Engineers have a fair share in Indian politics. The list includes tall and intriguing names, who have left a mark in both state and national governance. Their participation in the electoral field proves that Indian polity significantly values technocrats, despite being dominated by those hailing from the humanities background. Many of the engineers who were, or still are, in Indian politics left a profound impact on governance and administration through the application of their educational and professional experience. On Engineer's Day 2019, here's a list of 5 major engineers who turned into politicians. Engineer's Day 2019 Funny Memes and Jokes: WhatsApp Stickers, GIFs, Hilarious Messages and Facebook One-Liners to Share With Your Engineer Friends!
Arvind Kejriwal: A qualified engineer from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Kharagpur, Kejriwal went on to become an Indian Revenue Officer (IRS). In 1999, however, he had quit from the services and became an activist in Delhi. From activism, he plunged into the political arena by forming the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi. History witnessed that ye went on to become a 2-time Chief Minister with a decisive mandate in 2015. Engineers' Day 2019: From Vicky Kaushal to Kriti Sanon, the Real-Life Ranchos of Bollywood Who Completed Engineering Successfully!
Manohar Parrikar: A graduate from IIT Bombay, Parrikar decided to enter the public life rather than choosing a lucrative professional career. Having been associated with the RSS since his early days, Parrikar went on to become the Chief Minister in Goa in 2000. He was elected to the post four times in his career, apart from briefly serving as the Union Defence Minister. Earlier this year, he suffered a tragic demise after battling cancer for nearly a year.
Nitish Kumar: An electrical engineer from a recognised varsity in Bihar, Kumar was not amongst those who got attracted to a professional career in the metros or abroad. Instead, it was the 1975-77 agitation of Jay Prakash Narayan which moved him to enter public life and strive for socialism in Bihar. A 5-team Chief Minister, he is still tipped to be "captaining" the JD(U)-BJP combine in the elections to be held next year.
Sam Pitroda: One of the first major technocrats to enter Indian politics was Pitroda, who had obtained his engineering degree from a reputed institute in Chicago, United States. In the Rajiv Gandhi-led.government, he played a critical role in laying the communication gridwork across India. He continues to serve as a member of the Congress party.
Tathagata Roy: The current Governor of Meghalaya is a civil engineer who entered into the BJP after being absorbed into its parental body' the RSS. He has studied from the University of Calcutta and strenuously strived towards nationalist politics in West Bengal. In 2015, he was appointed as the Governor of Tripura. In 2018, he was transferred to occupy the top constitutional post in Meghalaya.
Notably, Engineer's Day is celebrated in India to commemorate the life and works of Sir M Visvesvaraya -- regarded as the builder of modern dams in India.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 15, 2019 10:33 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).