Anurag Thakur is an Indian politician and cricket administrator from Himachal Pradesh. A member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he has represented the Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency in the Indian Parliament since 2008. He has held Union Cabinet portfolios in the Government of India and previously served as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He is also associated with first-class cricket, having briefly captained Himachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy.
| Full name | Anurag Singh Thakur |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 October 1974, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh |
| Father | Prem Kumar Dhumal (former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh) |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Constituency | Hamirpur (Lok Sabha) |
| In Parliament since | 2008 |
| Education | Doon Public School, Chandigarh; Punjab University |
| Cricket administration | President, BCCI (2016–2017); President, Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association |
| First-class cricket | Played for Himachal Pradesh; captained the side in a Ranji Trophy match |
Anurag Thakur was born on 24 October 1974 in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, into a politically prominent family. His father, Prem Kumar Dhumal, served two terms as Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. He completed his schooling at Doon Public School, Chandigarh, and his graduation from Doaba College affiliated with Punjab University.
Thakur entered Parliament in May 2008 by winning a by-election to the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat, vacated when his father became Chief Minister. He has since been re-elected from the same constituency in successive general elections (2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024).
Within the BJP, he has held organisational responsibilities, including service as national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the party's youth wing.
In the Union Council of Ministers led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Thakur served as Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs from 2019 to 2021. In the Cabinet reshuffle of July 2021, he was elevated to Cabinet rank and given charge of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, portfolios he held until 2024.
Thakur has been associated with the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) for many years and served as its president. Under his stewardship, the HPCA developed the international cricket stadium at Dharamshala.
He served as honorary secretary of the BCCI before being elected its president in May 2016. His tenure as BCCI president was cut short in January 2017 when the Supreme Court of India removed him in connection with the implementation of the Lodha Committee reforms in Indian cricket administration.
Thakur also briefly played first-class cricket, captaining Himachal Pradesh in a Ranji Trophy fixture, although his playing career was limited.
Thakur was commissioned as a Territorial Army officer, becoming one of the first sitting Members of Parliament to be inducted into the Territorial Army as a regular commissioned officer.
Anurag Thakur represents a generation of younger BJP leaders who combine electoral politics with sports administration and organisational work. His twin profile in Parliament and the BCCI placed him at the centre of debates around governance reform in Indian cricket, while his Cabinet tenure covered policy areas including media regulation, sports development and youth programmes such as Khelo India and the Fit India Movement.