Early life and education
Shyam Rajak was born on 22 July 1954 . [6] He hails from the Sabjibagh area of Patna and completed his Bachelor’s degree in Commerce. [6] His marriage to film maker Vikash Verma's sister Alka Verma,from Mumbai,was a love marriage that faced initial familial resistance due to caste and social norms;the couple had to work through these challenges over seven years before officially tying the knot. [7]
Rajak’s wedding to Alka Verma was widely reported for its luxury and grandeur. [7] Held at The Regent Hotel (Taj Lands End) in Mumbai,the event became one of the most talked-about weddings of the year,blending political prominence with Bollywood glamour. [8] Media outlets described it as a lavish celebration attended by several high-profile personalities,including former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav,actors Shah Rukh Khan,Shekhar Suman,Sunil Shetty,Pooja Batra,Jackie Shroff,Aditya Pancholi,Amrita Arora,Sharad Kapoor,and filmmaker Subhash Ghai. [9] The opulent arrangements,star-studded attendance,and festive atmosphere made it stand out as a symbol of luxury and social prestige at the time.
For the first time in the history of Bihar,a scheduled Assembly session was postponed for the wedding of Rajak. [10] The decision was reportedly taken on the request of Vikash Verma,who stated that the wedding date,set by the bride’s family,could not be changed,referring to a remark attributed to Lalu Prasad Yadav that dates fixed by the girl’s side are never altered. [10]
Political career
Early political engagement
Rajak began his political journey through student activism and was actively involved in the JP (Jayaprakash Narayan) movement of 1974. [11]
Legislative tenure
He was first elected as MLA from the Phulwari Sharif constituency (a reserved Dalit seat) in 1995,representing RJD. [11] Rajak went on to secure reelection in 2000,February 2005,and November 2005. [12]
In the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election,Shyam Rajak contested from the Phulwarisharif (SC) constituency on a Janata Dal (United) (JDU) ticket. [13] He defeated the incumbent MLA,Gopal Ravidas of the CPI (ML) Liberation,by a margin of 32,657 votes. Rajak obtained 126,470 votes,corresponding to 49.18% of the total. [13]
Ministerial roles
Under the RJD government led by Rabri Devi,Rajak served as Minister of State for Energy,Public Relations,and Law. [14] He later switched allegiance to JD(U) in 2009 and within the Nitish Kumar-led government (2010–2015),he held the portfolio of Minister for Food and Consumer Protection. [15] [16] Thereafter,he served as Cabinet Minister for Industries from 2019 to 2020. [17] Additionally,in February 2016 he was appointed Deputy Leader of the House in the Bihar Legislative Assembly. [18]
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