BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

I.N.C. (Bihar); s. of late Shri Bulkan Shah and late Shrimati Yasoda Devi; b. at Danapore Cantt., Patna, November, 1919; ed. at Rashtriya Vidyalaya of Bihar, Danapore and Bihar Vidyapith; m. Shrimati Kesher Devi, 1932; 1 s. and 2 d.

Social and Political Worker; a known freedom fighter and remained all along in the vanguard of the freedom struggle; a staunch believer in Gandhian Ideology and Programmes; has profound and unflinching faith in secularism; left home and discontinued the studies to join the national struggle for Independence of India when Mahatma Gandhi gave the clarion call in 1930; was imprisoned several times (in 1930 for six months; in 1932 for six months; in 1933 in connection with Ranchi Conspiracy case, was beaten in Jail and kept in cell for more than one month; in 1935, detained for six months, again arrested on April 1st, 1937 and jailed for 3 months; remained underground from July, 1938 to August, 1939; in 1940-41 for individual Satyagraha, detained for nearly 10 months and in 1942 during Quit India Movement convicted for 2 years); lost father while in jail but even being the only son preferred to remain in jail rather than to be released on any undertaking; President, (i) Bihar State Congress Committee between 1973-77 and (ii) Indian National Congress, September 23, 1996 - March, 1998 (elected by the Congress Working Committee consequent on the resignation of Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao; re-elected on June 9, 1997 and continued till March, 1998); Organising Secretary, Bihar State Congress Committee, 1964-67; was a Member of many Parliamentary Committees including the prestigious Public Accounts Committee of Lok Sabha in 1979; was a Member of the Indian Parliamentary Delegation to Poland in 1979; was a delegate to the UNCTAD Conference in Santiago, Chile in 1972; also attended many international meetings/seminars to address the problems of people with disability; held the post of Treasurer of the All India Congress Committee which enjoys a pivotal position in the Organisation, December, 1979 to September, 1996; has had the singular privilege of working with late Shrimati Indira Gandhi, late Shri Rajiv Gandhi and Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao as Treasurer of the Congress; as Treasurer has had the privilege of overseeing the financial management of the five General Elections to the Parliament of India; was a delegate to the All India Congress Committee Session at Bombay in October, 1934 and delegate in many subsequent sessions of the Congress; nominated Observer several times of the All India Congress Committee by late Shrimati Indira Gandhi to conduct elections of State Chief Ministers of many States; elected Leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party on January 3, 1997 unanimously; Member, (i) Committee on Urban and Rural Development, 1996-97, (ii) Joint Committee on Offices of Profit, 1996-97, (iii) Committee on Railways, (iv) Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Home Affairs, (v) Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Environment and Forests; was Union Minister of State for (i) Parliamentary Affairs,March 3, 1980 to January 14, 1982, (ii) Shipping and Transport, January 15, 1982 to January 28, 1983 and (iii) Parliamentary Affairs from September 15, 1985 to October 22, 1986 and Union Cabinet Minister of Welfare, June, 1991 to June, 1996; elected to the Lok Sabha in March,1967; elected to the Rajya Sabha in July, 1971, and re-elected in April, 1974, July,1980, April,1988 and April,1994.

Travels abroad: Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Egypt, Lebanon, U.K., West Germany, Sweden, France, Italy, Poland, Latin America, China, Pakistan, Canada, and U.S.A.

Special interest: Welfare and upliftment down-trodden, the weaker and vulnerable sections of the society and has devoted entire life for uplifting them; social cooperation and harmony.

Favourite pastime and recreation: Cultural functions, swimming, gardening and ping pong.

Permanent address: Danapore Cantt., Patna (Bihar).