Mani Shankar Aiyar
Encyclopedia
Mani Shankar Aiyar is a former Indian diplomat who resigned from foreign service and became a politician working for Rajiv Gandhi in 1989-1991. He is a member of the Indian National Congress
party and was the Minister of Panchayati Raj
until he lost his seat in the 2009 Election. He served as the Union Cabinet Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas from May 2004 through January 2006 and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports till 2009.
He represented the Mayiladuthurai
constituency of Tamil Nadu
in the 14th Lok Sabha
.
Mani Shankar Aiyer is the son of V. Sankar Aiyar, a chartered accountant, and Bhagyalakshmi Sankar Aiyar. His younger brother is the well known journalist, Swaminathan Aiyar
. He lost his father at age 12 in an air crash.
He attended Welham Boys' School
, The Doon School
and obtained B.A. from St. Stephen's College, Delhi
, University of Delhi
. After the loss of his father, Aiyar's mother had to negotiate with Doon to allow him to continue his studies with reduced fees and in return she taught at the school.
He graduated in economics from Delhi University, and then did a two-year B.A. in Tripos in Economics at Trinity Hall, Cambridge
at the University of Cambridge
which, in the Oxbridge tradition, became an M.A with the passage of time. He was a member of Trinity Hall. He was also an active member of the Marxist Society in Cambridge. At Cambridge, Aiyar joined student politics and once even tried to win a presidential contest. He was supported by Rajiv Gandhi
in his campaign who was his junior both at Doon and Cambridge.
Until very recently, he was living in Sainik Farm
, a construction declared illegal by the Delhi High Court
(as the last Lok Sabha Members' Yearbook 2006 shows).
He served 26 years in the IFS
, the last five of which were on deputation to the Prime Minister's Office under Rajiv Gandhi
(1985-1989). He resigned from service in 1989 to take up a career in politics and media, entering the Parliament
as a Congress M.P from Mayiladuthurai in 1991, 1999 and 2004 but was defeated in 1996, 1998 and 2009.
He is a special invitee to the Congress Working Committee
and a chairman of both the party's political training department and the department of policy planning and coordination. He is also a well-known political columnist and has written several books, including Pakistan Papers and Remembering Rajiv, and has edited a four-volume publication, Rajiv Gandhi's India.
His special interests include, grassroots democracy, Indian foreign policy particularly with India's neighboring countries and West Asia and nuclear disarmament
.
there that there was no difference between the radical right-wing revolutionary Veer Savarkar, a famous inmate of the prison, and Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan
, as they shared a 'divisive' philosophy. He also ordered that a plaque with a poem commemorating Savarkar be replaced with a plaque with quotes from Mahatma Gandhi
. Savarkar had been tried and acquitted for conspiring in Gandhi's assassination. Reports of the incident paralysed Parliament and led to agitations by the Shiv Sena
in Maharashtra
. Aiyar's remarks created confusion as well in the ruling party; the official spokesman, Anand Sharma, noted that the Congress Party
did not consider Savarkar either a freedom fighter or a patriot. A few days later, the Prime Minister dissociated himself and the cabinet from that view.http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/2004/16-30Sep04-Print-Edition/163109200429.htm
Aiyar was also involved in a public brawl with politician Amar Singh
.http://www.hvk.org/articles/1200/5.html
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
party and was the Minister of Panchayati Raj
Minister of Panchayati Raj (India)
The Minister of Panchayati Raj is the head of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and one of the cabinet ministers of the Government of India....
until he lost his seat in the 2009 Election. He served as the Union Cabinet Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas from May 2004 through January 2006 and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports till 2009.
He represented the Mayiladuthurai
Mayiladuturai (Lok Sabha constituency)
-Assembly segments:Mayiladuturai Lok Sabha constituency is composed of the following assembly segments :#Sirkali #Poompuhar#Mayiladuturai#Kumbakonam#Thiruvidamaradur#Papanasam-Members of the Parliament:...
constituency of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
in the 14th Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
.
Early life
Swaminathan Aiyar
Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar is a prominent Indian journalist and columnist. He is consulting editor for the Economic Times and writes regularly for the Economic Times and The Times of India.-Early life:...
. He lost his father at age 12 in an air crash.
He attended Welham Boys' School
Welham Boys' School
Welham Boys School is a boarding school in India. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas over an area of , the school lies amidst the hills and rivers of the Dehra Dun. Students from many parts of the sub-continent and beyond attend the school...
, The Doon School
The Doon School
The Doon School is an independent school located in Dehradun in the state of Uttarakhand in India. Established in 1935, it was founded by Satish Ranjan Das. Its first Headmaster was Arthur E...
and obtained B.A. from St. Stephen's College, Delhi
St. Stephen's College, Delhi
St. Stephen's College is a constituent college of the University of Delhi located in Delhi, India. The college admits both undergraduates and post-graduates, and awards degrees under the purview of the University. Famous for its rich history and many traditions, St...
, University of Delhi
University of Delhi
The University of Delhi is a central university situated in Delhi, India and is funded by Government of India. Established in 1922, it offers courses at the undergraduate and post-graduate level. Vice-President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari is the Chancellor of the university...
. After the loss of his father, Aiyar's mother had to negotiate with Doon to allow him to continue his studies with reduced fees and in return she taught at the school.
