Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, is Member of Parliament from the Kishanganj parliamentary constituency of Bihar.
Prior to being elected to the 13th Lok Sabha in 1999, he was all India secretary of the Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJP Youth Wing).
On October 13, 1999, he was inducted into the Union Cabinet as Minister of State, Food Processing Industries. He held that position till May 26, 2000, and then moved on to become the Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports.
He became Minister of State for Human Resource Development on May 27, 2000, and continued to hold that position till Februray 7, 2001. He then moved to Ministry of Coal as Minister of State with independent charge.
On September 1, 2001, he became the Union Civil Aviation minister and continued till May 23, 2003. On May 24, 2003, Shahnawaz was entrusted with the responsibility of heading the Textiles ministry, and till today he is heading that ministry.
In the last parliamentary elections he defeated RJD veteran Taslimuddin.