U. T. Khader

U. T. Khader Fareed is an Indian politician and member of the Indian National Congress. He is currently serving as the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, and, since 12 August 2026, as the Minister for Minority Affairs, Haj and Waqf, Government of Karnataka. He previously served as the 17th Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from May 2023 to June 2026. Khader previously served as a Cabinet Minister holding the portfolios of Health and Family Welfare, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, and Urban Development and Housing in the Government of Karnataka. Khader is a multi-term MLA representing the Mangalore constituency, formerly known as the Ullal Assembly constituency, in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. He first entered the Assembly through the Ullal by-election in 2007 following the death of his father, U. T. Fareed, and subsequently represented Mangalore after the constituency was reorganised. He is a senior leader of the Indian National Congress from Dakshina Kannada district. He has held several important constitutional and ministerial positions in Karnataka, including Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and Cabinet Minister. In June 2026, Khader resigned from the office of Speaker and was inducted into the Government of Karnataka as Minister for Health and Family Welfare following the formation of the government headed by Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar. He assumed the Health and Family Welfare portfolio in June 2026. Contemporary reports confirmed his return to the Health portfolio after previously holding the same department from 2013 to 2016. On 12 August 2026, Khader was additionally assigned responsibility for Minority Affairs and Haj in the Government of Karnataka.