Dialogue Co-Chair

Honourable Mr. Yashwant Sinha
Member, Lok Sabha
Bharatiya Janata Party, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand
 

Mr. Yashwant Sinha was born on November 06, 1937 in Patna, Bihar. He received his Masters Degree from Patna University, Bihar and was associated with the University as a lecturer of Political Science. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1960 and consequently served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Santhal Pragnas, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Bihar and Joint Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of Shipping and Transport.

He has served as a member and General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party from 1986 to 1988. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha for the first time in 1988, and returned in 2004 and in 2009. He has held many important portfolios during his political career such as the Union Cabinet Minister for Finance and Union Cabinet Minister for External Affairs. He was selected as the Chairman of the Committee on Public Accounts in 2009, Chairman, Consultative Committee, Ministry of External Affairs and Chairman, Committee on Finance in 2007.

Rajya Sabha

Honourable Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar
Member, Rajya Sabha
Indian National Congress, Nominated
 

Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar was born on April 10, 1941 in Lahore. He graduated in Economics in 1961 from Delhi University standing first in the University and went on to do his Tripos in Economics at Cambridge University, and, in the Oxbridge tradition, was later awarded an M.A degree. He was subsequently elected as an Honorary Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, an honour he shares with Khwaja Nazimuddin, the second Governor General of Pakistan. He joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1963 and after serving in Brussels, Hanoi and Baghdad, was posted as India’s first Consul General in Karachi (December 1978 to January 1982). During his last five years in the IFS, he served on deputation as Joint Secretary to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He took voluntary retirement from the IFS in 1989 to pursue an alternative career in politics and the media.

He has served as an elected member from Tamil Nadu in the 10^th, 13^th and 14^th Lok Sabhas and held different portfolios as the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, and Union Minister for the Development of North-Eastern Region. The President of India conferred on him the “Outstanding Parliamentarian” award for 2006. In March 2010, he was nominated to Rajya Sabha and is currently a member of the Standing Committee on Rural Development and the Consultative Committee on External Affairs. He is the Founder President of the Society for Secularism and Chairman of the Indian Chapter of the South Asia Foundation. He has authored and edited several books and writes for different newspaper and magazines, both in India and abroad.

Honourable Dr. Bhalchandra Mungekar
Member, Rajya Sabha
Indian National Congress, Nominated
 

Born on March 2, 1946 Dr. Bhalchandra Mungekar completed his B.A. (Hons), M.A. (Hons) and Ph.D. at the University of Mumbai. By profession he is an economist, educationist, teacher and social worker. He has authored many books which include “The Political Economy of Terms of Trade”, 1992, “Buddhism and the Contemporary World: an Ambedkarian Perspective”, 2006 and “Dr. Ambedkar's Approach to Buddhism”, 2010. He has edited “Indhan (Fuel), a collection of fifty newspaper column articles”, 1998 and “Me Asa Ghadalo (The Story of My Life”), 2008, nominated as Modern Indian Classic by the Sahitya Academy and is being translated into several languages. He was the President of Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Social and Economic Change from 1995 to 2008 and Vice-Chancellor, University of Mumbai from 2000 to 2004. He is a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Urban Development and Select Committee to the Wakf (Amendment) Bill, 2010.

Honourable Dr. E. M. Sudarsana Natchiappan
Member, Rajya Sabha
Indian National Congress, Tamil Nadu
 

Born on September 27, 1947 Dr. E. M. Sudarsana Natchiappan completed his M.A., B.L. and Ph.D. from Kamaraj University, Madurai. He is a Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India. He was a member of the thirteenth Lok Sabha and was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2004. He has authored eight books which include “Panchayat Act, A New Look for SC & ST”, “Columnist on SC and ST welfare programmes”, “Nehru's Thoughts on Socialism”, “Civil Nuclear Treaty”, “Political, Social and Economic Justice”, “Heart of Tamils”, “Right to Information”, and “Parliament Committee System”. He is the editor of “Congress Centenary Souvenir”, 1987, “Panchayati Raj Handbook”, 1995, and “WTO – “India and WTO” The World Trade Organization and the Indian Executive, Legislature and Judiciary”. He is a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Commerce, Committee on Labour and General Purposes Committee.

Honourable Mr. Mohammed Adeeb
Member, Rajya Sabha
Independent, Uttar Pradesh
 

Mr. Mohammad Adeeb was born on September 05, 1945 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. He completed his M.Sc. from Aligarh Muslim University. He is the President of Swasth Bharat, a Non-governmental Organization. He is the Ex-President of Aligarh University Muslim Students Union, Vice-President All Indiam Majlis-E-Mushawrat, Vice-Chairman Telephone Advisory Committee, Noida, Uttar Pradesh and member, All India Muslim Personal Law Board. He is currently a member of the Committee on Information Technology Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and also a member of Court of the Aligarh Muslim University.

