Prem Das Rai

Prem Das Rai
Member of the India Parliament
for Sikkim
Incumbent
Assumed office
25 May 2009
Preceded by Nakul Das Rai
Spokesperson
Sikkim Democratic Front
Personal details
Born 31 July 1954
Darjeeling, India[1]
Political party Sikkim Democratic Front
Spouse(s) Jean Rai
Children Juneli Rai, Nitin Das Rai
Residence Gangtok
Alma mater IIT Kanpur
IIM Ahmedabad

Prem Das Rai (born July 31, 1954) is an Indian politician from the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party. In the 2009 election, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Sikkim constituency of Sikkim, India. He has the distinction of being the first member of parliament with both Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management degrees. He is also a former Eisenhower Fellow (2000) from India.

Early life

Rai did his schooling at Wynberg Allen School, Mussoorie. He did his chemical engineering from IIT, Kanpur and his master of business administration (MBA), in 1978, from IIM, Ahmedabad. [2]

Career

Prem Das Rai was educated at IIT Kanpur (bachelor of technology in chemical engineering) and at IIM Ahmedabad (MBA). In 2002, he was awarded the prestigious and selective Eisenhower Fellowship (USA) for his contribution to Sikkim’s economic and industrial growth.[3]

Rai joined the SDF in its formative years. He served as the party’s General Secretary and has worked at all its various structural levels. He has helped with SDF’s manifesto and vision, and continues to work for the party and for the prosperity of the Sikkimese people. Most recently, he served as the Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Commission of the Government of Sikkim.

The positions held by Rai include: senior executive at Bank of America (Kolkata), managing director of Sikkim Milk Union, establishing Sikkim Flour Mills, chairman of Sikkim Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (SIDICO) and Sikkim Scheduled Tribes and All Other Backward Classes Financial Development Corporation (SABCO), founding chairman of the Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS), and CEO (north-east) of BASIX. At BASIX, one of India’s largest microfinance and livelihood promotion institutions, he implemented microfinance initiatives for Sikkim and other north-east states by working with farmers, villagers, and non-governmental organizations.

References

  1. ↑ "Fifteenth Lok Sabha Members Bioprofile — Rai, Shri Prem Das". Lok Sabha. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  2. ↑ Bhattacharya, Amit (2 June 2009). "In a first, an IIT-IIMer as MP". Times of India. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
  3. ↑ Borpujari, Utpal (2009). "Sikkim Member of Parliament is an alumnus of IIT, IIM". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 26 April 2012.