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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox officeholder
| name         = Suraj Bhan
| name               = Suraj Bhan
| native_name   = सूरज भान
| native_name         =  
| image         =File:The Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes Dr. Suraj Bhan and the Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes Shri Kanwar Singh briefing the Press on issues regarding reservation in Government.jpg
| image               = Suraj Bhan in 2004.jpg
|caption       = Dr. Suraj Bhan (right) with Shri Kanwar Singh
| caption             = Suraj Bhan in 2004
| birth_date   = {{birth date|1928|10|1|df=y}}
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1928|10|1|df=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Yamunanagar]], [[British India]]
| birth_place         = [[Yamunanagar]], [[British India]]
| death_date   = {{death date and age|2006|8|6|1928|10|1|df=y}}
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2006|8|6|1928|10|1|df=y}}
| death_place   = [[Delhi]], [[India]]
| death_place         = [[Delhi]], [[India]]
| death_cause   = Cardiac arrest  
| death_cause         = Cardiac arrest
| office       = Chairman of the [[National Commission for Scheduled Castes]]
| office             = Chairman of the [[National Commission for Scheduled Castes]]
| term         = 2004 - 2006
| term               = 2004 - 2006
| successor     = [[Buta Singh]]
| successor           = [[Buta Singh]]
| order1       = 14th
| order1             = 14th
| office1       = Governor of Himachal Pradesh
| office1             = Governor of Himachal Pradesh
| term_start1   = 23 November 2000
| term_start1         = 23 November 2000
| term_end1     = 7 May 2003
| term_end1           = 7 May 2003
| 1blankname1   = Chief Minister  
| 1blankname1         = Chief Minister
| 1namedata1   = [[Prem Kumar Dhumal]]<br>[[Virbhadra Singh]]
| 1namedata1         = [[Prem Kumar Dhumal]]&lt;br&gt;[[Virbhadra Singh]]
| predecessor1 = [[Vishnu Kant Shastri]]
| predecessor1       = [[Vishnu Kant Shastri]]
| successor1   = [[Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje]]
| successor1         = [[Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje]]
| order2       = 23rd
| order2             = 15th
| office2       = Governor of Uttar Pradesh
| office2             = Governor of Uttar Pradesh
| term_start2   = 20 April 1998  
| term_start2         = 20 April 1998
| term_end2     = 23 November 2000
| term_end2           = 23 November 2000
| 1blankname2   = Chief Minister  
| 1blankname2         = Chief Minister
| 1namedata2   = [[Kalyan Singh]]<br>[[Ram Prakash Gupta]]<br>[[Rajnath Singh]]
| 1namedata2         = [[Kalyan Singh]]&lt;br&gt;[[Ram Prakash Gupta]]&lt;br&gt;[[Rajnath Singh]]
| predecessor2 = [[Mohammad Shafi Qureshi]] {{small|(Acting)}}
| predecessor2       = [[Mohammad Shafi Qureshi]] {{small|(Acting)}}
| successor2   = [[Vishnu Kant Shastri]]
| successor2         = [[Vishnu Kant Shastri]]
| office3       = [[Governor of Bihar]]<br>{{small|(Additional Charge)}}
| office3             = [[Governor of Bihar]]&lt;br&gt;{{small|(Additional Charge)}}
| term_start3   = 6 October 1999  
| term_start3         = 6 October 1999
| term_end3     = 23 November 1999
| term_end3           = 23 November 1999
| 1blankname3   = Chief Minister  
| 1blankname3         = Chief Minister
| 1namedata3   = [[Rabri Devi]]
| 1namedata3         = [[Rabri Devi]]
| predecessor3 = B.M. Lall {{small|(Acting)}}
| predecessor3       = B.M. Lall {{small|(Acting)}}
| successor3   = [[V. C. Pande]]
| successor3         = [[V. C. Pande]]
| order4       = 11th
| order4             = 11th
| office4       = Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha  
| office4             = Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha
| term_start4   = 12 July 1996
| term_start4         = 12 July 1996
| term_end4     = 4 December 1997
| term_end4           = 4 December 1997
| 1blankname4   = [[Speaker of the Lok Sabha|Speaker]]
| 1blankname4         = [[Speaker of the Lok Sabha|Speaker]]
| 1namedata4   = [[P. A. Sangma]]
| 1namedata4         = [[P. A. Sangma]]
| predecessor4 = [[S. Mallikarjunaiah]]
| predecessor4       = [[S. Mallikarjunaiah]]
| successor4   = [[P. M. Sayeed]]
| successor4         = [[P. M. Sayeed]]
| office5       = 22nd [[Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare|Minister of Agriculture]]  
| office5             = 22nd [[Ministry of Agriculture &amp; Farmers' Welfare|Minister of Agriculture]]
| term_start5   = 16 May 1996  
| term_start5         = 16 May 1996
| term_end5     = 1 June 1996
| term_end5           = 1 June 1996
| primeminister5= [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]
| primeminister5     = [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]
| predecessor5 = [[Jagannath Mishra]]
| predecessor5       = [[Jagannath Mishra]]
| successor5   = [[H. D. Deve Gowda]]
| successor5         = [[H. D. Deve Gowda]]
| office6 = Member of Parliament- Ambala (Haryana)
| office6       = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| term6 = 1967-1970;<br>1977-1979;<br>1979-1984;<br>1996-1997
| term_start6    = 1996
| office7 = Leader of Opposition of Haryana Assembly  
| term_end6      = 1998
|term7 = 1989-1990
| predecessor6  = [[Ram Prakash Chaudhary]]
| office8 = Revenue Minister (Haryana)
| successor6    = [[Aman Kumar Nagra]]
| term8 = 1987-1989
| term_start8    = 1977
| party = [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
| term_end8      = 1984
| nationality = [[India]]n
| predecessor8  = [[Ram Prakash Chaudhary]]
| successor8    = [[Ram Prakash Chaudhary]]
| constituency9  = [[Ambala (Lok Sabha constituency)|Ambala]]
| term_start9    = 1967
| term_end9      = 1971
| predecessor9  = [[Chuni Lal]]
| successor9    = [[Ram Prakash Chaudhary]]
| office10        = [[List of leaders of the opposition in the Haryana Legislative Assembly|Leader of the Opposition, Haryana Legislative Assembly]]
| term10              = 1989-1990
| successor10          = [[Sampat Singh]]
| office11            = Revenue Minister (Haryana)
| term11              = 1987-1989
| party               = [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
| nationality         = [[India]]n
| constituency6      = [[Ambala Lok Sabha constituency|Ambala]]
}}
}}


