NEW DELHI: Prakash Javadekar, who has been made Minister of State with independent charge of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, today took oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh.
Javadekar, who had filed only a single nomination form, was elected unopposed.
The Minister’s term as a Rajya Sabha member came to an end on 2 April this year. He had been a member of the Upper House since 3 April 2008.
The by-poll was necessitated as the sitting BJP member and former Union Minister Faggan Singh Kulaste got elected to the Lok Sabha from Mandla (ST) seat following which he resigned from his membership of the upper house.
Like his immediate predecessor Manish Tewari, he has also been the spokesperson of the party he represents. (He has also been given charge of Environment and Parliamentary Affairs.)
Javedekar has also been one of the nominated members from Parliament to the Press Council of India and hence has dealt with media issues such as paid news.
A member of the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra, Javadekar was born in Pune on 30 January 1951 and became associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in his young days.
He commenced his professional life as an employee in the Bank of Maharashtra for 10 years from 1971 to 1981 and also worked in the Rural Development Department. Sick Unit Cell, Employment Promotion Programme of the Bank.
His father Keshav Krishna Javadekar was a senior leader of Hindu Maha Sabha who worked as joint editor of Marathi Daily started by Lokmanya Tilak - Kesari before having stints with some other newspapers like Tarun Bharat and Kaal as journalist. He still occasionally writes his thoughts in some newspapers.
Javadekar has been president of GLOBE India (Global Legislators Organisation for Balanced Environment; In-Charge, BJP Economic Forum and Cells related to Economy; President, NOINO (National Organisation of Insurance Officers); and president, KCKU (Khadi Commission Karmachari Union).
As a member of the Parliament, he has served as member of the Press Council of India; the Public Accounts Committee; Standing Committee on Human Resources and Development; Consultative Committee for Ministry of Power; Committee on Subordinate Legislation and Committee on Wakf.
He has earlier served as executive president of the State Planning Board in Maharashtra (1995–1999); been a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council from Pune Division Graduate Constituency for 12 years from 1990; chairman of the Task Force on IT in Maharashtra (1977–1999) and chairman of the Working Group on "IT for Masses" of the Central Government.
He has also led a delegation to Boston to Negotiate Media Lab Asia Project in 2000.
