alleged in an illegal construction case and has also ridden an elephant at his home on the advice of his astrologer.

Channi, along with his nephew, is accused of involvement in illegal mining, on which he responded the images of the same were taken during family functions, and his family does not have any involvement in the case.

Channi as Student Leader

Channi made its way into politics during his doing matriculation from Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Kharar,. He was elected as student union president. He received 472 votes out of 1,000. Later he was elected as the general secretary of the students union when he was doing his graduation from Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Chandigarh.

Academics and Sports

Charanjit Singh Channi is qualified as a lawyer. He holds two postgraduates degrees, one in political science and another in business administration.

He graduated in law from Punjab University and then pursued an MBA from Punjab Technical University while being elected as legislator from Chamkaur Sahib.

In 2016, he completed his post-graduation in Political science from Punjab University while a leader in Congress Legislature Party. Besides academics, Channi represented PU for three times in handball and excelled in Bhangra.

Charanjit Singh Channi Biography Family

Charanjit Singh’s wife is a doctor, and the couple has two children. His elder son, Navjeet Singh, has passed out from the PEC University of Technology and is pursuing law.