MODI’S ECLECTIC MIX

In the third reshuffle in three years, the PM tried to strike a balance between political exigencies in the poll-bound states and professional experience in the government functioning

SHIV PRATAP SHUKLA, 65 RS MP from UP, Shukla is a member of the standing committee on rural development. Earlier, he was an MLA for four consecutive times from UP from 1989 to 1996. Shukla served as a cabinet minister in the UP government. He is also a law graduate. RK SINGH, 65 An IAS officer of the 1975 batch, Bihar cadre, Singh rose up the ranks to become the Home Secretary of India. Elected as a Lok Sabha MP from Arrah, Singh was member of the Parliamentary standing committees on health and family welfare, personnel, pensions and public grievances and law & justice. As a bureaucrat, Singh served in various crucial posts. SATYA PAL SINGH, 62 A former IPS officer of the 1980 batch, Maharashtra cadre, Singh is a recipient of the Special Service Medal for work in the Naxalite areas of Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in 1990. A Lok Sabha MP from Baghpat, Singh has a MSc and MPhil in Chemistry, MBA in strategic banagement from Australia, and a ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY, 64 A Lok Sabha MP from Buxar, Choubey is member of the Parliamentary committee on estimates and standing committee on energy. He has been elected for five consecutive terms to the Bihar Assembly and held various important portfolios. HARDEEP SINGH PURI, 65 A former IFS officer of the 1974 batch, known for his expertise in foreign policy and national security, Puri is the president and chairman of Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) and was the vicepresident of International Peace Institute, New York. He also worked as Permanent RepresentaS Stive of India to UN. ALPHONS KANNANTHANAM, 64 Popularly known as Delhi’s ‘Demolition Man’ during his stint as DDA commissioner, Alphons is a an former IAS officer of the 1979 batch. He was listed in Time Magazine's list of 100 Young Global Leaders in 1994. He pioneered the literacy movement as collector of Kottayam by making it the first 100% literate. VIRENDRA KUMAR, 63 A Lok Sabha MP from Tikamgah, Kumar has been a six-term Lok Sabha MP. He is the chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour and has been chairman of the Joint Committee on Office of Profit and a member of National Social Security Board. GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT, 50 A Lok Sabha MP from Jodhpur, Shekhawat is member of the Parliamentary standing committee on finance and chairperson of the fellowship committee. Known for his simple life style, he is one of the most followed political leaders on Quora globally. A sports enthusiast, Shekhawat has participated at national and All-India Inter-University level in basket ball. He currently is a member of the All-India Council of Sports and president of Basketball India Players Association. ANANTKUMAR HEGDE, 49 Elected as an MP for the first time when he was 28 years old, Hedge is now a 5th term Lok Sabha MP from Uttara Kannada, Karnataka. During his multiple stints in the Parliament, he has been a member of many Parliamentary standing committees including finance, home affairs, HRD, commerce, agriculture and external affairs. Hegde is also the founder president of Kadamba, an NGO working in the field of rural development, rural health, SHGs, rural marketing and other rural welfare programmes.