A. K. Antony

{{Short description|23rd Defence Minister Of India And Former Chief Minister of Kerala}}

{{Use Indian English|date=July 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = A. K. Antony

| image = AK Antony at Ponnani.jpg

| caption = A. K. Antony in 2009

| office7 = Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha

| term_start7 = 2005

| term_end7 = 2022

| constituency7 = Kerala

| term_start8 = 1985

| term_end8 = 1995

| constituency8 = Kerala

| office1 = 23rd Union Minister of Defence

| primeminister1 = Manmohan Singh

| term_start1 = 26 October 2006

| term_end1 = 26 May 2014

| predecessor1 = Pranab Mukherjee

| successor1 = Arun Jaitley

| office6 = Union Minister Of Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution

| term_start6 = 18 January 1993

| term_end6 = 8 February 1995

| primeminister6 = P. V. Narasimha Rao

| predecessor6 = P. V. Narasimha Rao

| successor6 = Buta Singh

| office2 = Chief Minister of Kerala

| term_start2 = 17 May 2001

| term_end2 = 29 August 2004

| predecessor2 = E. K. Nayanar

| successor2 = Oommen Chandy

| term_start3 = 22 March 1995

| term_end3 = 9 May 1996

| predecessor3 = K. Karunakaran

| successor3 = E. K. Nayanar

| term_start4 = 27 April 1977

| term_end4 = 27 October 1978

| predecessor4 = K. Karunakaran

| successor4 = P. K. Vasudevan Nair

| office5 = Leader of Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly

| term_start5 = 20 May 1996

| term_end5 = 13 May 2001

| predecessor5 = V. S. Achuthanandan

| successor5 = V. S. Achuthanandan

| office9 = Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly

| term_start9 = 1996

| term_end9 = 2005

| constituency9 = Cherthala

| term_start10 = {{Start date|1995|df=yes}}

| term_end10 = {{end date|1996|df=yes}}

| constituency10 = Tirurangadi

| term_start11 = {{Start date|1977|df=yes}}

| term_end11 = {{end date|1979|df=yes}}

| constituency11 = Kazhakootam

| term_start12 = {{Start date|1970|df=yes}}

| term_end12 = {{end date|1977|df=yes}}

| constituency12 = Cherthala

| office13 = President of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee

| predecessor13 = C. V. Padmarajan

| successor13 = Vayalar Ravi

| term_start13 = 1987

| term_end13 = 1992

| predecessor14 = K.K. Viswanathan

| successor14 = S. Varadarajan Nair

| term_start14 = 1972

| term_end14 = 1977

| birthname = Arackaparambil Kurien Antony

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1940|12|28|df=y}}

| birth_place = Cherthala, Travancore
(present day Alappuzha district, Kerala, India)

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Indian National Congress {{small|(Before 1978; 1982–present)}}
Indian National Congress-Urs {{small|(1978–1980)}}
Indian National Congress-A {{small|(1980–1982)}}