'''Suraj Bhan''' (1 October 1928&nbsp;– 6 August 2006) was a scheduled caste leader and an [[India]]n politician from the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]], who was elected to the [[Lok Sabha]] on four occasions, and also served as the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, governor of the [[States and territories of India|states]] of [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], and [[Bihar]].
'''Suraj Bhan''' (1 October 1928&amp;nbsp;– 6 August 2006) was an Indian politician who was elected to the [[Lok Sabha]], Indian lower house of parliament, for four terms from Ambala. He also served as the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha from July 1996 to December 1997. He served as governor of [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], and [[Bihar]].


== Personal life ==
== Personal life ==
Bhan was born on 1 October 1928, in Mehlanwali, [[Yamuna Nagar]] district of [[Haryana]] and studied [[Master of Arts|MA]] and [[LLB]] at [[Panjab University]] and [[Kurukshetra University]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Jaffrelot|first=Christophe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OAkW94DtUMAC&q=suraj+bhan+chamar+caste&pg=PA487|title=India's Silent Revolution: The Rise of the Lower Castes in North India|date=2003|publisher=Hurst|isbn=978-1-85065-670-8|language=en}}</ref>
Bhan was born on 1 October 1928, in Mehlanwali, [[Yamuna Nagar]] district of [[Haryana]] and studied [[Master of Arts|MA]] and [[LLB]] at [[Panjab University|Punjab University]] and [[Kurukshetra University]].&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite book|last=Jaffrelot|first=Christophe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OAkW94DtUMAC&amp;q=suraj+bhan+chamar+caste&amp;pg=PA487|title=India's Silent Revolution: The Rise of the Lower Castes in North India|date=2003|publisher=Hurst|isbn=978-1-85065-670-8|language=en}}&lt;/ref&gt;