Honourable Mr. N. K. Singh
Member, Rajya Sabha
Janta Dal (United), Bihar
 

Shri N K Singh was born on January 27, 1941 in Kolkata, West Bengal. He is an M.A. in Economics from Dehli School of Economics, University of Delhi. He is a former civil-servant and joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1964. He is the author of two books which include “The Politics of Change – A Ring Side View” and “Not by Reason Alone”. He was India’s lead negotiator with the International Financial Institutions in 1991 economic crisis. He contributes regularly to The Indian Express and The Financial Express on economic issues. He is a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Resource Development, Committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), Committee on Public Accounts, Committee on Rules and House Committee.

Honourable Mr. Naresh Gujral
Member, Rajya Sabha
Shiromani Akali Dal, Punjab
 

Born on May 19, 1948 Mr. Naresh Gujral completed his B.A. and F.C.A. from University of Dehli and Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. By profession he is an industrialist and social worker. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha on March 2007. He is the General Secretary of Shiromani Akali Dal and member Board of Governors, Pushpa Gujral Science city. He is a member of Committee on Defence and Committee on Public Undertakings.

Honourable Mr. Raashid Alvi
Member, Rajya Sabha
Indian National Congress, Andhra Pradesh
 

Mr. Raashid Alvi was born on April 15, 1956 in Chandpur, Uttar Pradesh. He holds a Bachelors degree in Law (LLB) from K.G.K. College, Moradabad Uttar Pradesh. An advocate by profession, he was elected to the 13^th Lok Sabha in 1999. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2004 and was subsequently re-elected to Rajya Sabha for a second term in 2006. He is a member of the Committee on Finance, Committee on Public Accounts and Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Honourable Mr. Rajniti Prasad
Member, Rajya Sabha
Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bihar
 

Born on August 09, 1946 in Sohasrai, District Nalanda (Bihar) Mr. Rajniti Prasad completed his B.A. and LLB from Bhagalpur University and Bihar and Patna Law College, Patna University. He is an advocate by profession. He was elected to Rajya Sabha in April 2006. He was the President of Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha, Youth Wing of Samyukta Socialist Party from 1972 to 1974. He was the Director of State Transport Corporation from 1996 to 1999. He is a member of the Business Advisory Committee, Committee on Food Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution and General Purposes Committee.

Honourable Prof. Saifuddin Soz
Member, Rajya Sabha
Indian National Congress, Jammu & Kashmir
 

A veteran politician, Prof. Saifuddin Soz was born on November 23, 1937 in Baramulla, Jammu & Kashmir. Prof. Soz is a graduate of Jammu & Kashmir University, Srinagar with a Masters Degree in Economics. He has served four terms in Lok Sabha (1983, 1984, 1989 & 1999) and was elected to the Rajye Sabha for the first time in 2002. He was re-elected for a second term to the Rajya Sabha in 2009. Prof. Soz has also served as a Union Cabinet Minister of Water Resources in 2009. He is currently a member of the Public Accounts Committee, Committee on Transport, Tourism & Culture, and Consultative Committee for the Ministry of External Affairs. He is an acclaimed author who was awarded the Soviet Land Nehru Award. His writings include “Kashmir Crisis”, “Secularism - an Interpretation”, “Problems of Kashmiri Language and Literature” and “Armugan-e-Taib-anthology of poems by Abdul Gaffar Taaib” among many others.

Honourable Mr. Anurag Singh Thakur
Member, Lok Sabha
Bharatiya Janata Party, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh
 

Born on October 24, 1974, in Hamir Pur, Himachal Pradesh, Mr. Anurag Singh Thakur holds a Bachelors degree from Doaba College, Jalandhar, Punjab. An Industrialist and a cricketer by profession, Mr. Singh was elected to the 14^th Lok Sabha through a bye-election in 2008. He was elected for a second term to the 15^th Lok Sabha in 2009. Mr. Singh is a member of the Committee on Transport, Tourism & Culture and a member of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Power. His areas of interest include sports, youth development, agriculture and environment.

Honourable Mr. Asaduddin Owaisi
Member, Lok Sabha
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
 

Mr. Asaduddin Owaisi was born on May 13, 1969 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. He completed his Bachelors degree from Osmania University and Bachelor of Law from University of London, UK. He has served as a member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly twice. He is serving his second term in 15^th Lok Sabha as he also remained a member of 14^th Lok Sabha. He is a Member of the Committee on Defence and Committee on Ethics. He runs an Urdu newspaper called Daily Etemad. He is a member and trustee of Dar-Us-Salam Trust and Education Board, and a member of Muslim Personal Law.