| nationality = Indian

| spouse = Elizabeth Antony

| children = Anil K Antony
Ajith Antony

| alma_mater = Maharaja's College, Ernakulam
Government Law College, Ernakulam

}}

{{Indian name|Antony|Arackaparambil Kurien}}Arackaparambil Kurien Antony (born 28 December 1940) is an Indian lawyer, attorney and statesman who served as the Minister of Defence of India from 2006 to 2014,{{cite web|url=http://pmindia.nic.in/pmsteam.php |title=Archive: The Cabinet of India (2012) : The Team of the Prime Minister of India |access-date=2012-10-29 |publisher=Prime Minister's Office |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919095354/http://pmindia.nic.in/pmsteam.php |archive-date=19 September 2012}} making him the longest serving Defence Minister in India.{{efn|AK Antony served as Dence Minister of India from year 2006 to year 2014.}} He previously served as the 6th Chief Minister of Kerala from 1977 to 1978, 1995 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2004.{{cite web|title=Indian National Congress nominates AK Antony for Rajya Sabha election from Kerala|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/congress-nominates-ak-antony-for-rajya-sabha-election-from-kerala/|publisher=Indian Express Limited|access-date=2016-09-12}} He currently serves as the Chairman of the Disciplinary Action Committee of the All India Congress Committee,{{cite web|title=Congress asks members to not make comments inconsistent with party stand|date=27 July 2016|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/congress-comments-inconsistent-with-party-stand-ak-antony-digvihay-singh-p-chidambaram-kashmir-afspa-rajya-sabha-lok-sabha-2939241/|publisher=Indian Express Limited|access-date=2020-05-16}}{{cite web|title=Antony to head Cong's Disciplinary Action Committee|url=https://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/antony-to-head-congs-disciplinary-action-committee_306979.html|publisher=Zee News|access-date=2020-05-16}} Congress Working Committee,{{Cite web|url=http://www.inc.in/organization/2/Congress-Working-Committee|title=Our Organisation|date=2017-05-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170513090756/http://www.inc.in/organization/2/Congress-Working-Committee|archive-date=2017-05-13|access-date=2018-03-19}} and member of the Congress Core Group and Central Election Committee.

He has thrice served as Chief Minister of Kerala and remains as the youngest leader to assume the office at the age of 36. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 1996 to 2001. He also held the portfolio of Civil Supplies from 1993 to 1995. Additionally, he also served as Treasurer of All India Congress Committee from 1994 to 1995.

He served as a Member of the Rajya Sabha from 1985 to 1995 and again from 2005 to 2022. He was also elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly on five occasions from the constituencies of Cherthala (1970, 1996 and 2001), Kazhakootam (1977) and Tirurangadi (1995).

Early life and education

A. K. Antony was born{{Cite news |title=Know your ministers: A.K. Antony |url=https://m.timesofindia.com/quickiearticleshow/msid-4569242.cms |access-date=8 November 2022 |archive-date=8 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108142633/https://m.timesofindia.com/quickiearticleshow/msid-4569242.cms |url-status=dead }} at Cherthala, near Alleppey in Travancore{{cite web|url=https://www.mapsofindia.com/who-is-who/government-politics/a-k-antony.html|title= AK Antony|website=www.mapsofindia.com|access-date=2019-11-20}} as the son of Arackaparambil Kurien Pillai and Aleykutty Kurian.{{cite web|title=Antony pays respects to his mother on her anniversary in 2009|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article48129.ece|work=The Hindu|access-date=2012-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331232353/http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article48129.ece |archive-date=2012-03-31}} His father died in 1959 and Antony self-financed part of his education through odd jobs.{{Cite web|url=http://m.timesofindia.com/quickiearticleshow/msid-4569242.cms|title=The Times of India on Mobile|website=The Times of India|date=2012-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626221733/http://m.timesofindia.com/quickiearticleshow/msid-4569242.cms|archive-date=2012-06-26|access-date=2018-03-19}}

Antony completed his primary education at Holy Family Boys High school (Lower primary) and Government Boys High school (Upper primary), Cherthala{{Efn|Both are mixed higher secondary schools now and the latter has changed its name to Sree Narayana Memorial Government Higher Secondary school|name=|group=}} and completed his Bachelor of Arts from Maharaja's College, Ernakulam and Bachelor of Law from Government Law College, Ernakulam.{{cite web|title=Antony Takes Over as Defence Minister|url=http://mod.nic.in/samachar/nov1-06/h1.htm|publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=2012-11-28|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504125639/http://mod.nic.in/samachar/nov1-06/h1.htm|archive-date=4 May 2012}}

