AZAD, SHRI GANDHI Permanent address : Village & Post Pawani Kalan, District Azamgarh (U.P.).

M.A.,LL.B.; B.S.P.(Uttar Pradesh); s. of late Shri Sampat Ram and late Shrimati

Dhanja Devi; b. at Village Pawani Kalan, District Azamgarh (U.P.), July 1, 1946; ed. at (i) Gram Samaj Inter College, Jay Nagar, Azamgarh, (ii) S.K.G.N. Inter College, Lalganj, Azamgarh, (iii) D.A.V. Degree College, Azamgarh, (iv) D.N. College, Meerut and (v) Meerut College, Meerut; m. Shrimati Karma Devi; 2 s. and 3 d. Government service; started career as a teacher in a Primary School; served various government departments and resigned subsequently from them on four times; last time worked as Senior Assistant in the Sales Tax Department; was President, SC/ST Students' Union, Azamgarh; was District President/Secretary, Trade Tax Ministerial Staff Association, Azamgarh; was Member, Provincial Executive, Trade Tax Ministerial Staff Association, U.P.; Member, (i) Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Home Affairs, (ii) Committee on Urban and Rural Development, 1997-98 and (iii) Committee on Energy; elected to the Rajya Sabha in November, 1996.

Special interest : An urge to change the social system.

Favourite pastime and recreation : Social work.