Harcharan Singh Brar
Harcharan Singh Brar (21 January 1919 – 6 September 2009) was an Indian politician belonging to the Punjab unit of Indian National Congress. He was the 13th Chief Minister of Punjab and held this position from 31 August 1995 to 21 November 1996. He succeeded the assassinated Chief Minister Beant Singh. At the time he was member of Punjab Vidhan Sabha from Muktsar Assembly Constituency
Personal life
He was born on 21 January 1919 in the village of Sarai Naga on National Highway 16, between Sri Muktsar Sahib and Kot Kapura to Balwant Singh. He graduated from Government College, Lahore.[1] He had two marriages. First wife was Jagir Kaur daughter of Sardar Karnail Singh Sandhu village Bhutter near Sadiq district Faridkot. He had one daughter from the first marriage named Charanjit Kaur Brar who married into rethgarhia family of Patiala. After he was married to Gurbinder Kaur Of Kairon Village. He had two children from her a son Kanwarjit Singh Brar, who is also an MLA from Muktsar and a daughter Kanwaljit Kaur.
Political career
Brar was a member of Punjab Vidhan Sabha five times: from Muktsar in 1960-62, re-elected in 1962-67 and 1992–97, Giddarbaha in 1967-72, Kotkapura in 1969-74.[2] He served as the Governor of Odisha from February 1977 to September 1977, and Governor of Haryana from 24 September 1977 to 9 December 1979.[1] He took over as chief minister of Punjab on 31 August 1995 after the assassination of the chief minister Beant Singh in a bomb blast outside the Punjab and Haryana Secretariat in Chandigarh. He is credited with the creation of Muktsar and Moga districts out of Faridkot district. He has also served as Minister of Irrigation and Power, and Minister of Health and Family Welfare.
Death
Brar died in his native village Sarai Naga on 6 September 2009 after a long illness at the age of 90 years.[1]