Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Know your president:Pranab Mukherjee

The journey of Pranab Mukherjee from 13, Talkatora Road to Rashtrapati Bhavan to become the 13th President of India has been steady and eventful. The man of destiny who could not become prime minister but ran the country as a de facto prime minister is an amazingly 'normal' person with normal Indian traits, likes and dislikes. After, he was nominated as presidential candidate of the Congress, hundreds of people called him to express their pleasure.


After he threw his hat in the race to become President he has certainly created a "feel good" factor amongst people. Even sadhus throng his home, endlessly, to bless him. The man, who was never been a mass leader, got the adulation of the masses during the last few weeks of campaigning.On 23rd July Shri,Pranab mukherjee was elected as the 13th President of the second largest democracy in the world.Let's get to know more about our president.
Like father like son

Pranab-da, as he is universally known was born to Kamada Kinkar Mukherjee and Rajlakshmi on December 11, 1935, in Mirati village near Kirnahar town of West Bengal's Birbhum district.His father, was a respected freedom fighter who spent more than 10 years in British jails.He was an active member of Indian National Congress and was also a member of West Bengal Legislative Council from 1952 to 1964.So, it was quite obvious that K K Mukherjee’s son Shri Pranab Mukherjee would join active politics following his father’s foot-steps.He began his career as a lecturer. He later worked as a journalist in Desher Dak(Call of Motherland),a Bengali publication and then subsequently entered politics.

Educationally talented

Mukherjee attended the Suri Vidyasagar College in Suri (Birbhum), then affiliated with the University of Calcutta. He has a Master of Arts degree in Political Science and History, as well as a degree in law from the University of Calcutta.Before entering politics Pranabda used to teach and hence has a heart of a teacher.With his voracious reading ability and imimpeccable memory he really is a politician with a strong educational background supported firmly with his acedemic excellence and amazing qualities.
An Urban politician with a rural heart

Pranabda's father Kamada Kinkar was the Birbhum district Congress president. People used to crowd his house in Mirati village.Rajlakshmi, his mother, used to serve food to them. Policemen also frequently came home. His mother used to control the house. She was very homely and mentally very strong. Pranabda was very close to his mother and also feared her. She influenced Pranabda greatly..He has grown up in that situation so he understands the Congress and rural life too. He still enjoys village life. Every month he goes to West Bengal. He goes to his old house. He went to school walking five kilometers one-way every day. In the rainy season, he used to keep his chappals and books on his head and swim in the river to reach school. Basically he is a man of rural India. His family of freedom fighters belongs to rural India. He understands rural West Bengal very well as well as the situation in rural areas on the whole and hence always strive for their development
Entry into politics:

Commenting about his entry into politics he says

"One event did influence me very much. I first joined a regional party. I was not a member of the Indian National Congress initially. I was, of course, not a member of any political party while I started teaching. But when Mr Ajoy Mukherjee, who was then president of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, was removed unceremoniously from his post, for what I believed was doing the right thing, I felt bad. And when he tried to assemble a new organization taking Congressmen, I thought I should support him. That brought me into active politics."

Political life:
Details of his political life are summarized in the following slideshow
Qualities which separate him from the other politicians are:

1.A Nationalist thinker unlike no other politician



 He understands the Congress better than anybody because he has seen the district level Congress so closely. When he was elected to the Rajya Sabha for the first time in 1969 he gave a speech on the finance bill. The then prime minister Indira Gandhi heard it. She was very impressed and called him. She asked him, "Who are you? Which party do you belonged to?" He said he is from the 'Bangla Congress'. She complimented him and asked him to "stay in touch" with her. Slowly he grew and became a minister.He,always says this that he is an Indian first. He can't favour a particular village, district or a state.In all the ministries that he was heading he has kept the national interest in focus. The reason behind his success is that he is a nationalist.A person who puts country interests before local interests

2.Party troubleshooter:

This term, in a way, sums up Pranab's own tryst with destiny. With the Congress in power at the Centre, he would always be the quintessential number two and the principal troubleshooter for both the party and Government, in Parliament and outside.Barring the Home ministry he has the credit of leading every important ministry.Every time the party has been in a fix,Pranabda has been to the rescue.May it be During Indira Gandhi's time as Finance minister or In Narsimharao's Govt as Deputy chairman of planning commission or even recently heading the finance ministry during crisis,he has always come to the fore when the party needed him to stand up.

