Akhilesh Yadav was born to Mulayam Singh Yadav and Malti Devi on 1 July 1973 in Saifai village, Etawah district, Uttar Pradesh. He studied at Dholpur Military School in Dholpur, Rajasthan and subsequently was awarded a degree in environmental engineering while studying in Mysore. He went to Australia to study for a master's degree in the same subject.Akhilesh gives credit to Janeshwar Mishra who initiated him to join politics.