Ex Foreign Secretary, 26/11 Special PP Among 4 Nominated To RS; PM Hails Contribution

New Delhi: Former foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Special Public Prosecutor in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case Ujjwal Nikam, Kerala BJP leader C Sadanandan Master and historian Meenakshi Jain have been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu in a significant move recognising excellence in public service and scholarship.

In a notification issued late Saturday night, the Union Home Ministry said the President has nominated the four to the Rajya Sabha. "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 th 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.

The President nominates 12 people to the Rajya Sabha, who are people of eminence in various fields. Nikam is best known for handling high-profile criminal cases, including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks trial of Ajmal Kasab and the 1993 Bombay blasts case.

Shringla, known for his distinguished diplomatic career, was India's Ambassador to the United States and Bangladesh. He served as Foreign Secretary from January 2020 to April 2022.

Sadanandan Master is a veteran social worker and educationist from Kerala with decades of grassroots service, and Meenakshi Jain is a noted historian and academic recognised for her contributions to the study of Indian history and civilisation. The nominations come in the wake of vacancies created due to the retirement of previously nominated members.

These nominations fill the vacancies created by the retirement of previous nominated members and are seen as the government's acknowledgement of significant national contributions in the fields of law, diplomacy, social service, and historical scholarship.

PM Modi Hails Contribution

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed the contributions of the four personalities nominated to the Rajya Sabha. "Shri Ujjwal Nikam's devotion to the legal field and to our Constitution is exemplary. He has not only been a successful lawyer but also been at the forefront of seeking justice in important cases," Modi said in a post on X.

During his entire legal career, Nikam has always worked to strengthen Constitutional values and ensure common citizens are always treated with dignity, he said. "It's gladdening that the President of India has nominated him to the Rajya Sabha. My best wishes for his Parliamentary innings," Modi said.

Lauding Shringla's contribution, Modi said he has excelled as a diplomat, intellectual and strategic thinker. "Over the years, he's made key contributions to India's foreign policy and also contributed to our G20 Presidency. Glad that he's been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President of India. His unique perspectives will greatly enrich Parliamentary proceedings," Modi said in another post.

The prime minister further said Sadanandan Master's life is the epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice. "Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit towards national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are also commendable. He is extremely passionate towards youth empowerment," Modi said.

"Congratulations to him for being nominated to the Rajya Sabha by Rahstrapati Ji. Best wishes for his role as MP," he added.

Modi also said it is a matter of immense joy that Meenakshi Jain has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the president.

"She has distinguished herself as a scholar, researcher and historian. Her work in the fields of education, literature, history and political science have enriched academic discourse significantly. Best wishes for her Parliamentary tenure," the prime minister said.

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