Senior BJP politician Nitin Gadkari, popularly known as the ‘Highway Man of India’, is known for his energetic approach to any task he undertakes.

The 67-year-old politician from Nagpur in Maharashtra is the longest-serving Minister for Road Transport and Highways, having held the post in the last two Narendra Modi governments.

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Gadkari is responsible for the construction of over 90,000 kilometers of national highways and 30,000 kilometers of new roads in the country in the last decade.

In an interview with PTI earlier this year, the senior BJP politician said he wanted to help people even in the smallest way and continue to work for them to bring about a positive change in their lives.

The former BJP leader, who is closely associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, won three consecutive elections from the Lok Sabha constituency in Nagpur, where the RSS headquarters are also located.

On Sunday, he was inducted as a cabinet minister in the NDA government.

Gadkari's foray into national politics came with his appointment as BJP chief in 2009.

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Since making his debut in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Nagpur and becoming a central government minister, Gadkari has handled numerous portfolios including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.

Since taking office as minister, Gadkari has kept a low political profile and concentrated on his duties.

From 1989 to 2014, he was a member of the Maharashtra State Legislative Council representing the Nagpur Graduates constituency. In 1995, he was made a Minister of State for the first time and headed the Public Works Department (PWD).

During this period, he campaigned for the construction of all-weather roads in the state and worked to curb the problem of malnutrition in the Melghat area of ​​Vidarbha region.

During his tenure as Minister of State, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and 54 flyovers were built in the capital of Maharashtra.

The Bandra-Worli sea link was also conceived during Gadkari’s tenure as Public Works Minister.

The greenfield expressway projects under Phase 1 of Bharatmala Pariyojana are currently at various stages of completion in the country.