==Political career==
==Political career==
Suraj Bhan Banswal, started his public life as a volunteer of the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/states/story/20000403-handpicked-by-rss-governor-suraj-bhan-turns-out-to-be-a-challenge-to-bjp-govt-in-up-777307-2000-04-03 |title=Family Face-Off |access-date=2021-11-01 |url-status=live |author=Subhash Mishra |publisher=[[India Today]] |date=3 April 2000}}</ref>
Suraj Bhan Banswal, started his public life as a volunteer of the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]].&lt;ref&gt;{{cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/states/story/20000403-handpicked-by-rss-governor-suraj-bhan-turns-out-to-be-a-challenge-to-bjp-govt-in-up-777307-2000-04-03 |title=Family Face-Off |access-date=2021-11-01 |author=Subhash Mishra |publisher=[[India Today]] |date=3 April 2000}}&lt;/ref&gt;
He started his political career with the [[Bharatiya Jana Sangh]] which eventually became the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] and dropped his last name "Banswal" after joining active politics. He represented the [[Ambala (Lok Sabha constituency)|Ambala]] parliamentary constituency of [[Haryana]] in the [[4th Lok Sabha|4th]] (1967–1970), [[6th Lok Sabha|6th]] (1977–1979), [[7th Lok Sabha|7th]] (1979–1984) and the [[11th Lok Sabha]]s (1996–1997). In 1987, he was elected to Haryana assembly and served as Revenue Minister in [[Devi Lal]]'s government between 1987 and 1989. After the BJP broke alliance with Devi Lal's party, he served as Leader of Opposition in the Haryana assembly (1989–1990). He was appointed State President of BJP Haryana Unit in 1984.<ref>{{cite web | title = List of Ex State Presidents | publisher=BJPHaryana.org | url = https://www.bjpharyana.org/state-presidents.php }}</ref>
He started his political career with the [[Bharatiya Jana Sangh]] which eventually became the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] and dropped his last name "Banswal" after joining active politics. He represented the [[Ambala (Lok Sabha constituency)|Ambala]] parliamentary constituency of [[Haryana]] in the [[4th Lok Sabha|4th]] (1967–1970), [[6th Lok Sabha|6th]] (1977–1979), [[7th Lok Sabha|7th]] (1979–1984) and the [[11th Lok Sabha]]s (1996–1997). In 1987, he was elected to Haryana assembly and served as Revenue Minister in [[Devi Lal]]'s government between 1987 and 1989. After the BJP broke alliance with Devi Lal's party, he served as Leader of Opposition in the Haryana assembly (1989–1990). He was appointed State President of BJP Haryana Unit in 1984.&lt;ref&gt;{{cite web | title = List of Ex State Presidents | publisher=BJPHaryana.org | url = https://www.bjpharyana.org/state-presidents.php }}&lt;/ref&gt;


In 1996, he was named Agriculture minister in [[First Vajpayee Ministry]] after which he served as [[deputy speaker]] of the 11th Lok Sabha, during the [[United Front (India)|United Front]] government (Jul. 1996 to Feb. 1997). He contested 1998 Lok Sabha elections, but lost to Aman
In 1996, he was named Agriculture minister in the [[First Vajpayee Ministry]] after which he served as [[deputy speaker]] of the 11th Lok Sabha, during the [[United Front (India, 1996)|United Front]] government (Jul. 1996 to Feb. 1997). He contested 1998 Lok Sabha elections, but lost to Aman
Kumar Nagra of the [[Bahujan Samaj Party|BSP]]. Afterwards, he took over as [[Governor of Uttar Pradesh]] (Apr. 1998 - Nov. 2000), [[Governor of Himachal Pradesh|Himachal Pradesh]] (Nov. 2000 - May 2003), and officiated as [[Governor of Bihar]] (1999).<ref>{{cite news |title=Bihar Governor sacks underage minister |author=Surendra Kishore |publisher=[[Indian Express]] |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/bihar-governor-sacks-underage-minister/ |date=1999-11-17 |access-date=2007-06-02}}</ref>
Kumar Nagra of the [[Bahujan Samaj Party|BSP]]. Afterwards, he took over as [[Governor of Uttar Pradesh]] (Apr. 1998 - Nov. 2000), [[Governor of Himachal Pradesh|Himachal Pradesh]] (Nov. 2000 - May 2003), and officiated as [[Governor of Bihar]] (1999).&lt;ref&gt;{{cite news |title=Bihar Governor sacks underage minister |author=Surendra Kishore |publisher=[[Indian Express]] |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/bihar-governor-sacks-underage-minister/ |date=1999-11-17 |access-date=2007-06-02}}&lt;/ref&gt;


