Few politicians in Punjab today carry as many roles at once as Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar a qualified radiologist, sitting MLA from Amritsar South, former cabinet minister, and the current president of one of Sikhism’s oldest charitable institutions, the Chief Khalsa Diwan. Elected on an Aam Aadmi Party ticket in 2022, he has become one of the more distinct figures in Punjab’s 16th Legislative Assembly, blending medical credibility with grassroots political work.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Biography, Wiki
| Field | Details |
| Full Name | Inderbir Singh Nijjar |
| Date of Birth | Around 1956 (exact date not publicly confirmed) |
| Age (2026) | Approximately 69–70 years |
| Birthplace | Ajnala, Amritsar district, Punjab, India |
| Hometown | Amritsar, Punjab |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Sikh |
| Caste or Community | Punjabi Sikh |
| Zodiac Sign | Not publicly confirmed |
| Height | Not publicly confirmed |
| Weight | Not publicly confirmed |
| Eye Colour | Not publicly confirmed |
| Hair Colour | Not publicly confirmed |
| Profession | Politician, Radiologist |
| Known For | MLA Amritsar South (AAP), former Punjab Cabinet Minister, President of Chief Khalsa Diwan |
| Father’s Name | Darshan Singh (science teacher) |
| Mother’s Name | Not publicly confirmed |
| Siblings | Not publicly confirmed |
| Marital Status | Not publicly confirmed |
| Spouse | Not publicly confirmed |
| Children | Not publicly confirmed |
| School | Not publicly confirmed |
| College / University | University of Jammu and Kashmir; Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar |
| Degree / Qualification | MBBS (1980); MD in Radiodiagnosis (1988) |
| Political Party | Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) |
| Current Position | MLA, Amritsar South; President, Chief Khalsa Diwan |
| Net Worth (estimated) | Declared assets of Rs. 36 crore (approx.) as of 2022 election affidavit |
| Monthly Income (estimated) | Not publicly confirmed |
| Twitter/X | Not publicly confirmed |
| Not publicly confirmed | |
| Not publicly confirmed | |
| YouTube | Not publicly confirmed |
| Official Website | Not publicly confirmed |
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Election History
| Year | Constituency | Party | Result | Votes | Vote Share | Notes |
| 2017 | Amritsar South | AAP | Lost | 24,923 | 26.70% | Lost to Congress incumbent Inderbir Singh Bolaria |
| 2022 | Amritsar South | AAP | Won | 53,053 | 50.10% | Won by a margin of 27,503 votes |
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Events
| Year | Event |
| 1980 | Completed MBBS from University of Jammu and Kashmir |
| 1988 | Completed MD in Radiodiagnosis from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar |
| 1995 | Founded / began operating Nijjar Scans and Diagnostic Centre, Amritsar |
| 2016 | Nominated as AAP candidate for Amritsar South for the 2017 elections |
| 2017 | Contested Punjab Assembly elections; lost to Congress candidate |
| 2019 | Appointed chairperson of AAP Punjab Disciplinary Committee |
| 2022 | Elected MLA from Amritsar South; appointed Protem Speaker of 16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha |
| May 2022 | Elected President of Chief Khalsa Diwan |
| July 2022 | Inducted into Punjab cabinet as Minister for Local Government, Parliamentary Affairs, Conservation of Land and Water, and Administrative Reforms |
| May 2023 | Resigned from Punjab cabinet citing personal reasons |
| February 2024 | Re-elected as President of Chief Khalsa Diwan |
| July 2025 | Appointed chairman of Punjab Assembly’s 15-member select committee on the anti-sacrilege bill |
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Early Life and Family
Roots in Ajnala shaped the man behind the stethoscope and the political podium. Inderbir Singh Nijjar was born around 1956 in Ajnala, a small town in the Amritsar district of Punjab, to Darshan Singh, a school science teacher. His early years were notably spent not with his parents but with his paternal aunt and her husband, an officer in the Indian Army, which gave him exposure to a disciplined, structured household from a young age.
This unusual upbringing in a military environment, far from the political corridors he would later inhabit, left a lasting imprint on his work ethic and sense of order.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Father
His father, Darshan Singh, was a science teacher, reflecting the family’s modest, education-oriented background rooted in rural Punjab. Nijjar has spoken of his upbringing with considerable humility, acknowledging the values instilled through both his father’s academic sensibility and the disciplined military household of his uncle.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Mother
His mother’s name is not publicly confirmed in any verified source.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Siblings and Family Background
Details about Nijjar’s siblings are not publicly confirmed. His family background is described as modest and middle-class, grounded in the educational and agrarian culture typical of rural Amritsar district during the mid-twentieth century.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Education
Inderbir Singh Nijjar pursued medicine at a time when it represented one of the most respected career paths for ambitious young men from Punjab. He completed his MBBS degree from the University of Jammu and Kashmir in December 1980, followed by a postgraduate MD in Radiodiagnosis from Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar in December 1988.
