Biographical Sketch
Member of Parliament
12th Lok Sabha
JAKHAR, DR. BAL RAM [INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS - BIKANER (RAJASTHAN)]
Father's Name Shri Raja Ram Date of Birth 23 August 1923 Place of Birth Panjkosi, Distt. Ferozepur (Punjab) Marital Status Married in February 1937 Spouse's Name Smt. Rameshwari Devi Children Three sons and two daughters Educational Qualifications B.A.(Hons.) (Sanskrit) Educated at Forman Christian College, Lahore (now in Pakistan) Profession Agriculturist and Farmer, Political and Social Worker, Teacher and Educationist Permanent Address Vill. and P.O. Panjkosi Distt. Ferozepur-152001 (Punjab) Tel. (01634) 2133 Present Address 40, Canning Lane, New Delhi-110001 Tels. (011) 3384958, 3385207 Positions Held 1972-79 Member, Punjab Legislative Assembly (two terms) 1973-77 Deputy Minister, Co-operation, Irrigation and Power, Punjab 1977-79 Leader of the Opposition, Punjab Legislative Assembly Leader, Congress (Indira) Legislature Party 1980 Elected to 7th Lok Sabha 1984 Re-elected to 8th Lok Sabha (2nd term) 1980-89 Speaker, Lok Sabha (two terms) Chairman, (i) Business Advisory Committee; (ii) Rules Committee; (iii)General Purposes Committee; and (iv) Standing Committee of the Conference of Presiding Officers of Legislative Bodies in India President, (i) Indian Parliamentary Group; (ii) National Group of Inter-Parliamentary Union; and (iii) India Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association 1990-92 General-Secretary, All India Congress Committee (Indira) [A.I.C.C.(I)] 1991-96 Re-elected to 10th Lok Sabha (3rd term) Union Cabinet Minister, Agriculture 1992 onwards Member, Congress Working Committee 1998 Re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha (4th term) Chairman, Committee on Petroleum and Chemicals 1998-99 Member, Committee of Privileges* Member, General Purposes Committee Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Agriculture Books Published (i)"People, Parliament and Administration"; and (ii)"New Horizons in Agriculture in India" Literary, Artistic and Scientific Accomplishments Contributed several articles on agriculture, irrigation, power and cooperation, etc.; conferred (i) D. Sc. (Honorary) by Haryana Agriculture University, Hissar; (ii) Vidya Martand (Honorary) by Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya; (iii) Krishi Ratna Award of W.A.F.M. Trust, New Delhi; and (iv) India Udyan Pandit Award, 1975 Social and Cultural Activities Associated with a number of social, cultural and literary organisations engaged in constructive activities such as upliftment of the downtrodden and the weaker sections of the society, eradication of literacy and rural development, etc. Special Interests Development of agriculture, horticulture and rural areas Favourite Pastime and Recreation Reading, brisk walking and playing chess Sports and Clubs Cricket and volleyball Countries Visited Widely travelled; as Speaker of Lok Sabha, led the Indian Parliamentary Delegations to about 50 countries, 1980-89; as Union Minister of Agriculture, also led several Indian Delegations to various countries, 1991-95 Other Information He has the rare honour of having been elected unanimously twice to the august office of Speaker i.e. firstly of the Seventh Lok Sabha on 22 January, 1980 and secondly of the Eighth Lok Sabha on 16 January 1985 and also earned the rare distinction of being the only Speaker of Lok Sabha in Independent India to have presided over two successive Lok Sabhas for their full terms from 22 January 1980 to 18 December, 1989; Chairman, (i) Third World Hindi Conference, Delhi; (ii) Bharat Krishak Samaj; (iii) Managing Committee, Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust; and (iv) Inter- national Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Association, 1995; Elected Member, (i) Executive Committee, Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), 1983; (ii) Commonwealth Parliamentary Association since 1980; and Member, Planning Commission, 1991-96

Election Result of Bikaner Lok Sabha Constituency
Total electorate 16,42,091 Total votes polled 10,39,717 Votes polled in favour of the first four leading candidates (1) Dr. Bal Ram Jakhar (I.N.C.) 5,60,257 (2) Shri Mahendrasingh Bhati (B.J.P.) 3,69,632 (3) Shri Dilip Singh Marwal (B.S.P.) 39,377 (4) Shri Shopat Singh Makkasar [C.P.I.(M)]29,390
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