Political career

Antony entered politics as a student leader in Cherthala Taluk (Alappuzha District) as an activist of the Kerala Students Union under the guidance of M. A. John.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110225111959/http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/23/stories/2011022358170600.htm M. A. John, Congress leader, passes away], The Hindu, 23 February 2011. He has been an active leader of many strikes like Oru Ana Samaram (Single Penny Strike). He became the youngest president of Kerala Students Union in 1966{{cite web|title=Antony: Mr Clean of Indian politics sworn in as Cabinet Minister|url= http://www.whereincity.com/news/3/9998 |access-date=2012-02-15}} and also served in the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) before becoming an All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary in 1984. When he became KPCC president in 1972, he was the youngest person to hold that post. He was elected again as KPCC president in 1987, and was defeated by Vayalar Ravi in the KPCC presidential elections in 1991.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

class="sortable wikitable"
|Election

! |Constituency

! |Result

! |Majority

1970

|Cherthala

|{{yes2|Won}}

360
1977

|Kazhakootam

|{{yes2|Won}}

8669
1995

|Tirurangadi

|{{yes2|Won}}

22269
1996

|Cherthala

|{{yes2|Won}}

8385
2001

|Cherthala

|{{yes2|Won}}

6860

=Congress politics and party faction=

Antony founded the Congress (A) political party when he split from the Indian National Congress (Urs), a splinter group of the Indian National Congress The party was primarily active in Kerala and joined the LDF ministry headed by E. K. Nayanar during 1980–1982. After the fall of the Nayanar ministry, the party merged with the Congress in 1982,{{Cite web|date=October 9, 2013|title=Congress(I) leader Karunakaran sworn in as Kerala CM|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19820615-congressi-leader-karunakaran-sworn-in-as-kerala-cm-772555-2013-10-09|access-date=2020-09-08|website=India Today|language=en}} but Antony was not given any office until the death of Indira Gandhi. The members of the party have continued as a faction in the local congress afterwards.{{Cite web|date=December 12, 2003|title=Cong factions deny seeking Antony's removal|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Cong-factions-deny-seeking-Antonys-removal/articleshow/353870.cms|access-date=2020-09-08|website=The Times of India|language=en}}

Chief Minister of Kerala

{{See also|First A. K. Antony ministry|Second A. K. Antony ministry|Third A. K. Antony ministry}}

Following accusations in the Rajan case, K. Karunakaran resigned and Antony, the state Congress president was appointed as the sixth Chief Minister of Kerala,{{cite web|title=A Hamlet For Delhi: Antony|url= http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?280396 |publisher=Outlook |access-date=2012-04-04}} on 27 April 1977 becoming the youngest Chief Minister of the state{{cite web|title=Brief Profile: AK Antony|url= http://ibnlive.in.com/news/profile-ak-antony/24656-4-2.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140329010441/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/profile-ak-antony/24656-4-2.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 2014-03-29 |publisher=CNN-IBN |access-date=2012-03-23}} at the age of 36. Antony subsequently contested a by-election from Kazhakuttam constituency in Thiruvananthapuram as he was not a member of the assembly and won by healthy margin of over 8 thousand votes. However, differences of opinion with Indira Gandhi and Karunakaran, especially over the emergency soon cropped up, leading to a fracture in the state Congress legislature party, with the two factions being led by Antony and Karunakaran respectively. Eventually, exactly one and half years after he had been sworn in as Chief Minister, he resigned from the post as well as the Congress party following its decision to field Indira Gandhi as the candidate in the by-election in Chikmagalur, Karnataka.{{Cite news |last=Merchant |first=Minhaz |author-link=Minhaz Merchant |date=30 November 1978 |title=A.K. Antony resigns as chief minister of Kerala |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19781130-ak-antony-congress-janata-party-indira-gandhi-823410-2014-04-07 |access-date=28 April 2024 |work=India Today}}

Antony had to wait for over 15 years before becoming Chief Minister for a second term; again, on the back of Karunakaran's resignation this time over the controversial ISRO spy case. On 22 March 1995, after a week-long deadlock, Antony was sworn in as Chief Minister, despite stiff opposition from Karunakaran. This term also lasted only one year before the United Democratic Front led by Antony narrowly lost the assembly elections in May 1996. Thereafter, Antony served as Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 1996 to 2001.

In 2001, Antony led the United Democratic Front to a historic victory of 100 seats, with the Congress party winning its largest share of seats in the state assembly. On 17 May 2001, a triumphant Antony was sworn in as Chief Minister; for the first time, he was already serving as an MLA before taking the mantle of Chief Ministership.