His specialisation in radiodiagnosis proved fundamental to a decades-long professional life as a radiologist and consultant sonologist in Amritsar before he eventually traded the clinical room for the legislative assembly.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Career
A career spanning medicine, politics, and Sikh institutional leadership makes Inderbir Singh Nijjar an unusual figure even by the standards of Punjab’s varied political class. He began as a radiologist, and over more than three decades built a well-known diagnostic practice in Amritsar before his frustration with Punjab’s governance system drew him toward the Aam Aadmi Party.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar as a Doctor and Radiologist
After completing his MD in 1988, Nijjar worked as a radiologist and consultant sonologist in Amritsar for over three decades. In 1995, he established Nijjar Scans and Diagnostic Centre on Court Road in Amritsar, which grew into one of the city’s prominent diagnostic facilities under his administrative direction. His specialisation was radiodiagnosis, and his clinical experience gave him a practical understanding of public health infrastructure that he later drew on in his political roles.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Entry into Politics
By August 2016, Nijjar received the AAP nomination for the Amritsar South constituency ahead of the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections. He cited political interference in policing and administration as the core reason for his shift from medicine to public life. In the 2017 contest, he polled 24,923 votes, placing second with approximately 27% of valid votes, but lost to the long-standing Congress incumbent Inderbir Singh Bolaria by a margin of 22,658 votes.
Despite that defeat, he remained active within AAP’s Punjab unit. By June 2019, he had been appointed chairperson of the AAP Punjab Disciplinary Committee, from which he analysed the party’s internal challenges, identifying weak organisational structures and unchecked personal ambitions among politicians as key reasons behind AAP’s setbacks in the state.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Political Journey and Elections
Inderbir Singh Nijjar’s political fortunes transformed in 2022 when AAP swept Punjab with a historic 92-seat majority in the 117-member Vidhan Sabha. He won the Amritsar South seat with 53,053 votes, accounting for 50.10% of the vote share, defeating SAD candidate Talbir Singh Gill by a commanding margin of 27,503 votes.
Protem Speaker and Early Recognition
Within days of the election results, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of Protem Speaker to Nijjar on March 16, 2022, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann present at the ceremony. In this role, he presided over the swearing-in of newly elected MLAs during the inaugural session of the 16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha, a constitutionally significant responsibility.
Cabinet Minister: Local Government and More
On July 5, 2022, Nijjar was inducted into the Bhagwant Mann cabinet as part of an expansion that brought five new ministers into government. He was assigned charge of four departments: Local Government, Parliamentary Affairs, Conservation of Land and Water, and Administrative Reforms.
As Local Government Minister, he announced allocations exceeding Rs 12 crore for beautification and development works in Amritsar, directed Rs 42 crore toward waste management upgrades in Ludhiana including portable compactor installations, and delegated change-of-land-use approval powers to municipal bodies to reduce administrative delays. He conducted surprise inspections at public service centres like Ludhiana’s Sewa Kendra, personally identifying backlogs in birth and death certificate processing. He also announced plans to build 25,000 houses for economically weaker sections of Punjab.
His tenure ended abruptly on May 31, 2023, when he resigned from the cabinet citing personal reasons. Reports in multiple outlets linked the resignation to a combination of factors: controversial public statements, including calling newspaper editor Barjinder Singh Hamdard a “chor” (thief), remarks during a media interaction referring to Punjabis as a “bewakoof kaum” (foolish community) over crop patterns for which he publicly apologised within hours, and speculation about internal AAP tensions over his growing independent profile.
Post-Ministerial Role
After resigning from the cabinet, Nijjar continued serving as MLA for Amritsar South. He remained engaged in local development, conducting site visits to water treatment plants and canal supply projects. In July 2025, Punjab Assembly Speaker appointed him to chair a 15-member select committee reviewing the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Bill, a significant legislative assignment dealing with anti-sacrilege provisions and proposed penalties of up to life imprisonment.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Religion and Community
What is Inderbir Singh Nijjar’s Religion
Inderbir Singh Nijjar is a Sikh. His faith is not merely biographical background but a central thread in his public life, connecting his political work to his leadership of one of Sikhism’s most prominent charitable organisations.