He graduated in economics from Delhi University, and then did a two-year B.A. in Tripos in Economics at Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
which, in the Oxbridge tradition, became an M.A with the passage of time. He was a member of Trinity Hall. He was also an active member of the Marxist Society in Cambridge. At Cambridge, Aiyar joined student politics and once even tried to win a presidential contest. He was supported by Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...
in his campaign who was his junior both at Doon and Cambridge.
Until very recently, he was living in Sainik Farm
Sainik Farm
Sainik Farm is an illegal settlement in New Delhi. A large tract of land was left in Delhi to maintain the greenery. However the rich and powerful bought tracts of land there ostensibly to farm but built huge mansions there. Delhi High Court declared 99A B,102 ,106 Mehtas' A B C as illegal but...
, a construction declared illegal by the Delhi High Court
Delhi High Court
The High Court of Delhi was established on 31 October 1966. The High Court of Delhi was established with four judges. They were Chief Justice K. S. Hegde, Justice I. D. Dua, Justice H. R. Khanna and Justice S. K. Kapur.-History:...
(as the last Lok Sabha Members' Yearbook 2006 shows).
Career
Indian Foreign Service
The Indian Foreign Service is the foreign service of India. It is the body of career diplomats of India.The Indian Foreign Service is part of the Central Civil Services of the Government of India...
, the last five of which were on deputation to the Prime Minister's Office under Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...
(1985-1989). He resigned from service in 1989 to take up a career in politics and media, entering the Parliament
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
as a Congress M.P from Mayiladuthurai in 1991, 1999 and 2004 but was defeated in 1996, 1998 and 2009.
He is a special invitee to the Congress Working Committee
Congress Working Committee
Congress Working Committee is the executive committee of the Congress Party in India, it typically consisting of fifteen members elected from the All India Congress Committee or AICC, and is headed by the Working President....
and a chairman of both the party's political training department and the department of policy planning and coordination. He is also a well-known political columnist and has written several books, including Pakistan Papers and Remembering Rajiv, and has edited a four-volume publication, Rajiv Gandhi's India.
His special interests include, grassroots democracy, Indian foreign policy particularly with India's neighboring countries and West Asia and nuclear disarmament
Nuclear disarmament
Nuclear disarmament refers to both the act of reducing or eliminating nuclear weapons and to the end state of a nuclear-free world, in which nuclear weapons are completely eliminated....
.
Personal life
He was married on January 4, 1973 to Suneet Mani Aiyar. They have 3 daughters - the eldest, a lawyer, the second, a development consultant, and the youngest, an assistant professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison in Department of History .Notable quotes
- "Sir, my secular answer to the honorable member is that where it is in the hands of Allah, we turn to Allah, where it is in the hands of man, we turn to man."
- "Every five years, it is the masses who determine who will form the government. And in between those five years the classes determine what that government will do."
Controversies
While on a tour of the Andamans as the Cabinet Minister in the latter part of 2004, Aiyar was quoted as saying at the Cellular JailCellular Jail
The Cellular Jail, also known as Kālā Pānī , was a colonial prison situated in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. The prison was used by the British especially to exile political prisoners to the remote archipelago...
there that there was no difference between the radical right-wing revolutionary Veer Savarkar, a famous inmate of the prison, and Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, as they shared a 'divisive' philosophy. He also ordered that a plaque with a poem commemorating Savarkar be replaced with a plaque with quotes from Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
. Savarkar had been tried and acquitted for conspiring in Gandhi's assassination. Reports of the incident paralysed Parliament and led to agitations by the Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena , is a political party in India founded on 19 June 1966 by Balasaheb Thackeray. It is currently headed by Thackeray's son, Uddhav Thackeray...
in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. Aiyar's remarks created confusion as well in the ruling party; the official spokesman, Anand Sharma, noted that the Congress Party
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
did not consider Savarkar either a freedom fighter or a patriot. A few days later, the Prime Minister dissociated himself and the cabinet from that view.http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/2004/16-30Sep04-Print-Edition/163109200429.htm
Aiyar was also involved in a public brawl with politician Amar Singh
Amar Singh
Amar Singh may refer to:* Amar Singh , Indian test cricketer* Amar Singh , Indian politician* Amar Singh, son of Maharana Pratap...
.http://www.hvk.org/articles/1200/5.html
Publications
Aiyar has written seven books -- "Remembering Rajiv", RupaRupaIn Hinduism and Buddhism, rūpa generally refers to material objects, particularly in regards to their appearance.-Definition:According to the Monier-Williams Dictionary , rūpa is defined as:...
, New Delhi, 1992 - "One Year in Parliament", Konark, New Delhi, 1993
- "Pakistan Papers", UBSPD, New Delhi, 1994
- "Knickerwallahs, Silly-Billies and Other Curious Creatures", UBS Publishers, 1995
- "Rajiv Gandhi's India", 4 vols. (General Editor), UBSPD New Delhi, 1997
- "Confessions of a Secular Fundamentalist", PenguinPenguin BooksPenguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
, 2004. - "A Time of Transition: Rajiv Gandhi to the 21st Century", PenguinPenguin BooksPenguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
, 2009.
External links
- Biography at Indian Sports Ministry website
- Article in The Economic TimesThe Economic TimesThe Economic Times is an English-language Indian daily newspaper published by the Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.. The Economic Times was started in 1961. It is the most popular and widely read financial daily in India, read by more than 8 lakh people...
about him dated May 23, 2004. - Information as a member of 14th Lok Sabha on website of Lok Sabha
- Quote on cnn.com
- Speech to business leaders on poverty and growth