 4. Multitasker:

Pranabda handled multiple ministries with jaw dropping efficiency and commitment.The Details of his multi starred career are as follows:


3.Indispensable party man:


Pranab mukherjee was considered for the presidential candidature during UPA-1 term(2004-2009) too but due to his indispensable nature he did not get his wish.Following event proves it:

"One night when Pranab was busy in his small home office at 13 Talkatora Road, scanning as he does almost every word written on an official file, he received an urgent summon from Sonia. He realised why he was being called and left home in sheer trepidation.Sonia broached the matter with characteristic dignity and candour and lost no time to convince Pranab that she was, per se, not opposed to his candidature. Then after a pause, she asked Pranab the most baffling of all questions he has faced in life. Sonia said, smiling, "You will have to do me a favour. Just tell me, who can replace you in the Cabinet and perform your role. Give me a name and you will be our candidate." Pranab sat dumbfounded for a while and then broke into laughter. Sonia, too, joined in."

Such was the nature of the person who was indispensable to the party

4.An Untiring politician



On being asked how does he get so much energy to manage so many portfolios and not afford to neglect anything he says

"I had to put in extra effort. I can't afford to neglect anything. Every assignment is important. I get that energy because I am a village boy. During my school days, I had to travel 10 km everyday
.Throughout those years, I walked 10 km every day. There was no road. I walked through paddy fields. That's how I get my energy."

5.Impeccable Memory


A voracious reader since childhood, Pranab cannot sit idle without reading something, even rubbish.This habit, backed by a graphic memory and a rare capacity to slog 20 hours-a-day if necessary, distinguishes him in a crowd of fortune seekers.For facts, he does not have to check the records, for they are always on his fingertips
.A funny incident which resulted in a funny outcome was

"Soon after Pranab joined his Cabinet and started baring himself in his usual swashbuckling form. In one of the Cabinet meetings, Pranab got into a heated debate with Balram Jakhar, the then minister for agriculture and rural development, over the issue of fixing of remunerative prices for the farmer. The little man from Birbhum rejected the imposing Jat's arguments with compelling facts and interpretations and then asked Jakhar to go back to his ministry to read his detailed notes on a file he wrote 20 years ago. Then to every one's silent bewilderment, Pranab recalled from memory every word he wrote on the file concerned. The meeting over, Rao called Pranab aside and whispered into his ears, "Why on earth do you take the trouble of remembering so much? Didn't Rajiv throw you out from the party?" The two friends exchanged a hearty laugh. Pranab realised that memory could also be agonisingly painful."

Parting shot:

Mr Mukherjee first became an MP 43 years ago, a minister 39 years ago. His first stint as Finance Minister of India began exactly 30 years ago. He has been a minister under every Congress Prime Minister in the last 40 years. He is acknowledged across political parties as one of the best Parliamentarians -- several generations of MPs have not seen Parliament without him in it.Now he is ascending to the highest position(although titular) in the country.Lets hope he brings the much needed changes which are the need for the day for India and make it a Superpower.Hearfelt congratulations to our dear president and all the best of luck to him on his way !


contact him:
pkm@sansad.nic.in




Sources:

1.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pranab_Mukherjee
2.http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/who-is-pranab-mukherjee-246310
3.http://www.pranabmukherjee.in/
4.http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/nation/north/pranab-mukherjee-manmohan-singh-1-hr-ny-meet-438
5.http://www.mynews.in/News/finance_minister_pranab_mukherjee_gives_final_touches_to_the_1983_84_union_budget_%E2%80%94_his_first._file_photo__N459180.html
6.http://flashnewstoday.com/index.php/56080/pranab-mukherjee-to-be-sworn-in-as-13th-president-on-wednesday/
7.http://india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=4195
8.http://news.biharprabha.com/2012/07/the-biography-of-president-of-india-pranab-mukherjee/
9.http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-pranab-teacher-economist-trouble-shooter-president-profile/20120722.htm
10.http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/president-pranab-mukherjee-first-exclusive-interview/1/209601.html
2.http://parsareport.blogspot.in/2011/11/pranab-mukherjee-presents-picture-of.html
11.http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3669997.ece?ref=slideshow
12.http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/president-pranab-mukherjee-congress-party-upa-government/1/209969.html
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)