NEW DELHI: The ministry of home affairs, in a notification issued on Saturday, announced the names of four individuals nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President. The nominees are renowned public prosecutor Ujjwal Deorao Nikam, former foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, social worker C Sadanandan Master, and historian Meenakshi Jain.“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-clause (a) of clause (1) of article 80 of the Constitution of India, read with clause (3) of that article, the President is pleased to nominate to the Council of States the following persons to fill the vacancies caused due to retirement of nominated members:- Shri Ujjwal Deorao Nikam, Shri C. Sadanandan Master, Shri Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Dr. Meenakshi Jain,” the notification said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated all four in a series of posts on X, praising their contributions to the nation.Ujjwal Nikam is a public prosecutor known for handling major terror and criminal cases. The Prime Minister wrote, “He has been at the forefront of seeking justice in important cases” and has always worked “to strengthen Constitutional values.”Harsh Vardhan Shringla, a former foreign secretary and career diplomat, also served as India’s ambassador to the US and Bangladesh. He played a key role in India’s G20 Presidency in 2023. PM Modi said, “His unique perspectives will greatly enrich Parliamentary proceedings” and added that Shringla made “key contributions to India’s foreign policy.”Meenakshi Jain, a historian and Padma Shri awardee, has written extensively on Indian history, education, and civilisation. PM called her nomination “a matter of immense joy” and said her work “has enriched academic discourse significantly.”C Sadanandan Master, a teacher and social worker from Kerala, lost both legs in a political attack in 1994. The Prime Minister said, “Violence and intimidation couldn’t deter his spirit towards national development” and described his work as “commendable.”These nominations fill four of the 12 seats in the Rajya Sabha reserved for people who have made notable contributions in fields such as literature, science, social service, and public life.
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