Shri Praful Patel, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) was born on the 17th of February, 1957 in Kolkata. A member of the Tenth Lok Sabha at the youthful age of 34 years in 1991, Shri Praful Patel was elected three times consecutively to the Lok Sabha (10th -12th Lok Sabha). In April 2000, Shri Praful Patel was elected to the Rajya Sabha.

Son of the Late Shri Manoharbhai Patel and the Late Smt. Shantaben Patel, Shri Patel graduated in Commerce prior to joining the family business with diverse interests in Bidis, Tobacco, Pharmaceuticals, Finance, Real Estate and Packaging, eventually heading the group known as the "Ceejay Group".

Shri Praful Patel inherited his passion for politics and social service from his father who was a senior of the Congress in Maharashtra, as well as a great philanthropist. The Patel family runs the "Gondia Education Society" in the Gondia district of Maharashtra. The Society imparts education to 80,000 students in all disciplines ranging from Arts, Commerce, Engineering, Law, Pharmacy, Information Technology and Computer Sciences, paving the way for youngsters to become self-reliant.

Widely traveled, Shri Praful Patel is an active member of Young Presidents’ Organisation (YPO), a premier networking platform of young global business leaders committed to sharing their individual and collective resources.

Other than politics and business, Shri Patel is an ardent sportsman, being President of the Western Indian Football Association and Vice President of both All India Football Federation and the Maharashtra Olympic Association.

Social worker, industrialist, political leader, sports enthusiast – Shri Praful Patel, a multifaceted personality is very much a family man. Married to Varsha, the couple is blessed with one son and three daughters.
Shri Praful Patel's induction into the Union Cabinet in May 2004 as Minister of State for Civil Aviation with Independent Charge comes as a high point in his political career of over two decades.