| Dr. Ram Prakash | |
|---|---|
| Dr. Ram Prakash | |
| MP | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2005 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 October 1939 Village Tangore, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse(s) | Vijay Kumari |
| Residence | Kurukshetra |
| Alma mater | University of Delhi Charles University, Prague |
| Profession | Politician Teaching Social Worker |
| Religion | Hindu |
| As of July 10, 2011 | |
Dr. Ram Prakash (Hindi: डॉ.राम प्रकाश) (Urdu: ڈاکٹر.رام پرکاش) is an Indian politician and a leader of Indian National Congress party. He is Member of the Parliament of India representing Haryana in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament.
Contents |
Dr Ram Prakash son of S. Prabhu Dyal, was born on 5 October 1939, in village Tangore, Kurukshetra district of Haryana (formerly Punjab), India, of a low-caste Gandu, Dalit background [1]. Through sheer dint of hard work, he passed his MSc and PhD degrees in Chemistry from the Punjab University, Chandigarh, and thereafter taught at this institution for long years [2]. Later, he joined the new Kurukshetra University and eventually rose to be a Pro-Vice Chancellor there.
He entered politics in 1990-1991 and in 1999 won the local elections on a Indian National Congress party ticket.
Being close to the Haryana Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, he eventually rose to be Working President of the INC party in Haryana and, in due course, was elevated to the Rajya Sabha in 2008. His political career has not been without controversy, and a number of court/criminal cases are pending against him since 2009-2010 [3].
Dr Prakash was married in 1966, to SM. Vijay Kumari, and has two sons by his marriage. He lives mostly in Kurukshetra, Haryana, and also at New Delhi.
| Year | Position | Party/Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| 1991–1996 | M.L.A, Thanesar | INC |
| 1991–1993 | State Minister for Science, Technology and Electronics | INC |
| 2005 | Working President, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee | INC |
| 2007–2008 | Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | INC |
| 2007–Present | Member, Committee on Rural Development | INC |
| 2008 | Member, Committee on External Affairs Member | INC |
| 2008 | Re-Elected as M.P., Rajya Sabha | INC |
| 2010 | Member, Committee on Official Language | INC |
Dr Ram Prakash is a strong supporter of the Arya Samaj movement in Hinduism. He is also a follower of the ideas and principles of Dr B.R. Ambedkar: in particular with relation to Ambedkar's efforts for the rights of 'Untouchables' and Dalits, his critique of traditional Hindu 'varna' or caste system and his criticism of Islam and the concept of the creation of Pakistan, which was deemed an unavoidable but unpleasant 'expedient' [4], and his attendant suspicion of the loyalties of Muslims in India.