Hardeep Singh Puri (born 15 February 1952) is an Indian politician and former Indian diplomat who is currently serving as the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs in the Government of India. He presently also holds the record as the longest serving Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs in history.
He is a 1974 batch Indian Foreign Service officer who served as the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations from 2009 to 2013.
Puri joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in January 2014, and became a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh in November, 2020. Earlier in May 2019, he had taken charge as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing and Urban Affairs and Civil Aviation and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry.
Previously, Puri has served as the chairman of the United Nations Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee from January 2011 to February 2013; and joined International Peace Institute as a senior advisor in June 2013. He presents Smart Solutions Challenge & Inclusive Cities Awards 2022.
Hardeep Singh Puri was born in Delhi. His father was a civil servant, and he attended boarding schools in India as his father was posted in countries where there were no options for English-language education.[3] He is an alumnus of The Frank Anthony Public School, New Delhi. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Master of Arts in History from Hindu College, University of Delhi. He worked as a lecturer of History at St. Stephen's College, Delhi.