Sharad Anantrao Joshi

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Sharad Anantrao Joshi
Born (1935-09-03)September 3, 1935
Satara India
Nationality Indian
Occupation Member of Parliament
Known for Shetkari Sanghatana
(Farmers organisation)

Sharad Anantrao Joshi is the founder of Swatantra Bharat Paksh party and Shetkari Sanghatana (farmers' Organisation), He was also a Member of the Parliament of India representing Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. On Jan 9, 2010 he was the sole MP in Rajya Sabha to vote against the bill providing 33% reservation for women in Indian parliament and assemblies.[1][2][3]

Sharad Joshi is a member of Advisory Board of the World Agricultural Forum (WAF), the foremost global agricultural platform that initiates dialogue between those who can impact agriculture.[4] He is also founder of Shetkari Sanghatana, an organisation for farmers. Shetakari Sanghatana is a non political union of Farmers formed with the aim to “Freedom of access to markets and to Technology”.[5]

Early life and education

Sharad Joshi was born on September 3, 1935 at Satara, in the state of Maharashtra, India. He is a son of Anant Narayan (1905–70) and Indirabai Joshi (1910–92). He has done Master of Commerce from Sydenham College, Mumbai, in 1957, Dip. Informatics (Lausanne, 1974); Awards: C.E. Randle Gold Medal for Banking (1955), Cursetjee Dady Prize for work on Computation of Irrigation Benefits. Lecturer in Economics and Statistics, University of Poona, 1957–58; I.P.S Indian Postal Service (Class I) 1958-68; Chief Informatics Service, International Bureau, UPU, Bern, Switzerland, 1968-77. (He served as a United Nations officer before founding Shetakari Sanghatana).[6][7]

Farmers Organisation

He is a founder of Shetkari Sanghatana, farmers' Organisation in Maharashtra. He has led number of mass agitations on agricultural issues in India.[8][9] Most of them in the state of Maharashtra on issues of prices offered to Farmers. He is also founder Leader of ' Kisan Coordination Committee (KCC)' composed of sister organisations from 14 states - Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala; led a number of agitations in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana etc. for remunerative prices of onions, sugar cane, tobacco, milk, paddy, cotton, against hike in electricity tariffs, for liquidation of rural debts and against State dumping in domestic markets.

He has also been a columnist for the dailies 'The Times of India', ' Business India', 'Lokmat' etc., and has also authored books on agricultural issues.

Shetkari Mahila Aghadi (SMA)

Sharad Joshi is also a Founder of the largest organisation of rural women Shetkari Mahila Aghadi (SMA) celebrated for its work for women's property rights notably for the Lakshmi Mukti programme that has conferred land titles on lakhs of rural housewives.[10]

Special Economic Zones for farm

Sharad Joshi advocated SEZs in areas of India’s comparative advantage, notably organic farming, aromatic and medicinal plants, manufacture of hybrid seeds and horticulture. Joshi also voiced on the need to establish credible certifying agencies for organic farm products and also suggested exclusive Zones for growing variety of onions popular in the Western countries and also the domestic market could be insulated from the international markets, and shortages could be averted even while earning foreign exchange.[11]

Socialism and Indian Constitution

In December 2005 Sharad Joshi tabled private member legislation in the Rajya Sabha, demanding deletion of the word socialism from the Representation of the People Act of the Constitution of India.[12]

Publications

A partial list of his writings and works includes:

  • Organisation of Peasants: Thought and Practice
  • Bharat Speaks Out (1982)
  • Bharat Eyeview (1986)
  • The Women's Question (1986),
  • Answering Before God (1994)

See also

References

Notes
  1. ↑ "Economist, agriculturist and farmer leader Sharad Joshi, was the lone member of Rajya Sabha who voted against the woman's reservation bill on March 9. He explains his reservations against the bill.". New Delhi: Rediff news. March 15, 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  2. ↑ Tewari, Ruhi; Santosh K. Joy (March 9, 2010). "Upper House voted for the legislation by 186 votes to a single dissent vote by Sharad Anantrao Joshi, an MP representing the Swatantra Bharat Paksh.". New Delhi: livemint.com, Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  3. ↑ "Women quota bill will prove fatal to democracy". New Delhi: Daily Times. March 11, 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  4. ↑ "World Agricultural Forum (WAF)". World Agricultural Forum (WAF). Retrieved 10 November 2010. 
  5. ↑ "Fields to polyhouses: Joshi urges farmers to adopt modern techniques". Pune: Indian Express News Service. Dec 6, 2009. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  6. ↑ HAZARIKA, SANJOY (August 23, 1989). "Agitation by Farmers Is Challenging Gandhi". AMBETHAN, India: The New York Times. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  7. ↑ [+Indian+farmers,+a+peaceful+though+long-exploited+community,+are+angry.+&pqatl=google "Indian farmers, a peaceful though long-exploited community, are angry"]. Boston Globe. Jan 15, 1981. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  8. ↑ BHOSALE, JAYASHREE (December 8, 2009). "Farmers worried over climate disturbances". Pune: The Economic Times. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  9. ↑ JAGANNATHAN, PRABHA (July 7, 2009). "Union Budget 2009-'10: Not enough to propel farm growth to 4%". The Economic Times. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  10. ↑ Kishwar, Madhu (May 31, 2000). "Sabotage in the guise of support?". The Hindu. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  11. ↑ Press Information Bureau. (February 11, 2005). "SEZ Act to give big boost to FDI and Employment". New Delhi: Ministry of Commerce & Industry India. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
  12. ↑ "Delete word socialism from Constitution". New Delhi: Indian Express News Service. December 9, 2005. Retrieved 5 November 2010. 
Bibliography

External links

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