In 2002 Dr Suraj Bhan also joined the race for the post of Vice-President of the country following re-thinking in the BJP over the candidature of former Rajasthan Chief Minister, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. Certain senior Dalit leaders of the Congress unofficially conveyed that Mrs Sonia Gandhi had no objection to Dr Suraj Bhan's candidature.<ref>{{cite web |title=Suraj Bhan joins race for VP’s post |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020713/main6.htm |publisher=[[The Tribune]] |date=12 July 2002 |author=Yoginder Gupta |access-date= 1 November 2021}}</ref>
In 2002 Dr Suraj Bhan also joined the race for the post of Vice-President of the country following re-thinking in the BJP over the candidature of former Rajasthan Chief Minister, [[Bhairon Singh Shekhawat]]. Certain senior Dalit leaders of the Congress unofficially conveyed that [[Sonia Gandhi]] had no objection to Dr Suraj Bhan's candidature.&lt;ref&gt;{{cite web |title=Suraj Bhan joins race for VP's post |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020713/main6.htm |work=[[The Tribune]] |date=12 July 2002 |author=Yoginder Gupta |access-date= 1 November 2021}}&lt;/ref&gt;


In February 2004, he was appointed Chairman of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Commission. He died of cardiac arrest following multiple organ failure on 6 August 2006 in New Delhi, while still continuing in the post of the Chairman of SC/ST Commission. He was aged 77.
In February 2004, he was appointed Chairman of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Commission. He died of cardiac arrest following multiple organ failure on 6 August 2006 in New Delhi, while serving as the SC/ST Commission Chairman. He was aged 77.


==References==
==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhan, Suraj}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhan, Suraj}}
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Haryana]]
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Haryana]]
[[Category:Governors of Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Governors of Himachal Pradesh]]
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[[Category:Janata Party politicians]]
[[Category:Janata Party politicians]]
[[Category:People from Yamunanagar district]]
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[[Category:Deputy Speakers of the Lok Sabha]]
[[Category:Deputy speakers of the Lok Sabha]]
[[Category:Kurukshetra University alumni]]
[[Category:Kurukshetra University alumni]]
[[Category:4th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:India MPs 1996–1997]]
[[Category:6th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:7th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:11th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:Agriculture Ministers of India]]
[[Category:Chairmans of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes]]
[[Category:Chairmans of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Haryana]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Haryana]]
[[Category:Bharatiya Jana Sangh politicians]]
[[Category:Bharatiya Jana Sangh politicians]]
[[Category:State cabinet ministers of Haryana]]
[[Category:State cabinet ministers of Haryana]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in literature & education]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in literature &amp; education]]
 
[[Category:Haryana MLAs 1987–1991]]
 