However, his third term was extremely rocky and unstable, with Karunakaran refusing to cooperate with him and trying every tactic to overthrow him from office. This led to an erosion of public support as well as credibility. By the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress was a badly divided house and Antony had the disgrace of leading the party to its worst electoral performance since 1967. The final nail on the coffin was the defeat of K. Muraleedharan, the Electricity Minister in Antony's cabinet (incidentally Karunakaran's son) in the Wadakkanchery by-election, a seat widely perceived to be a Congress bastion. with his back on the wall, Antony had no option but to resign as Chief Minister. He was succeeded by his close confidante, Oommen Chandy.

It was at Antony's behest that the decision to construct the new Legislature Complex was taken in 1977. During his tenure, he introduced the Unemployment Allowance, Festival Allowance for the State Employees, Prohibition of Arrack and the steps initiated to revive the economy of Kerala.{{cite web |url=http://niyamasabha.org/codes/Chief%20Ministers%20Book%20Final.pdf |title= Chief Ministers, Ministers and Leaders of Opposition in Kerala: Biographical Sketches and other data |date= 26 February 2011 |publisher=Niyamasabha |access-date=2011-12-14}} Several initiatives were taken in the fields of Higher education, science & technology, Biotechnology (including the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology at Thiruvananthapuram), and Information technology, under his ministries.{{Cite book|title=Chief Ministers, Ministers, and Leaders of Opposition of Kerala|last=|publisher=Secratriat of Kerala Legislature|year=2018|location=Thiruvananthapuram|pages=24|url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/14kla/chief%20ministers,%20ministers,%20leaders%20of%20opposition.pdf}}

File:The Chief Minister of Kerala Shri A.K Antony calls on the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on June 19, 2004.jpg Manmohan Singh in June 2004]]

It was also under his rule that the Kannur University was inaugurated by bifurcating the University of Calicut. The University of Sanskrit was founded in 1994.{{Cite news|last=Madampat|first=Shajahan|date=2019-04-11|title=The importance of IUML|work=The Indian Express|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/indian-union-muslim-league-yogi-rahul-gandhi-wayanad-elections-2019-5669399/|url-status=live|access-date=2020-06-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612120000/https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/indian-union-muslim-league-yogi-rahul-gandhi-wayanad-elections-2019-5669399/|archive-date=2020-06-12}} The Indian Institute of Management and the National Institute of Technology at Kozhikode were established in the years 1996 and 2002 respectively.{{cite web |title=IIMK - Growth History |url=http://www.iimk.ac.in/iimk/growthhistory.php?page=2 |website=iimk.ac.in |access-date=20 May 2021 |archive-date=2 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102223513/https://www.iimk.ac.in/iimk/growthhistory.php?page=2 |url-status=dead }} The Akshaya project was implemented in 2002 by providing E-literacy to the people those who haven't it and opening Akshaya centres in the remote rural areas of the state, thus ensuring Internet availability all over the state, aiming to make Kerala the first complete E-literate state of India.{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Log-on-to-Indias-first-e-district/articleshow/818786.cms |website=The Times of India |title= The first E-literate district of India |date=18 August 2004 |access-date= 3 July 2020}} Several initiatives were taken in the fields of Higher education, science & technology, Biotechnology, and Information technology, under his ministries. The Infopark at Kochi was established in the year 2004.{{Cite news|title=Kochi to turn into a job park|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2017/jan/19/kochi-to-turn-into-a-job-park-1561046.html|last=|date=19 January 2017|work=The New Indian Express}} The IT@school project and introduction of Information Technology in school level were initiated in 2001 by Third Antony ministry, making Kerala the first Indian state to do so.{{Cite news|title=Kerala's 'IT@school' project now a government company 'KITE', CM Vijayan launches logo|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/education/keralas-itschool-project-now-a-government-company-kite-cm-pinarayi-vijayan-launches-logo-4785993/|date=7 August 2017|work=The Indian Express}}

