His childhood nickname was “Munna” — and to his old friends, he still is. Not the Chief Minister, not the coalition negotiator, but the quiet boy from Bakhtiarpur who preferred books to people and routines to revelry. The name stuck longer than most of his alliances. Benjamin Franklin ostensibly said once: “There are only two certainities in life – death and taxes.” Little did he know, there’s a third: Nitish Kumar taking oath as Bihar Chief Minister. Since his first oath when he lasted seven days, Nitish Kumar has taken oath as Chief Minister a total of nine times (six times as part of NDA and thrice as part of MGB), which means that much like Thanos, the election result might be in doubt but the oath-taking is inevitable. But beyond the political endurance test lies a strangely fascinating man. Here are ten remarkable facts about Nitish Kumar: 1. The engineer who nearly quit politicsBefore he became the default CM of Bihar, Nitish Kumar was a mild-mannered engineer at the Bihar State Electricity Board. He lost his first two elections and, according to friends, seriously thought of abandoning politics for a business career. Patna’s voltage fluctuations may have been more predictable than Bihar’s politics, but he chose the chaos anyway.Election Results 2025Bihar election results: Bihar votes for ‘sushasan’; NDA cruising towards clean sweepBihar election results: Congress headed for one of its worst performancesBihar election results: NDA stuns MGB in Muslim dominated seats; JD(U) surgesBiharAlliance ViewiParty ViewSeats: 243L + WMajority: 122NDA0MGB0OTH0Leads + Wins: 243/243NDA LEADINGExperience Bihar Election Results in 3D A new interactive way to explore constituenciesSource: PValue2. “Munna” from BakhtiarpurHis childhood nickname was “Munna” — and to his old friends, he still is. Not the Chief Minister, not the coalition negotiator, but the quiet boy from Bakhtiarpur who preferred books to people and routines to revelry. The name stuck longer than some of his alliances.3. The no-dowry groomWhen Nitish married Manju Kumari Sinha in 1973, he insisted on a no-dowry wedding — a radical stand in small-town Bihar of the 70s. It created friction in the family but he didn’t budge. For a man famous for political flexibility, this was one moment where he refused to compromise.4. The wife who funded his first big campaignWhen he contested the 1985 Assembly election, Nitish didn’t have money. Manju did. The schoolteacher quietly handed him her savings — about ₹20,000 — to run his campaign. Bihar’s future CM was, in a very literal way, financed by a government-school payslip.5. Movie night with Amitabh BachchanNitish Kumar is a proper, unapologetic Bollywood buff. In 2011, he even hosted a special screening of Aarakshan in Patna with Amitabh Bachchan in attendance. Big B flew in, Nitish showed up, and for one evening Bihar’s chief minister swapped files for films. If you ever needed evidence that cinema runs deep in Bihar’s cultural bloodstream, that moment says it all.6. Teesri Kasam: his all-time favourite filmHis close circle swears that his absolute favourite film is Teesri Kasam, the Raj Kapoor–Waheeda Rehman classic. And here’s the very Nitish twist: when he became CM, he had the government screen Teesri Kasam across rural Bihar using mobile cinema vans — complete with breaks for welfare-scheme announcements. Only Nitish could turn a beloved art film into a governance tool, even if it led to a copyright dispute. 7. Mere Mehboob on loopThe man who projects industrial-corridor seriousness in public has watched Mere Mehboob so many times that it became a long-running college joke. He has always had a soft spot for old Hindi romance — the Urdu dialogues, the gentle longing, the quiet heroism. For someone accused of being emotionally opaque, his movie choices say otherwise.Mere Mehboob – Hindi Full Movie – Ashok Kumar, Rajendra Kumar8. Masala dosa socialistHis food habits are famously austere — vegetarian, simple, lightly spiced, almost monastic. But tucked inside that ascetic diet is one small rebellion: his fondness for masala dosa and vegetarian Indo-Chinese food. Journalists on campaign duty have spotted him at Patna’s classic South Indian restaurants, eating dosa. Even his indulgences are middle-class.9. The man with the wooden cotDespite decades in power, Nitish’s personal quarters remain astonishingly bare: a wooden cot, basic chairs, a lone almirah. At a party event, he once served a minister food on a leaf plate and sat on the floor to eat. You can call it symbolism or simplicity — but it has been consistent for decades.10. The non-dynastNitish and Manju had one son, Nishant — a software engineer who avoids politics with the dedication of a monk avoiding temptation. Party leaders push his name; Nitish deflects every attempt. After a lifetime spent railing against nepotism, he seems determined that the Kumar surname will not become an inherited office.Nitish Kumar’s politics may be the stuff of memes, nine oaths, and endless punchlines about “Paltu Kumar.” But the man behind the headline — the engineer who nearly quit, the husband who refused dowry, the cinephile who watches Teesri Kasam like scripture, the dosa-loving ascetic, the son who still garlands his wife’s statue — is far more layered. Death. Taxes. Nitish taking oath. And somewhere in between, one more rewatch of Mere Mehboob.