RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD : A
PROFILE
The Minister of State for Coal and Mines
Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad who has also been given charge of the
Ministry of Law and Justice in the same capacity following the
reshuffle of the Union Council of Minister on July 1, 2002, was
born on August 30, 1954 in Patna, Bihar. His father Late Thakur
Prasad was an eminent lawyer of Bihar, a great political activist,
an organizer of repute and the founder of Jansangh in that State.
He was also Minister in the State Cabinet of Bihar.
Born to an illustrious father, Shri Prasad
did his L.L.B. from Patna University on his footsteps. He has
been an excellent student all through his Matriculation, Intermediate,
Graduation (Honours in Political Science) and Post Graduation
studies, which he all passed in First Class. He is married to
Smt. (Dr.) Maya Shankar who is a professor of History in the famous
Patna Women’s College of Bihar. Her doctoral thesis on "Non
Alignment and Indo American Relations" has been highly acclaimed.
Shri Prasad has been crusader all through
his life. In his younger days, he led the student movement in
Bihar under the leadership of great Jai Prakash Narayan and suffered
imprisonment. As a lawyer he championed the causes of ‘Eradication
of Corruption’ and ‘Civil Liberty’. As a Minister, he is championing
the cause of ‘Economic Reforms’.
After taking over as Minister of State in
the Ministry of Coal and Mines, Shri Prasad has accelerated the
reforms process in the mining and coal sector.
Shri Prasad has had frequent appearances
on the television in international and Indian channels including
the BBC, CNN, Star News, Doordarshan, Zee News, Aaj Tak and other
channels. His views are often sought to defend the policies of
Government of India and also in discussion on issues of topical
interest.
Of late, the Prime Minister and the External
Affairs Minister have been giving him critical assignments in
foreign affairs as well. In April, 2002, he was sent as the leader
of Indian Delegation in the Non Aligned Ministerial meet in Durban
(South Africa). Thereafter, he was sent as the Indian representative
to meet Yasser Araft, the Palestinian Leader at Ramallah as a
memberof NAM Ministerial delegation to express solidarity with
him.
Shir Prasad brings with him rich legal professional
expertise in the Law Ministry to help accelerate pace of justice
delivery system in the country and adjust our laws to meet the
challenges of globalization.
