Seven ministers sworn in Himachal Pradesh -

Shimla, Jan 8

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Seven new council of ministers were inducted in Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government on Sunday as oath was administered Himachal Pradesh Governor Rajinder Vishavnath Arhlekar at Rajbhavan in a grand but simple oath ceremony on Sunday.

Two time former minister and member of Assembly Col Dhani Ram Shandil from Solan Constituency, Former Minister, MLA from Jawali Kangra and Former MP Chander Kumar, six-time MLA Harshvardhan Chauhan from Shillai in Sirmaur, Five times MLA from Kinnuar and former Deputy Speaker Jagat Singh Negi, five time Member of Assembly from Jubbal Kotkhai and grand son of former CM Thakur Ram Lal Rohit Thakur, three time MLA from Kasumpti Assembly Anirudh Singh and former chief minister Virbhadra Singh’s son Vikramaditya Singh.

Now three posts are left vaccant in cabinet. Five MLA’s out of seven are inducted first time as a minister.

Today No Minister were inducted from Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Mandi Lahaul-Spiti district and Kullu district. With chief minister and Deputy Chief minister total number of council of ministers increased to nine.

It is worthwhile to mention here today that before swearing ceremony of new Çabinet Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also Administerated oath to six chief Paralimentary Secretary including Ram Kumar and Sanjay Awasthi from Solan district Mohan Lal Bragta from Shimla, Sunder Singh Thakur from Kullu, Kishori lal and Ashish Butail from Kangra district.

Bio Data of newly inducted cabinet ministers

Dr.(Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil
Son of Late Shri Narainu Ram Shandil, he was born on 20th October, 1940 at Village Basheel, Tehsil Kandaghat, District Solan. He is M.A., M.Phil and Ph.D. He has one son and two daughters. He served in the Armed Forces from 1962-96 and retired as Colonel.
He was elected to 13th Lok Sabha in 1999 as Himachal Vikas Congress Party nominee and re-elected to 14th Lok Sabha in 2004 as Indian National Congress nominee.
He was Incharge Congress for Mizoram, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, and was Member Congress Working Committee from April, 2011 to September, 2013.
He was elected to the State Legislative Assembly in December, 2012; remained Social Justice & Empowerment Minister from 25th December, 2012 to 21st December, 2017. Re-elected to the thirteenth Vidhan Sabha (2nd term) in December, 2017 and nominated as Member, Welfare, Public Administration and Ethics Committees. Re-elected to 14th Legislative Assembly in December, 2022.

Sh. Chander Kumar
Son of late Shri Beli Ram, he was born at village Dhan, Tehsil Jawali, Distt. Kangra on 8th May, 1944. He is M. A., M.Ed. and LL.B. He got education from Punjab University, Chandigarh and H. P. University, Shimla. He is married to Smt. Krishna Devi on 2nd March, 1976. He has one son and one daughter.
He is dedicated to the upliftment of the weaker sections of society and for the redressal of public grievances in far flung areas of the State. He took active part in struggle for Statehood. He joined as trained Graduate teacher in 1968 and resigned from service to take part in active politics. He taught Geography at St. Bed’s College, Shimla from 1978 to 1982. He represented State as Joint Convener, National Convention on Education at New Delhi in 1981.
He contested election to State Assembly in 1977 but lost. He was elected to the Assembly in 1982, and 1985. He lost in 1990 but won again in 1993, 1998 and 2003.
Chander Kumar remained Vice-Chairman, HRTC from 1982 to 1985; (ii) Deputy Minister for Health, Higher Education and Public Relations from April 1984 to March 1985; (iii) Minister of State for Forest (independent charge) from March 1985 to 1989; (iv) Minister of State for Agriculture and Art, Language & Culture and Fisheries (independent charge) from 1989 to 1990; and (v) Cabinet Minister for Irrigation, Public Health, Science & Technology and Technical Education 1993 to 1998. He also remained Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2009.
He also remained as Forest Minister (Cabinet Rank). Re-elected to 14th Legislative Assembly in December, 2022.

Sh. Harshwardhan Chauhan
Son of Late Shri Guman Singh Chauhan (Former Minister, H.P. State Govt.), he was born on 14th September, 1964 at Nahan, District Sirmour. He is B.A. LL.B. He got education at St. Edward’s School, Shimla and H.P. University, Shimla. He is married to Smt. Kalpna Chauhan and has one daughter. He remained associated with NSUI since College days. He also remained Member of College Student Central Association, General Secretary Youth Congress, Shillai from 1986 to 1988; ii) Distt. Congress Committee, Sirmour from 1990 to 96, Joint Secretary of State Congress Committee in 1997, President of D.C.C. Sirmour from 2008 to 2012, General Secretary of Congress Legislature Party from 2003 to 2007 and ii) Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee from 2005 to 2008 and from 2013 to 2018.
He was elected to the State Legislative Assembly in 1993 and re-elected in 1998, 2003 and 2007. He remained Vice-Chairman of State General Industries Corporation from 1995 to 1997, Member of School Education Board Dharamshala from 1994 to 1997, ii) Executive Council H.P. University, Shimla from 1994 to 1996, iii) H.P. State Youth Board form 1995to 1997 and iv) Senate of Y.S. Parmar Horticulture University, Nauni (Solan).
Harshwardhan Chauhan also remained Chief Parliamentary Secretary of H.P. Government from 18th April to 18th August, 2005. He remained Chairman, Estimates Committee, ii) General Development Committee and iii) Petitions Committee during 2005-07 and 2008-12 and Member of various other House Committees during 2005-07 and 2008-12 and Chairman (Cabinet rank) State level Committee of Resource Mobilization and Employment Generation from 2013 to 2017.
He was re-elected to the thirteenth Vidhan Sabha (5th term) in December, 2017 and nominated as Member, Public Accounts, Library and Member Amenities and Privileges Committees. He was re-elected to 14th Legislative Assembly in December, 2022.

