Omar Abdullah became the Chief Minister (CM) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on January 5, 2009. He was the youngest person to hold this office at the age of 38. Omar Abdullah, a leader of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (NC) party and a member of the Abdullah political family, served as the 11th Chief Minister. His tenure lasted until March 8, 2015.

Omar succeeded Ghulam Nabi Azad after the 2008 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections, where his party, in alliance with the Indian National Congress, formed the government. His tenure as CM was marked by political challenges, including issues related to security, protests, and governance in the region.

Omar Abdullah is the son of Farooq Abdullah, another former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, and the grandson of Sheikh Abdullah, the founder of the National Conference and a key political figure in the region's history.