Antony carried out Asian Development Bank aided "Modernisation of Government Plan". He also liberalised education by allowing several private engineering and medical colleges to open in Kerala and championed the state as an investment destination.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} He also ordered the closure of the Kerala Coca-Cola plant in 2004 citing drought and the non-availability of drinking water.{{Cite web|last=Konikkara|first=Aathira|title=Nearly 15 years after Coca Cola plant shut down, Plachimada's fight for Rs 216 crore in compensation continues|url=https://caravanmagazine.in/communities/coca-cola-plachimada|access-date=2020-09-08|website=The Caravan|language=en}}

Government offices

{{wikinews|PM reshuffles Cabinet, Pranab Mukherjee is new Indian Foreign minister}}

File:A. K. Antony presenting a copy of 'Sainik Samachar' to Marshal of the Air Force, Arjan Singh.jpg Arjan Singh to mark the centenary celebrations of the Armed Forces' journal 'Sainik Samachar', in New Delhi in 2009]]

=Union Minister for Civil Supplies=

{{See also|Rao ministry}}

Antony was a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha between 1993 and 1995 and was the Minister for Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution for a year in 1994 during the tenure of Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao. He resigned on moral grounds as food minister in 1994 when his ministry was involved in a sugar import scandal, despite there being no allegations against him.[http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/politics/possible-successors-to-manmohan-singh_527957.html: No allegations against AK Antony in Sugar import scandal: Possible successors to Manmohan Singh] CNBC – 27 May 2009

=Union Minister for Defence=

{{See also|First ministry of Manmohan Singh|Second ministry of Manmohan Singh}}

{{main|Indian MRCA competition}}

File:C-130J IAF Induction.jpg Norton Schwartz presenting a model of the C-130J Super Hercules in 2011]]

File:120606-D-BW835-226 (7344433376).jpg Leon Panetta in 2012]]

File:A. K. Antony and the Three Service Chiefs, General V.K. Singh, Admiral Nirmal Verma and Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik after paying tributes at the Amar Jawan Jyoti to mark Vijay Diwas.jpg, Admiral Nirmal Verma and Air Chief Marshal P. V. Naik at the Amar Jawan Jyoti to mark Vijay Diwas, 39th anniversary of the victory day of the 1971 India-Pakistan war in New Delhi in 2010]]

In 2005, Antony entered the Rajya Sabha and was inducted into the Union Council of Ministers as Defence Minister following Natwar Singh's expulsion from the Congress and Pranab Mukherjee's transfer to the Ministry of External Affairs. After the Congress again won the elections in 2009 and formed the government once again under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Antony retained the portfolio of Defence for the second term becoming the longest-serving Defence Minister of India in a continuous stint for 8 years.{{cite web|title=AK Antony becomes the longest serving Defence Minister of India at a stretch|url=http://dailypioneer.com/nation/66396-antony-longest-at-helm-of-def-min-at-a-stretch.html|publisher=The Pioneer|access-date=2012-05-19}}{{cite web|title=AK Antony becomes the longest continuously serving Defence Minister|url=http://newindianexpress.com/nation/article525086.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413125308/http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/article525086.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 April 2014|publisher=The New Indian Express|access-date=2012-05-19}} His "Buy and Make Indian" campaign saw the cancellation of billion of dollars in purchases of foreign arms, while at the same time stunting domestic production by restricting investments.{{Cite news|last=Joshi|first=Manoj|date=2013-05-14|title=India's defence needs FDI|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/indias-defence-needs-fdi/article4712277.ece|access-date=2020-09-08|issn=0971-751X}}

=Other positions=

He held the post of Chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata (2012 to 2014), President of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses and Chancellor of Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (2006 to 2014).{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

=Political party role=

In the Manmohan Singh Cabinet, Antony was the senior member of the Cabinet Committees on Accommodation, Economic Affairs, Parliamentary Affairs, Political Affairs, and Security.{{cite web |url=http://cabsec.nic.in/files/allocation/cabinet_committees.pdf|title= Composition and Functions of the Federal Cabinet Committees (as on August 8, 2012) |date= 8 August 2012 |publisher=Cabinet Secretariat |access-date=2012-08-14}}

