From village school teacher to the Chief Minister of Odisha: Mohan Charan Majhi

Countries & Cities · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Born into a Santal tribal family, Mohan Charan Majhi rose from a local sarpanch to lead Odisha. His journey spans decades of legislative service, marked by grassroots activism and a steady ascent within the Bharatiya Janata Party. Today, he stands as the state's 15th Chief Minister, breaking new political ground.

Born on 6 January 1972 in Raikala village, Mohan Charan Majhi’s path to the highest office in Odisha began far from the corridors of power. The son of a school peon, Majhi belonged to the Santal tribal community. His early career included working as a teacher at a school within the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh network. He entered the political arena in 1997, serving as a village sarpanch for the Raikala panchayat while simultaneously taking on the role of secretary for the tribal wing of the state Bharatiya Janata Party.

Majhi’s legislative career is deeply tied to the Keonjhar constituency. He first secured a seat in the Odisha Legislative Assembly in 2000, holding it through 2009. After facing electoral defeats in 2009 and 2014, he returned to the assembly in 2019. During his time in opposition, he served as the party's chief whip and chaired the Public Accounts Committee. His tenure has not been without turbulence; in 2021, he survived an attack involving crude bombs thrown at his vehicle, and in 2023, he faced suspension from the assembly for protesting against alleged government procurement scams.

The 2024 elections proved to be a turning point. Majhi won the Keonjhar seat for the fourth time as the Bharatiya Janata Party secured a majority of 79 out of 147 assembly seats. On 11 June 2024, he was appointed Chief Minister, succeeding Naveen Patnaik, who had held the office since March 2000. Sworn in on 12 June 2024, Majhi became the 15th Chief Minister of Odisha. He holds the distinction of being the first leader from the Santal tribe to reach this position, and only the third person of tribal origin to lead the state, following Hemananda Biswal and Giridhar Gamang.

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