Patna, Nitish Kumar, the veteran leader of Bihar and head of the Janata Dal (United), has received formal congratulations from the London-based World Book of Records for taking oath as chief minister of the eastern Indian state for a tenth time, an achievement the organisation described as unique in Indian democratic history.
In a letter addressed to Mr Kumar, the World Book of Records noted that since India’s independence in 1947 no individual has previously been sworn in as chief minister of any state on ten separate occasions. The most recent oath, administered on 20 November 2025 following the state assembly elections, marked the milestone.
The organisation praised the feat as “an exceptional accomplishment that reflects your unwavering dedication, visionary leadership and the continued trust reposed in you by the people of Bihar”. It added that sustained leadership of a state for a tenth term represented “a rare milestone in democratic history” and a moment of pride for the nation.
The letter further stated that the World Book of Records intends to formally include Mr Kumar in its global list of record-holders and present him with an official certificate in recognition of the achievement.
Mr Kumar, aged 74, first became chief minister in March 2000. His subsequent terms began in November 2005, November 2010, February 2015, November 2015, July 2017, November 2020, August 2022, January 2024 and most recently November 2025. Several of these transitions followed shifts in political alliances, with Mr Kumar alternately leading coalitions involving the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal-led Mahagathbandhan before returning to the National Democratic Alliance ahead of the 2025 polls.
The World Book of Records, a private organisation headquartered in London that documents various global and national achievements, has in the past recognised political milestones alongside more conventional records in sport, culture and enterprise.
Mr Kumar’s latest victory, in which the NDA secured a comfortable majority in the 243-seat Bihar assembly, extends his cumulative tenure as chief minister to over two decades, cementing his position as one of India’s longest-serving state leaders.