He is considered as political guru of Rahul Gandhi.{{cite web|title=I consider AK Antony as my guru, says Rahul Gandhi|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/i-consider-ak-antony-as-my-guru-says-rahul-gandhi/1/272561.html|work=India Today|access-date=2016-02-11}}

Antony's political skills and long experience in government have also led him to heading a large number of committees of Ministers in the government, a device that has been employed to obtain consensus within the members of the governing coalition on contentious issues.{{cite web|title=Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India|url=http://cabsec.nic.in/|access-date=2012-05-01}}{{cite web|title=P Chidambaram, A K Antony & Sharad Pawar get wider EGoM roles after Pranab Mukherjee's exit|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/p-chidambaram-a-k-antony-sharad-pawar-get-wider-egom-roles-after-pranab-mukherjees-exit/articleshow/15113545.cms|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2012-07-24}}

class="wikitable center"
GoMEGoM
Location of National War MemorialSpectrum Allocation
Reports of Administrative Reforms CommissionGas Pricing and Commercial Utilisation
CorruptionUltra Mega Power Projects
Recommendations with regard to Commonwealth GamesMass Rapid Transit System

Issues

=Civil Services reform=

In order to professionalise the Civil Services, Antony led the decision on creation of a Central Civil Services Authority (CCSA) to oversee the higher bureaucracy.{{cite web|title=Antony's CCSA plan rattles babus|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=660268|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131040859/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=660268|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-01-31|publisher=The New Indian Express|access-date=2015-08-13}}{{cite web|title=St. Antony's glasnost move spooks babudom|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/article1427397.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304232457/http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/article1427397.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 March 2016|publisher=The New Indian Express |access-date=2015-08-13}}

=Impeachment of Chief Justice of India=

{{main|2018 Supreme Court of India crisis}}

In 2018, Antony is one of the signatories{{cite web|title=Impeachment: The Pawar Factor|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/report/impeachment-the-pawar-factor/20180421.htm|publisher=Rediffmail |access-date=2018-04-23}}{{cite web|title=Manmohan, Chidambaram not among signatories to impeachment notice against CJI|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/manmohan-chidambaram-not-among-signatories-to-impeachment-notice-against-cji-118042001235_1.html|work=Business Standard|access-date=2018-04-23}} to impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.

Public image

Antony is known for his incorruptible record and simple personal life{{cite web|title='Mr Clean', Antony Has Been the Trouble Shooter|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=660268|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131040859/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=660268|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-01-31|work=Outlook|access-date=2012-03-23}}{{cite web|title=Here comes Saint Antony|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/blogs/rradhakrishnannair/3202/63319/here-comes-saint-antony.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330210701/http://ibnlive.in.com/blogs/rradhakrishnannair/3202/63319/here-comes-saint-antony.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-03-30|publisher=CNN-IBN|access-date=2012-03-28}} and his intolerance towards corruption in public life.{{cite web|title= All is not well at South Block, still |url= http://in.news.yahoo.com/not-well-south-block-still-124147313.html |publisher=Yahoo! News|access-date=2012-07-13}}{{cite web|title= For the larger good, let bad blood spill |url= http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/item/51344-for-the-larger-good-let-bad-blood-spill.html |publisher=The Pioneer|access-date=2012-04-23}}{{cite news|last=Paul|first=Cithara|title=Come 2014, Antony may pip Manmohan in PM race|url=http://newindianexpress.com/nation/Come-2014-Antony-may-pip-Manmohan-in-PM-race/2013/05/26/article1605997.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130706013848/http://newindianexpress.com/nation/Come-2014-Antony-may-pip-Manmohan-in-PM-race/2013/05/26/article1605997.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 July 2013|access-date=2013-05-26|newspaper=The New Indian Express|date=26 May 2013}} He was ranked among the top 10 Most Powerful Indians for the year 2012 by The Indian Express.{{cite web|title=Top 10: The most powerful Indians in 2012|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-most-powerful-indians-in-2012-no.-110/916161/0|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2012-02-15}}