Sh. Jagat Singh Negi
Son of Late Shri Gayan Singh Negi, Ex MLA, Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, he was born on 2nd February,1957 at Kalpa, Distt. Kinnaur. He is BA LLB. He got education at DAV College, Chandigarh and Punjab University, Chandigarh. He is married to Smt. Susheela Negi on 1st July, 1982 and has one son and one daughter.
He remained Founder President, District Apple and Vegetable Growers Association Kinnaur from 1980 to 1995. He also remained president of District Bar Association Kinnaur from 1980 to 1995, (ii) Distt. Youth Congress Committee, Kinnaur from 1980 to 1995, (iii) District Congress Committee from 1996 to 2011. He was Vice -President and President of Foot Ball Association, Himachal Pradesh during 1996 and 2005-09, respectively. He was Chairman Panchayat Samiti, Pooh from 1987 to 1992 and Vice-Chairman of HP State Schedule Caste & Schedule Tribe Development Corporation from 1996 to 1997.
Jagat Singh Negi was elected to the State Legislative Assembly on 27th May, 1995 (by-election) and re-elected in June, 2003 and 2012. He remained Parliamentary Secretary from 18th April, 2005 to 18th August, 2005, Chairman Subordinate Legislation Committee from January, 2013 to March, 2013 and Deputy Speaker from 12th March, 2013 to 21st December, 2017.
He was re-elected to the thirteenth Vidhan Sabha (4th term) in December, 2017 and nominated as Member, Estimates and General Development Committees. He was also appointed Chief Whip, Congress Legislature Party. He was re-elected to 14th Legislative Assembly in December, 2022.

Sh. Rohit Thakur
Son of Smt. Sarita Thakur and late Shri Jagdish Thakur he was born on 14th August, 1974 at Shimla. He is BA. (Hons.) (Political Science). He is Married to Smt. Pratibha and has one son and two daughters.
Being a grandson of the former Chief Minister late Thakur Ram Lal, he entered into active politics of the State at a very young age. He remained Member of Pradesh Youth Congress State Executive from 2000 to 2004, ii) HPCC from Jubbal-Kotkhai, 2002 to till date and Secretary of HPCC from 2008 to 2011.
Rohit Thakur was elected to the State Legislative Assembly in 2003 and 2012 and remained Chief Parliamentary Secretary from May 2013 to December 2017. He was re-elected to the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha for the third time in by-election held on 30th October, 2021 and re-elected to 14th Legislative Assembly in December, 2022.

Sh. Anirudh Singh
Son of Late Shri Trivikram Singh, he was born on 27th January, 1977 at Shimla. He is a graduate. He is married to Smt. Chetna Singh and has one son and one daughter. He is an agriculturist, political and social worker.
He remained Vice-President of State Youth Congress, State General Secretary of Indian Youth Congress, Vice-President of State and Shimla Lok Sabha Constituency PYC, National Coordinator of IYC, Member of Zila Parishad Chamyana Ward No-22 of District Shimla twice from 2005 to 2010 and Chairman Zila Parishad Shimla from January, 2011 to January, 2013.
Anirudh Singh was elected to the twelfth Vidhan Sabha in December 2012. He remained Member of Public Undertakings, Subordinate Legislation and Rule Committees from 2013 to 2017. He was e-elected to the thirteenth Vidhan Sabha (2nd term) in December, 2017 and was nominated as Member, Public Undertakings, Subordinate Legislation and Rule Committees. He was re-elected to 14th Legislative Assembly in December, 2022.

Sh. Vikramaditya Singh
Son of Smt. Pratibha Singh, Member Lok Sabha and late Virbhadra Singh, six time Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, he was born on 17th October, 1989 at Shimla. He is Post Graduate in History. He took his early education at Bishop Cotton School Shimla and higher education from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University.
Vikramaditya Singh was elected President of Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress from 2013 to 2018. He was elected to the State Legislative Assembly in December 2017 and was nominated as Member Public Undertakings Committee and e-Governance-cum-General Purposes Committees. He was re-elected to 14th Legislative Assembly in December, 2022.
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