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Ram Niwas Mirdha

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Ram Niwas Mirdha
The Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Ram Niwas Mirdha addressing the Press in New Delhi on June 09, 2005
Member of the Lok Sabha
In office
1991–1996
Preceded byKalyan Singh Kalvi
Succeeded bySona Ram
ConstituencyBarmer, Rajasthan
Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
In office
1957–1967
Member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
In office
1953–1967
Personal details
Born24 August 1924
Kuchera, Rajputana, British Raj
Died29 January 2010 (aged 85)
Delhi, India
Political partyIndian National Congress
SpouseIndira Mirdha
Alma materAllahabad University
Professionagriculturist

Ram Niwas Mirdha (24 August 1924 – 29 January 2010) was an Indian politician from Rajasthan. He served as member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from 1953 to 1967 and as speaker of the assembly from 1957 to 1967. Mirdha was a cabinet minister of the Government of India for several departments during the 1970s and 1980s and became of member of the Lok Sabha for Barmer, Rajasthan, from 1991 to 1996. He was a member of the executive board of UNESCO from 1993 to 1997. He served as chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi until his death from multiple organ failure. He also served as Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha from 1977 to 1980.[1][2]

Family

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Ram Niwas Mirdha was born on 24 August 1924 in a Hindu Jat family in Jasol village, Barmer district, Rajasthan, where his father, Baldev Ram Mirdha, had been posted as a police officer. Mirdha married Indira Mirdha and the couple had two sons and one daughter. One of his sons is Harendra Mirdha, who has been a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly and was Minister for the Public Works Department in the Government of Rajasthan between 1998–2004.[3]

Education

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Mirdha was educated at Allahabad University, Lucknow University, both in India, and at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland.[4] He was awarded M.A. and LL.B. degrees and was a professional agriculturist.[citation needed]

Official positions

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Mirdha held various official positions in the state of Rajasthan and at national level:[citation needed]

  • Member, Rajasthan Legislative Assembly (1953–1967),
  • Minister for Agriculture, Irrigation and Transport, Government of Rajasthan (1954–1957),
  • Speaker, Rajasthan Legislative Assembly (1957–1967),
  • Member, Rajya Sabha, 4-5-1967 to 2-4-1968 and 3-4-1968 to 2-4-1974 (2nd term) and 3-4-1974 to 2-4-1980 (third term) [5]
  • Union Minister of State – Home Affairs, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (June 1970–October 1974),
  • Union Minister of State – Defence Production (October 1974 – December 1975),
  • Union Minister of State – Supply and Rehabilitation (Independent Charge) (December 1975 – March 1977),
  • Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha (1977–1980),[5]
  • Chairman, Committee of Privileges, Rajya Sabha, 1977–80,[5]
  • Member of Rajya Sabha 5-7-1980 to 29-12-1984 (4th term) [5]
  • Minister of Water Resources Department (January 1983–August 1984),
  • Minister of External Affairs (August 1984–December 1984),
  • Minister of Communication January (1985-October 1986),
  • Minister of Textiles (Cabinet Rank), with additional charge of Health and Family Welfare (October 1986–December 1989),
  • Member tenth Lok Sabha from Barmer, Rajasthan (1991–1996),
  • Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee to inquire into irregularities in Securities and Banking Transactions 1992

International contribution

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Ram Niwas Mirdha represented in the following international events:[citation needed]

Cultural activities

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He was chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, during 1976–1980 and 1990–1995, and was also involved with the National Institute of Sports and the Delhi Urban Arts Commission, He was deputy chairman of the Special Organizing Committee for the 9th Asian Games and president of the Youth Hostel Association of India.

Mirdha acted as co-chairman of the Indo-US Sub-commission on Culture and Education and was a member of the Executive Board of UNESCO and founder-president of Indian Heritage Society. In addition, he was a trustee of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.

Heading institutes at the time of death

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Ram Niwas Mirdha". Lok Sabha. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  2. ^ "Congress leader Ram Niwas Mirdha dead". Press Trust of India. 29 January 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  3. ^ Singh, Arvind (24 August 2020). "Ramniwas Mirdha (1924-2010): The gentleman farmer who raised standard of political discourse". Hindustan Times.
  4. ^ Dev Rawal, Urvashi (30 January 2010). "Veteran Cong leader dead". Hindustan Times.
  5. ^ a b c d "Rajya Sabha Members' Biographical Sketches 1952 - 2003" (PDF). Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Parliament House, New Delhi.
  6. ^ "Ram Niwas Mirdha News Photo (From left to right) Ram Ni..." Times Of India. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
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