10th Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee admired Antony for his simplicity, gentleness and his zeal for reforms and change as a way to ensure acceleration of Kerala's all-round development.{{cite web|title=Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Inaugural Speech at the Global Investor Meet|url=http://archivepmo.nic.in/abv/speech-details.php?nodeid=9006|publisher=Prime Minister of India, Archived Division|access-date=4 April 2017}}

After Pranab Mukherjee was nominated for the 2012 President of India election, Antony was placed as the second-in-command after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Cabinet of India.{{cite web|title=It's official, Antony is No. 2 in UPA-II|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/its-official-antony-is-no.-2-in-upaii/973861/|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2012-07-13}}

Leaked diplomatic cables said Antony was one of the only two leaders, the other being P. R. Dasmunsi, who criticised Sanjay Gandhi during the 1976 AICC session in Guwahati during Emergency when the latter's political standing was on the rise, asking "what sacrifices he has made for the party or the country".{{cite web|title=A K Antony refused to support Sanjay Gandhi: WikiLeaks|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/A-K-Antony-refused-to-support-Sanjay-Gandhi-WikiLeaks/articleshow/19457539.cms|work=The Times of India|access-date=2016-02-11}}

Personal life

File:India's defence minister votes - Flickr - Al Jazeera English.jpg, Kerala in 2009]]

Antony is married to Elizabeth who is a Kerala High Court lawyer{{cite web|title=Resul Pookutty and Elizabeth Antony enroll as lawyers at Kerala High Court|url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/south/resul-pookutty-elizabeth-antony-enroll-lawyers-284|access-date=2014-02-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512040020/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/south/resul-pookutty-elizabeth-antony-enroll-lawyers-284|archive-date=12 May 2012}} and is the founder of the Navoothan Charitable Foundation.{{cite web|title=Navoothan Charitable Foundation|url=http://navoothan.org/|access-date=22 March 2017}} They have two sons.{{cite web|title=Stanford University Degree Conferral Candidates : 2008‐2009 Winter|url=http://facultysenate.stanford.edu/2008_2009/reports/SenD6202_degree_cand_wntr_08_09.pdf|access-date=2012-02-12|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804031228/http://facultysenate.stanford.edu/2008_2009/reports/SenD6202_degree_cand_wntr_08_09.pdf|archive-date=4 August 2011}}{{cite web|title=Ajith Paul Antony, younger son to debut in films|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/105378/ak-antonys-son-debut-films.html|access-date=2012-02-12}} In April 2023, his son Anil Antony joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.{{Cite web |title=Anil Antony, Congress Veteran AK Antony's Son, Joins BJP |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/anil-antony-veteran-congress-leader-ak-antonys-son-to-join-bjp-3925614 |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=NDTV.com}} Antony identifies himself as an atheist.{{cite book |title=On India: Self-image and Counter-image|last=Balslev |first=Anindita N.|year=2013 |publisher=SAGE Publications India, 2013|isbn=9788132116592}}

Honours

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"
YearNameAwarding organisationRef.
2008

| Malayali of the Year 2007 Award.

| Asianet.

|{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/09/stories/2008020961420300.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080213211013/http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/09/stories/2008020961420300.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-02-13 |title=Asianet Malayali of the Year 2007 award presented to A.K. Antony |work=The Hindu |access-date=2012-03-28}}

See also

References

{{wikinews|World's defense chiefs meet in Singapore}}

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

Notes

{{notelist}}

Further reading

  • {{Cite book|author=Swarup, Harihar|date=2010|title=Power Profiles|publisher=Har Anand Publications|isbn=9788124115251}}
  • {{Cite book|author=Bohlken, Anjali Thomas|date=2016|title=Democratization from Above: The Logic of Local Democracy in the Developing World|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9781107128873}}
  • {{Citation|title=Chief Ministers, Ministers, and Leaders of Opposition of Kerala|last=|publisher=Secratriat of Kerala Legislature|year=2018|location=Thiruvananthapuram|url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/14kla/chief%20ministers,%20ministers,%20leaders%20of%20opposition.pdf}}.