{{Haryana-BJP-politician-stub}}

Revision as of 18:29, 6 March 2026


Suraj Bhan
Suraj Bhan in 2004
Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes
In office
2004 - 2006
Succeeded byButa Singh
14th Governor of Himachal Pradesh
In office
23 November 2000 – 7 May 2003
Chief MinisterPrem Kumar Dhumal<br>Virbhadra Singh
Preceded byVishnu Kant Shastri
Succeeded byVishnu Sadashiv Kokje
15th Governor of Uttar Pradesh
In office
20 April 1998 – 23 November 2000
Chief MinisterKalyan Singh<br>Ram Prakash Gupta<br>Rajnath Singh
Preceded byMohammad Shafi Qureshi (Acting)
Succeeded byVishnu Kant Shastri
Governor of Bihar<br>(Additional Charge)
In office
6 October 1999 – 23 November 1999
Chief MinisterRabri Devi
Preceded byB.M. Lall (Acting)
Succeeded byV. C. Pande
11th Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha
In office
12 July 1996 – 4 December 1997
SpeakerP. A. Sangma
Preceded byS. Mallikarjunaiah
Succeeded byP. M. Sayeed
22nd Minister of Agriculture
In office
16 May 1996 – 1 June 1996
Prime MinisterAtal Bihari Vajpayee
Preceded byJagannath Mishra
Succeeded byH. D. Deve Gowda
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
1996–1998
Preceded byRam Prakash Chaudhary
Succeeded byAman Kumar Nagra
ConstituencyAmbala
In office
1977–1984
Preceded byRam Prakash Chaudhary
Succeeded byRam Prakash Chaudhary
In office
1967–1971
Preceded byChuni Lal
Succeeded byRam Prakash Chaudhary
ConstituencyAmbala
Leader of the Opposition, Haryana Legislative Assembly
In office
1989-1990
Succeeded bySampat Singh
Revenue Minister (Haryana)
In office
1987-1989
Personal details
Born(1928-10-01)1 October 1928
Yamunanagar, British India
Died6 August 2006(2006-08-06) (aged 77)
Delhi, India
Cause of deathCardiac arrest
NationalityIndian
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party

Suraj Bhan (1 October 1928&nbsp;– 6 August 2006) was an Indian politician who was elected to the Lok Sabha, Indian lower house of parliament, for four terms from Ambala. He also served as the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha from July 1996 to December 1997. He served as governor of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Bihar.

Personal life

Bhan was born on 1 October 1928, in Mehlanwali, Yamuna Nagar district of Haryana and studied MA and LLB at Punjab University and Kurukshetra University.<ref>Jaffrelot, Christophe (2003). India's Silent Revolution: The Rise of the Lower Castes in North India. Hurst. ISBN 978-1-85065-670-8.</ref>

Political career

Suraj Bhan Banswal, started his public life as a volunteer of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.<ref>Subhash Mishra (3 April 2000). "Family Face-Off". India Today. Retrieved 1 November 2021.</ref> He started his political career with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh which eventually became the Bharatiya Janata Party and dropped his last name "Banswal" after joining active politics. He represented the Ambala parliamentary constituency of Haryana in the 4th (1967–1970), 6th (1977–1979), 7th (1979–1984) and the 11th Lok Sabhas (1996–1997). In 1987, he was elected to Haryana assembly and served as Revenue Minister in Devi Lal's government between 1987 and 1989. After the BJP broke alliance with Devi Lal's party, he served as Leader of Opposition in the Haryana assembly (1989–1990). He was appointed State President of BJP Haryana Unit in 1984.<ref>"List of Ex State Presidents". BJPHaryana.org.</ref>

In 1996, he was named Agriculture minister in the First Vajpayee Ministry after which he served as deputy speaker of the 11th Lok Sabha, during the United Front government (Jul. 1996 to Feb. 1997). He contested 1998 Lok Sabha elections, but lost to Aman Kumar Nagra of the BSP. Afterwards, he took over as Governor of Uttar Pradesh (Apr. 1998 - Nov. 2000), Himachal Pradesh (Nov. 2000 - May 2003), and officiated as Governor of Bihar (1999).<ref>Surendra Kishore (17 November 1999). "Bihar Governor sacks underage minister". Indian Express. Retrieved 2 June 2007.</ref>

In 2002 Dr Suraj Bhan also joined the race for the post of Vice-President of the country following re-thinking in the BJP over the candidature of former Rajasthan Chief Minister, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. Certain senior Dalit leaders of the Congress unofficially conveyed that Sonia Gandhi had no objection to Dr Suraj Bhan's candidature.<ref>Yoginder Gupta (12 July 2002). "Suraj Bhan joins race for VP's post". The Tribune. Retrieved 1 November 2021.</ref>

In February 2004, he was appointed Chairman of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Commission. He died of cardiac arrest following multiple organ failure on 6 August 2006 in New Delhi, while serving as the SC/ST Commission Chairman. He was aged 77.

References

External links