What is Inderbir Singh Nijjar’s Caste or Community
Nijjar belongs to the Punjabi Sikh community. Specific sub-caste details are not publicly confirmed in verified sources.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Personal Life and Relationships
Is Inderbir Singh Nijjar Married
Details about Inderbir Singh Nijjar’s marital status are not publicly confirmed in any verified source.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Wife
His spouse’s name is not publicly confirmed.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Children
Information about his children is not publicly verified in any credible public source.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Height, Weight and Physical Appearance
Inderbir Singh Nijjar’s height, weight, eye colour, and hair colour are not publicly confirmed in any verified source. Based on publicly available photographs, he presents a composed, professorial appearance consistent with his background as a senior medical practitioner and public official.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Net Worth and Earnings
Inderbir Singh Nijjar declared total financial assets of approximately Rs. 36,00,04,024 (roughly Rs. 36 crore) and financial liabilities of Rs. 40,02,069 in his 2022 election affidavit filed with the Election Commission of India. His primary income sources include his medical practice at Nijjar Scans and Diagnostic Centre in Amritsar, his salary and allowances as a sitting MLA, and past earnings from his cabinet ministerial role.
| Source | Estimated Amount |
| Declared total assets (2022 affidavit) | Rs. 36,00,04,024 |
| Declared liabilities (2022 affidavit) | Rs. 40,02,069 |
| MLA salary and allowances | As per Punjab government norms |
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Social Media
| Platform | Handle | Followers | Notes |
| Twitter/X | Not publicly confirmed | — | — |
| Not publicly confirmed | — | — | |
| Not publicly confirmed | — | — | |
| YouTube | Not publicly confirmed | — | — |
Nijjar does not maintain a prominently verified public social media presence based on available research. His public communications primarily occur through press statements, party channels, and official government releases.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar Controversies
“Bewakoof Kaum” Remark
During a media interaction in November 2022, Inderbir Singh Nijjar referred to Punjabis as a “bewakoof kaum” (foolish community) while urging farmers and landowners to diversify crops and move beyond water-intensive paddy and wheat cultivation. The remarks drew sharp criticism from farmer unions and opposition parties, who accused him of insulting Punjab’s agrarian identity. Nijjar issued a public video apology within hours, acknowledging the inappropriateness of the phrasing while reiterating the environmental urgency behind his message.
Remarks About Newspaper Editor
In early 2023, Nijjar publicly referred to Barjinder Singh Hamdard, editor-in-chief of the prominent Punjabi newspaper Ajit, as a “chor” (thief), triggering accusations of attacking press freedom. The incident was widely cited in media reports as one of the factors that contributed to his cabinet resignation in May 2023, alongside reported internal tensions within AAP over his growing independent profile.
Akal Takht Summons
In June 2025, the Akal Takht summoned the executive committee of the Chief Khalsa Diwan, including Nijjar as its president, over complaints that most members were not amritdhari (baptised Sikhs), which was alleged to be a violation of Sikh religious convention. Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh set a deadline of September 1, 2025, for members to undergo baptism or face removal from their posts. Nijjar affirmed the CKD’s deference to Akal Takht authority while defending the organisation’s compliance efforts.
Lesser Known Facts About Inderbir Singh Nijjar
- He spent a significant portion of his childhood living with his paternal aunt and her husband, an Indian Army officer, rather than with his parents, which gave his formative years an unexpectedly military character.
- Nijjar ran Nijjar Scans and Diagnostic Centre from Court Road in Amritsar for nearly three decades before formally entering electoral politics, making him one of the few sitting MLAs in Punjab with a long professional career outside government.
- He was the very first oath-taker in the 16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha in any formal capacity, having been sworn in as Protem Speaker before any minister or other MLA.
- When elected President of Chief Khalsa Diwan in May 2022, he secured 329 votes against his opponent’s 243 in a secret ballot election among the organisation’s managing committee members.
- He was re-elected to the Chief Khalsa Diwan presidency in February 2024 with 247 votes, defeating his rival Surinderjit Singh Pal who received 150 votes.
- The Chief Khalsa Diwan under his presidency oversees more than 50 educational institutions enrolling over 38,000 students, making his role there one of significant institutional weight beyond just ceremonial leadership.
- In July 2025, he was tasked with chairing Punjab’s select legislative committee on the anti-sacrilege bill, which received over 100 public submissions, placing him at the centre of one of the more sensitive legislative exercises in contemporary Punjab.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar stands today as a rare combination in Indian regional politics: a senior medical professional who traded clinical practice for legislative work in his sixties, won a high-profile urban seat on his second attempt, served as a cabinet minister, and simultaneously leads an institution that has served the Sikh community for over 120 years. His post-ministerial work in the Assembly and at the Chief Khalsa Diwan suggests a political figure whose influence has not diminished since leaving the cabinet.
Inderbir Singh Nijjar FAQ
Who is Inderbir Singh Nijjar?
