Rajnath Singh ()(; born 10 July 1951) is an Indian politician serving as the Defence Minister of India. He is the former President of Bharatiya Janata Party. He has previously served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and as a Cabinet Minister in the Vajpayee Government. He was the Home Minister in the First Modi Ministry. He has also served as the President of the BJP twice i.e. 2005 to 2009 and 2013 to 2014. He is a veteran leader of the BJP who started his career as a RSS Swayamsevak. He is an advocate of the party's Hindutva ideology. He has also served the party in the Uttar Pradesh state from where he stated his political career as a youth leader. He was also the minister of Road Transport and Highways and Agriculture under premiership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.