Shripad Yasso Naik

Shripad Yesso Naik (born 4 October 1952) is an Indian politician who has served as a member of parliament from North Goa constituency, representing the Bharatiya Janata Party. and previously held a number of other ministerial positions.

He was named Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of AYUSH in 2014.

In 2024, he was also a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from North Goa for the sixth time in a row.

Minister roles

Shri Shripad Yesso Naik taking charge as the Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge), in New Delhi on 31 May 2019.

Further, as advised by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the President appointed Naik as Minister for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge) in the 16th Lok Sabha. He was one of probable candidates for Goa CM while Manohar Parrikar made as Union/Central minister.

Naik was appointed Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, on 9 November 2014. On 25 March 2016, Naik publicly stated he had access to research which proved that diseases such as cancer could be cured by yoga. He further stated that his Ministry was a year away from granting an endorsement to such techniques and research. The statement was challenged by medical researchers, scholars and doctors, who advocated caution in claiming a cure to cancer on the basis of unproven and unpublished research with no scientific evidence.

Naik continued as Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH and was appointed Minister of State for Defence on 31 May 2019.

In July 2021, he was named he was appointed Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy. At the FICCI Green Hydrogen Summit in 2025, he stated India aimed to capture close to 10% of global green hydrogen demand.

Awards Naik received the Samaraj Ratna Award on 18 August 2016.

2021 car accident Naik was in an accident on the evening of 11 January 2021 in Ankola, Karnataka. His car driver was traveling en route from Yellapur to Gokarna when they were reported to have lost control at the wheel on the ghat section, causing the car to go turtle into a ditch. Due to the accident, Naik's wife and his personal secretary suffered grievous injuries, and died while undergoing treatment in the hospital. Naik was severely injured.