Pranab Da: from Junior minister to the President
Pranab da is known for his sharp memory, clarity of thought and grasp over different issues. Da has the rare distinction of serving as junior minister of industrial development, deputy minister with independent charge of revenue and banking department, finance minister, head of planning commission, defence minister, foreign minister and the President of India.
Shri Pranab Mukherjee was born on 11th December 1935 in Birbhumi, West Bengal.
His educational qualification includes Master in Political science and History.he had done LLB from the University of Calcutta.
He was a lecture during his starting career then he became a journalist and then he entered politics.
He was the election agent of V.K. Krishna Menon, where Indira Gandhi spotted him. Indira Gandhi was impressed by the work of Pranab da and she invited him to join Congress. In 1969 Pranab Da joined Congress and elected to the upper house of Parliament.
In 1973 he became the junior minister of industrial development. In 1978 he became the deputy minister with independent charge of revenue and banking. In 1980 he became the leader of the upper house of Parliament and in 1982 he had sworn as youngest finance minister of the country at the age of 47. He was one of the most trusted person of Indira Gandhi, Who was worked with her very closely for the country.
He broke away with congress in 1986 and formed his own party Rashtriya Samajwadi Party in West Bengal. however, he returned to Congress in 1989.
He became the head of Planning commission in 1991 and sworn as Foreign minister in 1995 under P.V Narshima Rao Government.
Pranab da hold Defence ministry( 2004–06), foreign ministry (2006–08) and finance ministry (2009–12) under the Manmohan Singh government.
He awarded Padma Vibushan, 2nd highest civilian award in 2008.
Pranab Da remained as one of the most powerful person of India for 8 years (2004–12) holding ministries of Defence, foreign and finance, one after another.
In 2012 Pranab da declared as the first citizen of India and remain in Rastrapati Bhawan till 2017.
In 2019 he went against the advice of home ministry and accepted the mercy petition of 4 death row convicts of 1992 Bara Massacre, Centre honoured this decision.
In 2019, Pranab Da received the highest civilian award of India.
Shri Pranab Mukherjee, who was seen as a formidable political strategist, draftsman and parliamentarian with an astute legal mind, prospered in Delhi.
Our Pranab da left us on 31st Aug 2020 but he will remain in our hearts forever.