Inderbir Singh Nijjar is an Indian politician and qualified radiologist who serves as the Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Amritsar South constituency in Punjab, representing the Aam Aadmi Party. He served as a Punjab cabinet minister from July 2022 to May 2023 and is the current president of the Chief Khalsa Diwan, a prominent Sikh charitable and educational organisation.
How old is Inderbir Singh Nijjar?
Inderbir Singh Nijjar was born around 1956, which places him at approximately 69 to 70 years of age in 2026. An exact date of birth has not been confirmed in publicly available verified sources.
What is Inderbir Singh Nijjar’s net worth?
As per his 2022 Punjab Assembly election affidavit filed with the Election Commission of India, Nijjar declared total financial assets of approximately Rs. 36 crore and liabilities of approximately Rs. 40 lakh.
Is Inderbir Singh Nijjar married?
Details about Inderbir Singh Nijjar’s marital status and spouse are not publicly confirmed in any verified source.
What is Inderbir Singh Nijjar’s religion?
Inderbir Singh Nijjar is a Sikh. His faith has been central to his public role, most notably through his leadership of the Chief Khalsa Diwan since 2022.
Who is Inderbir Singh Nijjar’s father?
His father is Darshan Singh, a school science teacher from Ajnala in the Amritsar district of Punjab.
What is Inderbir Singh Nijjar known for?
He is best known as the AAP MLA from Amritsar South, the first Protem Speaker of Punjab’s 16th Vidhan Sabha, former Punjab Cabinet Minister for Local Government, and president of the Chief Khalsa Diwan.
What constituency does Inderbir Singh Nijjar represent?
He represents the Amritsar South Assembly constituency in the Punjab Legislative Assembly under the Aam Aadmi Party banner. He first contested this seat in 2017 and won it in 2022.
What is the Chief Khalsa Diwan?
The Chief Khalsa Diwan is one of Punjab’s oldest Sikh religious and educational organisations, established in 1902. It operates over 50 institutions including schools, hospitals, and orphanages serving more than 38,000 students across Punjab. Nijjar was elected its president in May 2022 and re-elected in February 2024.
Why did Inderbir Singh Nijjar resign from the Punjab cabinet?
Nijjar resigned from the Punjab cabinet on May 31, 2023, officially citing personal reasons. Media reports widely linked the resignation to controversial public statements including remarks calling a newspaper editor a “chor” and earlier remarks describing Punjabis as a “bewakoof kaum” over farming practices, as well as reported tensions within AAP over his growing independent profile.
What is Inderbir Singh Nijjar’s educational qualification?
He holds an MBBS degree from the University of Jammu and Kashmir (1980) and an MD in Radiodiagnosis from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (1988).
What is the latest news about Inderbir Singh Nijjar?
As of mid-2026, Nijjar continues to serve as MLA for Amritsar South and as president of the Chief Khalsa Diwan. In July 2025, he was appointed chairman of a 15-member Punjab Assembly select committee reviewing the Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Bill, which deals with anti-sacrilege legislation and proposed penalties of up to life imprisonment for acts of sacrilege.
Sources
MyNeta Inderbir Singh Nijjar (AAP), Amritsar South, 2022 https://www.myneta.info/punjab2022/candidate.php?candidate_id=564
The Tribune Dr Nijjar is Pro tem Speaker https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/dr-nijjar-is-pro-tem-speaker-378418/
The Print AAP’s Inderbir Singh Nijjar takes oath as Protem Speaker https://theprint.in/politics/aaps-inderbir-singh-nijjar-takes-oath-as-protem-speaker-of-punjab-vidhan-sabha/876910/
The Tribune Inderbir Singh Nijjar elected as head of Chief Khalsa Diwan https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/inderbir-singh-nijjar-elected-as-head-of-chief-khalsa-diwan-393009/
The Tribune Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar re-elected Chief Khalsa Diwan chief https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/dr-nijjar-re-elected-ckd-chief-592259/
Business Standard Inderbir Nijjar resigns from Punjab cabinet https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/inderbir-nijjar-resigns-from-punjab-cabinet-two-new-mlas-to-be-sworn-in-123053100061_1.html
Indian Express Punjab Cabinet expansion: Anmol Gagan gets tourism; Indervir Nijjar local bodies https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/punjab-cabinet-expansion-anmol-gagan-gets-tourism-indervir-nijjar-local-bodies-chetan-singh-health-409731
Hindustan Times Akal Takht summons CKD panel over non-compliance of Sikh maryada https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/akal-takht-summons-ckd-panel-over-non-compliance-of-sikh-maryada-101750789778881.html
Economic Times Anti-sacrilege bill: Punjab Speaker forms 15-member select committee https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/anti-sacrilege-bill-punjab-speaker-forms-15-member-select-committee-led-by-inderbir-nijjar-to-consult-stakeholders/articleshow/122784688.cms