SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD ASSUMES I&B
CHARGE
Shri Ravi Shankar
Prasad assumed the charge as Minister of State (Independent Charge)
of Information and Broadcasting, here today. Shri Prasad was earlier
holding dual charge as Minister of State for Law and Justice as
well as Coal and Mines. Shri Prasad 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 organiser 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 al 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 is championing
the cause of ‘Economic Reforms’. During his tenure 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 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 discussions on
issues of topical interest.
Last year, the Coal
India Ltd. (CIL), the apex public sector undertaking in the field
of coal Production & Marketing, suffered a loss of Rs. 1441
crore. After he took over, this financial year ending on 31st
March, CIL has made a record profit of Rs. 1758 crore. Even the
chronically loss making coal Companies are in the process of turning
around. The Central Coalfields Ltd. is likely to make a profit
of approximately Rs. 100 crores this year.
