BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

POOJARY, SHRI JANARDHANA

B.Com., LL.B.; I.N.C. (Karnataka); s. of late Shri Jarappa Poojary (Amin) and Shrimati Chennamma; b. at Bockapatna, Boloor, District Dakshin Kannada, Karnataka, April 27, 1937; ed. at (i) Bockapatna Municipal Higher Elementary School, (ii) Canara High School, Urva, Mangalore, (iii) St. Aloysius College, Mangalore and (iv) New Law College, Bombay; m. Shrimati K. Malathi Poojary, January 21, 1968; 3 s. and 1 d.

Advocate; practised law from 1960 to 1979; while practising as a lawyer, was actively engaged in safeguarding the interests of poor agricultural tenants and defended a large number of poor people by giving them free legal aid; gave protection to the weaker sections, particularly Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backwards and Minorities; associated with several social organisations engaged in educational and other welfare activities and promotion of communal amity; responsible for the construction of college, schools, mosque and temple; during the tenure as Union Minister of State for Finance, got effectively implemented the 20-Point Programme through the Banks by giving assistance to the weaker sections through credit camps (Loan Melas); President, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (I), 1987-89; General-Secretary, AICC (I), 1991-97, holding the important charge of (i) Congress Parliamentary Board, (ii) Congress Working Committee, (iii) Central Election Committee, (iv) AICC (I) Session and Organisation Elections, (v) AICC (I) Plenary Session and (vi) six States; was Member, (i) Congress Working Committee,1990-96,(ii) 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Lok Sabha, (iii) Committee on Papers Laid on the Table, (iv) Estimates Committee, Lok Sabha (v) Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism and (vi) Coffee Board; Member, (i) Central Election Committee of AICC, (ii) Parliamentary Board, AICC, (iii) National Shipping Board, (iv) Committee on Transport and Tourism, (v) Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment and (vi) Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Communications; Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Finance, 1982-84 and Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, 1984-87 and Minister of State for Rural Development, 1988-89; elected to the Rajya Sabha in April, 1994.

Clubs : Associated with many social and sports clubs.

Travels abroad : U.S.S.R., Maldives, Thailand, Australia and Singapore.

Accomplishment in arts and science : Acted in a number of dramas during school and college days.

Special interest : Reading.

Favourite pastime and recreation : Reading and listening music.

Permanent address : `Chennamma Kutira', B.C. Road, Bantwal, Taluk Bantwal, District Dakshin Kannada, Karnataka.