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Not Just Congress’: Tharoor Calls Out RJD Amid NDA’s Big Bihar Lead‘Pak Ready For Two-Front War’: Khawaja Asif’s Hollow Threat To India After Islamabad BlastCDS Anil Chauhan Issues Red Line To Defence Industry, Warns Against Delays And OverpromisingWashington Reports Encouraging Momentum As India-US Trade Talks Advance Toward A Year-End AgreementAsim Munir Steps In Amid Islamabad Terror Attack, Persuades Sri Lanka To Continue With Cricket Tour‘No Impunity For Terrorists’: Shashi Tharoor Endorses Govt Probe As Red Fort Blast Claims 13th LifeDelhi Blast: Security Forces Demolish House of Red Fort Bombing Accused Umar Nabi in Pulwama‘Not An Apologist For BJP’: Shashi Tharoor On Row Over Backing Modi Govt During Op SindoorPune Road Accident: At Least 6 Dead, Several Injured After Truck Rams Multiple Vehicles’Message to world’: Amit Shah vows strictest punishment for Delhi Terror Attack culprits123PhotostoriesAfter Bihar poll debacle, what’s next for Tejashwi Yadav and a shaken RJD?Diabetes: Lesser-known symptoms women should be careful aboutJubilee Hills bypoll twist: Congress triumphs, Revanth Reddy emerges as Telangana’s tallest leaderFrom heart to gut: Health benefits of eating water chestnutsHyderabad eyes global spotlight: Govt may rope in Lionel Messi as ‘Telangana Rising’ ambassadorNitish Kumar’s stunning comeback in Bihar: How the veteran leader silenced doubters once againCrowds but no votes: What went wrong with Rahul Gandhi’s Bihar election push?Running in a 400+ AQI? 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Benjamin Franklin ostensibly said once: “There are only two certainities in life – death and taxes.” Little did he know, there’s a third: Nitish Kumar taking oath as Bihar Chief Minister. Since his first oath when he lasted seven days, Nitish Kumar has taken oath as Chief Minister a total of nine times (six times as part of NDA and thrice as part of MGB), which means that much like Thanos, the election result might be in doubt but the oath-taking is inevitable. But beyond the political endurance test lies a strangely fascinating man. Here are ten remarkable facts about Nitish Kumar:
1. The engineer who nearly quit politics
Before he became the default CM of Bihar, Nitish Kumar was a mild-mannered engineer at the Bihar State Electricity Board. He lost his first two elections and, according to friends, seriously thought of abandoning politics for a business career. Patna’s voltage fluctuations may have been more predictable than Bihar’s politics, but he chose the chaos anyway.
2. “Munna” from Bakhtiarpur
His childhood nickname was “Munna” — and to his old friends, he still is. Not the Chief Minister, not the coalition negotiator, but the quiet boy from Bakhtiarpur who preferred books to people and routines to revelry. The name stuck longer than some of his alliances.
3. The no-dowry groom
When Nitish married Manju Kumari Sinha in 1973, he insisted on a no-dowry wedding — a radical stand in small-town Bihar of the 70s. It created friction in the family but he didn’t budge. For a man famous for political flexibility, this was one moment where he refused to compromise.
4. The wife who funded his first big campaign
When he contested the 1985 Assembly election, Nitish didn’t have money. Manju did. The schoolteacher quietly handed him her savings — about ₹20,000 — to run his campaign. Bihar’s future CM was, in a very literal way, financed by a government-school payslip.
5. Movie night with Amitabh Bachchan
Nitish Kumar is a proper, unapologetic Bollywood buff. In 2011, he even hosted a special screening of Aarakshan in Patna with Amitabh Bachchan in attendance. Big B flew in, Nitish showed up, and for one evening Bihar’s chief minister swapped files for films. If you ever needed evidence that cinema runs deep in Bihar’s cultural bloodstream, that moment says it all.
6. Teesri Kasam: his all-time favourite film
His close circle swears that his absolute favourite film is Teesri Kasam, the Raj Kapoor–Waheeda Rehman classic. And here’s the very Nitish twist: when he became CM, he had the government screen Teesri Kasam across rural Bihar using mobile cinema vans — complete with breaks for welfare-scheme announcements. Only Nitish could turn a beloved art film into a governance tool, even if it led to a copyright dispute.
7. Mere Mehboob on loop
The man who projects industrial-corridor seriousness in public has watched Mere Mehboob so many times that it became a long-running college joke. He has always had a soft spot for old Hindi romance — the Urdu dialogues, the gentle longing, the quiet heroism. For someone accused of being emotionally opaque, his movie choices say otherwise.
8. Masala dosa socialist
His food habits are famously austere — vegetarian, simple, lightly spiced, almost monastic. But tucked inside that ascetic diet is one small rebellion: his fondness for masala dosa and vegetarian Indo-Chinese food. Journalists on campaign duty have spotted him at Patna’s classic South Indian restaurants, eating dosa. Even his indulgences are middle-class.
9. The man with the wooden cot
Despite decades in power, Nitish’s personal quarters remain astonishingly bare: a wooden cot, basic chairs, a lone almirah. At a party event, he once served a minister food on a leaf plate and sat on the floor to eat. You can call it symbolism or simplicity — but it has been consistent for decades.
10. The non-dynast
Nitish and Manju had one son, Nishant — a software engineer who avoids politics with the dedication of a monk avoiding temptation. Party leaders push his name; Nitish deflects every attempt. After a lifetime spent railing against nepotism, he seems determined that the Kumar surname will not become an inherited office.Nitish Kumar’s politics may be the stuff of memes, nine oaths, and endless punchlines about “Paltu Kumar.” But the man behind the headline — the engineer who nearly quit, the husband who refused dowry, the cinephile who watches Teesri Kasam like scripture, the dosa-loving ascetic, the son who still garlands his wife’s statue — is far more layered. Death. Taxes. Nitish taking oath. And somewhere in between, one more rewatch of Mere Mehboob.
