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Suresh Prabhu
Indian politician (born 1953) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu (born 11 July 1953) is an Indian politician. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1996 to 2009, representing Rajapur in the Lok Sabha. He was also a member of the Rajya Sabha, representing Andhra Pradesh and Haryana from 2014 to 2022.[3][4] Prabhu was PM Narendra Modi's Sherpa for the Group of 20 annual summit 2014-2015. [5]
He held several ministerial portfolios in the cabinet of the Union Government, including the Minister of Civil Aviation, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, the Minister of Railways, the Minister of Fertilizers & Chemicals, and the Minister of Environment and Forests. He is the current chancellor of Rishihood University and chairman of the Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture (ICFA).[6][7]
Prabhu was appointed to the Bloomberg New Economy Advisory Board as the only representative from India.[8] He has also worked in the Global Advisory Council of the World Economic Forum.[9]
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Education and career
Suresh Prabhu is a chartered accountant by profession, becoming qualified in 1977.[10] He attended Sharad Ashram Vidyamandir, Dadar, Mumbai, for schooling. He earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree with Honours from M. L. Dahanukar College, Vile Parle, Mumbai, and a Bachelor of Law degree from the New Law College (Ruparel College campus), Mumbai.[11]
Political career
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Suresh Prabhu has been elected from Rajapur constituency, Maharashtra, from 1996 to 2004 under Shiv Sena.[12][13]
Prabhu held ministerial positions during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government (1998–2004) as minister of industry in 1996 and minister of heavy industry and public enterprises in 2001-2004.[14]
Prabhu served as Minister of Environment and Forests from 9 March 1998 to 13 October 1999 under the Vajpayee government.[14] During this period, initiatives included developing bamboo resources, drafting the Biological Diversity Act, preparing the National Environment Action Plan, and finalizing various waste management rules.[15]
He held the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers from 1999 to 2000.[16] He worked on policies for the fertilizer, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, and chemical sectors.[15]
He served as Minister of Power from 2000 to 2004.[17] The Electricity Act of 2003 was enacted during his tenure.[18] Reforms made under his ministry encouraged the people to set up their businesses without being dependent on captive power generation.[19]
Prabhu was appointed Chairperson of the Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers under the Vajpayee government.[20]
In the first term of the Narendra Modi government, Suresh Prabhu was appointed Minister of Railways but resigned in 2017 following train accidents.[21][22] In January 2016, the World Bank invited Prabhu to speak on the role of transport and cities in achieving climate goals.[23]
He served as Minister of Commerce and Industry from 2017 to 2019.[24] Prahbu also visited Russia to participate in “Timber in the Far East-Increasing Industry’s Economic Return” and talked about India-Russia ties with Russian Minister Dmitry Kobylkin.
In the final period of the first term of the Narendra Modi government, he served as Minister of Civil Aviation.[25] During this time, Prahbu helped construct seven airports across the country.[26]
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Awards and recognition
On 18 August 2016, Prabhu received the Goud Saraswat Brahmin Samaj Maharatha Award.[27][28] Media surveys between 2014 and 2017 ranked him among the top-performing ministers.[29][30] He was appointed as Visiting Professor in Practice by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.[31] In 2024, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Economic Policy Group (EPG).[32]
Social work and interests
References
External links
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