Honourable Mr. Baijayant Jay Panda
Member Lok Sabha
Biju Janta Dal, Kendrapara, Orissa
 

Mr. Jay Panda was born in Cuttack, Orissa on January 12, 1964. He holds a dual degree in Engineering and Management in Communications from Michigan Technological University, USA. He was earlier elected to the Rajiya Sabha for two successive terms in 2000 and 2006, where he also served as the Leader of his party from 2002 to 2009. An industrialist by profession, he was elected to the 15^th Lok Sabha in 2009. He is a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Undertakings, Committee on Urban Development and the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Mr. Panda is a regular writer in national newspapers and magazines and has a keen interest in economic and technology related issues.

Honourable Ms. Harsimrat Kaur Badal
Member, Lok Sabha
Shiromani Akali Dal, Bathinda, Punjab
 

Ms. Harsimrat Kaur Badal was born on July 25, 1966 in Delhi. She holds a degree in Textile Designing. A political and social worker by profession, she was elected to the 15^th Lok Sabha in 2009. Ms. Kaur is a member of the Committee on Estimates, Committee on Social Justice & Empowerment, and the Standing Committee on Food & Public Distribution. She is married with two daughters and one son.

Honourable Mr. Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo
Member, Lok Sabha
Biju Janata Dal, Bolangir, Orissa
 

Mr. Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo was born in Delhi on May 26, 1974. He holds an Honours degree in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University. A political and social worker by profession, Mr. Deo earlier served as a member of the Orissa Legislative Assembly from 2004 to 2009. He was elected to the 15^th Lok Sabha for his first term in 2009. He is currently a member of the Committee on Commerce. His areas of interest include deregulation of economies, socio-economic development and external & internally sponsored terrorism.

Honourable Mr. Naveen Jindal
Member, Lok Sabha
Indian National Congress, Kurukshetra, Haryana
 

Born on March 09, 1970 in Hisar, Hiryana, Mr. Naveen Jindal holds a Masters in Business Administration from University of Dallas, Texas and a B.Com from Hansraj College, University of Delhi. He was elected to the 14^th Lok Sabha for his first term in the Lower House and was re-elected for a second term to the 15^th Lok Sabha in 2009. A former National Champion and present National record holder in skeet shooting, he also won silver medal in SAF games in Pakistan, 2004. He is currently a member of the Standing Committee on Home Affairs, Consultative Committee of Ministry of Defence and the Committee on Public Accounts.

Honourable Dr. Shashi Tharoor
Member, Lok Sabha
Indian National Congress, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
 

A writer by profession, Dr. Shashi Tharoor was born on March 09, 1956. He was elected to the 15^th Lok Sabha in 2009. He has served as a Union Minister for External Affairs from May 2009 to April 2010. He is a member of the Committee on External Affairs as well as the Consultative Committee, Ministry of Defence. Dr. Tharoor is a graduate from the Fletcher School of Diplomacy, Tufts University, USA. Moreover, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Literature by University of Puget Sound and Doctorate Honoris Causa by the University of Bucharest, Romania. With many books to his credit, he is the Winner of Commonwealth Writers Prize, 1991 and A Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, 2004. He was named Global Leader of Tomorrow at World Economic Forum (WEF), Davos, Switzerland in 1998. Dr. Tharur has served at the UN for 29 years. His areas of interest include International Affairs, UN and Human Rights.

Honourable Mr. Shatrughan Prasad Sinha
Member, Lok Sabha
Bharatiya Janata Party, Patna Sahib, Bihar
 

Mr. Shatrughan Prasad Sinha was born on July 17, 1946. He graduated from Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, Mahrashtra. He worked in the Indian film industry for several decades and is known as a successful actor by profession. He was elected to Rajya Sabha for the first time in 1996 and re-elected in 2002. During his political career he has served on many important portfolios as the Union Cabinet Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Union Cabinet Minister for Shipping. He was elected to the 15^th Lok Sabha in 2009. He currently serves as a Member of the Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture. He is greatly influenced by philanthropic movements and works for causes like raising funds for homeless and the blind, anti-drugs campaign and anti-tobacco campaigns. He has received several awards for his acting and philanthropy.

Honourable Mr. Vijay Bahuguna
Member, Lok Sabha
Indian National Congress, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand
 

Born on February 28, 1947 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Vijay Bahuguna holds a Bachelors degree in Law (LLB) from Allahabad University. A former judge, and currently an advocate by profession, he was elected to the 14^th Lok Sabha in a bye-election in 2007. He was subsequently elected to the 15^th Lok Sabha for his second term in the Lower House of the parliament. Mr. Bahuguna has earlier served as the Vice-Chairman of the Planning Commission of Uttarakhand. He is currently a member of the Committee on Health & Family Welfare, Committee on Ethics, Committee on Offices of Profit and Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Power.