Minister of Education
NAME – Ramesh Pokhriyal
PROFESSION- Politician and writer
BORN – 15 July, 1959 (Age 61)
PLACE OF BIRTH – Uttarakhand
FATHER’S NAME – Paramanand Pokhriyal
MOTHER’S NAME – Vishambhari Pokhriyal
SPOUSE – Kusum Kanta Pokhriyal
SIBLINGS – NA
CHILDREN – Three daughters ( Vidushi, Shreyasi & Arushi)
EDUCATION – Graduated from Hemvati Nandan Bahugana Garhwal University
POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS/PARTY– Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)
REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT- He has written novels, stories and poems. He has authored 44 books, some of which have been translated in English as well as in other Indian languages. They have been described by some critics and literature connoisseurs as ‘heavy on patriotism’.
AWARDS – Ramesh Pokhriyal has received the Sahitya Bharati by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was also conferred with the Vatayan Lifetime achievement award for his exemplary contribution in the field of literature. His other awards include Sahitya Gaurav Samman and Bharat Gaurav Samman.
Ramesh Pokhriyal who also goes by the pen name of ‘Nishank’ is an Indian politician belonging to the Bhartiya Janata Party is currently the Minister of Education.
BACKGROUND – He is currently a member of the Lok Sabha .He represents the Haridwar Parliamentary Constituency of Uttarakhand in the Lok Sabha. He retained the seat for a second term in 2019. He was subsequently appointed Minister of Human resource development.
UPBRINGING & EDUCATION – He was born in the Pinani Village, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. His father was a gardener and he was born into a poor family. He received a M.A degree from Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University. He also holds PhD (hons), D.Litt (Hons) from thhe same university.
WALK OF LIFE- He is currently serving as Minister of Education in the Modi Government. He started his career as a teacher in Saraswati Shishu Mandir which was affiliated with the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh). In the year 1999, he defeated 5 times congress MLA from Karnapryag constituency in the undivided Uttar Pradesh and became a member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. He has also been the 5th Chief Minister of Uttarakhand from 2009 to 2011. In 2019, he was appointed as the Minister of Human Resource Development. However, following the ministry’s name change to the Ministry of Education.
MAJOR INITIATIVES TAKEN- Some of his initiatives include PM e-Vidya, Pragyata guidelines, Manodarpan for psycho-social support, e-content.
CAREER TIMELINE/POSITION HELD-
1993 & 1996 – Re- elected from the Karnaprayag constituency
1997- Appointed as the Uttaranchal development minister
1991-2012- for the five consecutive terms, he was the MLA of Uttar Pradesh
2009-2011- Served as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand
2014- Resigned from the Dilwala Constituency and was elected from the Haridwar constituency
May 30, 2019- He swore in as the HRD Minister in the 2nd Modi Cabinet
CONTROVERSIES/CASES – In 2014, he created a controversy when he made a statement in the parliament claiming that astrology should be promoted. He said “Astrology is the biggest science; in fact it is above science. We should promote it”
In august 2019, an appeal was filed in the office of Ram Nath Kovind for the disqualification of Pokhriyal as a minister for citing ‘fake’ doctorate degrees.