Well-educated politicians are a rare breed everywhere in the world, especially in India, and one of those rare gems is Ponguru Narayana aka P Narayana, an educationist-turned politician who was once a tuition teacher and today owns Hyderabad-based Narayana Group, which operates over 750 schools across the country
Born into a Telugu family on June 15, 1957 in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, Dr Ponguru Narayana or P Narayana, as he is fondly called, completed his early education in his hometown, before earning a Bachelors degree in mathematics and statistics from V. R. College in Nellore in 1977.
Later, Narayana completed his MSc. and PhD in statistics from the Sri Venkateswara University, and worked as a senior lecturer, before establishing the Narayana Group, which started from humble beginnings with just one coaching centre.
Today, the Narayana Group is ranked among the ten biggest school chains in India, having over 750 schools, colleges, and coaching centres spread across 23 states in the country, and employing over 50,000 teachers.
Dr P Narayana began his political journey in 2014 when he was elected as a Member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council by the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and served as the Minister for Municipal administration and Urban development & Urban Housing under the then and current Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
In 2024, P Narayana contested the Andhra Pradesh state elections from Nellore City constituency and emerged successful as the TDP-led NDA returned to power in the state.
Dr Narayana is currently serving as the Minister for Municipal administration and Urban development in the Chandrababu Naidu-led government.
In his mandatory affidavit for contesting the 2024 Assembly Elections, Dr Ponguru Naryana declared his total assets to be worth over Rs 496 crore, with liabilities of more than Rs 36 crore.
According to the affidavit, Dr Narayana owns movable assets worth Rs 55.7 crore and immovable assets worth around Rs 441 crore.
Dr Narayana is married to Ponguru Ramadevi. The couple have three children.
Who is P Narayana?
Born into a Telugu family on June 15, 1957 in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, Dr Ponguru Narayana or P Narayana, as he is fondly called, completed his early education in his hometown, before earning a Bachelors degree in mathematics and statistics from V. R. College in Nellore in 1977.
Later, Narayana completed his MSc. and PhD in statistics from the Sri Venkateswara University, and worked as a senior lecturer, before establishing the Narayana Group, which started from humble beginnings with just one coaching centre.
Today, the Narayana Group is ranked among the ten biggest school chains in India, having over 750 schools, colleges, and coaching centres spread across 23 states in the country, and employing over 50,000 teachers.
P Narayana political career
Dr P Narayana began his political journey in 2014 when he was elected as a Member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council by the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and served as the Minister for Municipal administration and Urban development & Urban Housing under the then and current Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
In 2024, P Narayana contested the Andhra Pradesh state elections from Nellore City constituency and emerged successful as the TDP-led NDA returned to power in the state.
Dr Narayana is currently serving as the Minister for Municipal administration and Urban development in the Chandrababu Naidu-led government.
P Narayana net worth
In his mandatory affidavit for contesting the 2024 Assembly Elections, Dr Ponguru Naryana declared his total assets to be worth over Rs 496 crore, with liabilities of more than Rs 36 crore.
According to the affidavit, Dr Narayana owns movable assets worth Rs 55.7 crore and immovable assets worth around Rs 441 crore.
Dr Narayana is married to Ponguru Ramadevi. The couple have three children.