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{{Short description|Indian politician (born 1950)}}
{{Short description|20th Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox officeholder
| name         = Tanka Bahadur [[Rai people|Rai]]
| name               = Tanka Bahadur Rai
| image         = Tanka Bahadur Rai.jpg
| image               = [[File:Tanka Bahadur Rai.jpg|200px]]
| predecessor2  = [[Renupoma Rajkhowa]]
| caption            = Official portrait
| spouse       = {{marriage|Chandra Maya Rai <br>|20 April 1974}}
| spouse             = {{marriage|Chandra Maya Rai <br>|20 April 1974}}
| occupation   = Politician
| occupation         = Politician
| parents       = Pancha Bahadur Rai (Father) Dhansiri Rai (Mother)
| parents             = Pancha Bahadur Rai (Father) Dhansiri Rai (Mother)
| party         = [[Indian National Congress]]
| party               = [[Indian National Congress]]
| birth_place   = [[Singri (Assam)|Singri]]
| birth_place         = [[Singri (Assam)|Singri]]
| birth_date   = {{b-da|14 October 1950}}
| birth_date         = {{birth-date and age|14 October 1950}}
| constituency3 = [[Barchalla (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Barchalla]]
| children            = 2
| successor3    = [[Ganesh Kumar Limbu]]
 
| predecessor3  = Prafulla Goswami
| office              = 14th [[List of speakers of the Assam Legislative Assembly|Speaker]] of the [[Assam Legislative Assembly]]
| term3        = 2001 - 2016
| term_start          = 29 May 2006
| office3      = Member of [[Assam Legislative Assembly]]
| term_end            = 19 May 2011
| successor2    = Pranati Phukan
| deputy              = [[Pranati Phukan]]
| 1namedata2    = Prithibi Majhi
| predecessor        = [[Prithibi Majhi]]
| office        = Minister for Planning and Development, Judicial, Legislative, Pension & Public Grievance
| successor          = [[Pranab Kumar Gogoi]]
| 1blankname2  = Speaker
 
| term2        = 3 April 2002 - 14 May 2006
| office1            = [[Cabinet Minister]], [[Government of Assam]]
| office2       = Deputy Speaker of [[Assam Legislative Assembly]]
| term_start1        = 30 May 2011
| deputy1      = Pranati Phukan
| term_end1          = 26 January 2015
| successor1    = [[Pranab Kumar Gogoi]]
| 1blankname1        = Chief Minister
| predecessor1  = [[Prithibi Majhi]]
| 1namedata1          = [[Tarun Gogoi]]
| term1        = 29 May 2006 - 19 May 2011
| 2blankname1        = Portfolios
| office1      = Speaker of [[Assam Legislative Assembly]]
| 2namedata1          =
| successor    = [[Ajanta Neog]]
* Planning and Development
| 1namedata    = [[Tarun Gogoi]]
* Judicial, Legislative and Law
| 1blankname    = [[List of Chief Ministers of Assam|Chief Minister]]
* Pension and Public Grievance
| term          = 30 May 2011 - 23 January 2015
| predecessor1        = [[Prithibi Majhi]] {{small|(Planning)}}<br/>[[Pranab Kumar Gogoi]] {{small|(Judicial, Law)}}
| children      = 2
| successor1          = [[Ajanta Neog]] {{small|(Planning, Judicial, etc.)}}<br/>[[Sarat Barkotoky]] {{small|(P&PG)}}
 
| office2             = Deputy Speaker of the [[Assam Legislative Assembly]]
| term_start2        = 3 April 2002
| term_end2          = 14 May 2006
| 1blankname2        = Speaker
| 1namedata2          = Prithibi Majhi
| predecessor2        = [[Renupoma Rajkhowa]]
| successor2          = [[Pranati Phukan]]
 
| office3            = Member, [[Assam Legislative Assembly]]
| constituency3      = [[Barchalla Assembly constituency|Barchalla]]
| term_start3        = 13 May 2001
| term_end3          = 19 May 2016
| predecessor3        = Prafulla Goswami
| successor3          = [[Ganesh Kumar Limbu]]
 
}}
}}


'''Tanka Bahadur Rai''' (born 14 October 1950)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Who's Who|url=http://assamassembly.gov.in/tanka-bahadur-rai.html|access-date=2021-08-29|website=assamassembly.gov.in}}</ref> is an Indian National Congress politician from the state of [[Assam]]. He was a Member of the [[Assam Legislative Assembly]] from the [[Indian National Congress]] for [[Barchalla (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Barchalla]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Barchalla Assembly Constituency Election Result - Legislative Assembly Constituency|url=https://resultuniversity.com/election/barchalla-assam-assembly-constituency|access-date=2021-08-29|website=resultuniversity.com}}</ref> He was Deputy Speaker<ref>{{Cite web|title=List of Deputy Speakers since 1937|url=http://assamassembly.gov.in/dyspeaker-list.html|access-date=2021-08-29|website=assamassembly.gov.in}}</ref> and then Speaker of [[Assam Legislative Assembly]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=List of Speakers since 1937|url=http://assamassembly.gov.in/speaker-list.html|access-date=2021-08-29|website=assamassembly.gov.in}}</ref> He was also a minister in the [[Tarun Gogoi]] cabinet.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Assam Ministers Allotted Portfolios|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/assam-ministers-allotted-portfolios/723540|access-date=2021-08-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-01-26|title=Gogoi allocates portfolios to new Assam ministers-Politics News , Firstpost|url=https://www.firstpost.com/politics/gogoi-allocates-portfolios-to-new-assam-ministers-2065151.html|access-date=2021-08-29|website=Firstpost}}</ref>
'''Tanka Bahadur Rai''' (born 14 October 1950)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Who's Who|url=http://assamassembly.gov.in/tanka-bahadur-rai.html|access-date=2021-08-29|website=assamassembly.gov.in}}</ref> is an Indian National Congress politician from the state of [[Assam]]. He was a Member of the [[Assam Legislative Assembly]] from the [[Indian National Congress]] for [[Barchalla (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Barchalla constituency]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Barchalla Assembly Constituency Election Result - Legislative Assembly Constituency|url=https://resultuniversity.com/election/barchalla-assam-assembly-constituency|access-date=2021-08-29|website=resultuniversity.com}}</ref> He served first as deputy speaker<ref>{{Cite web|title=List of Deputy Speakers since 1937|url=http://assamassembly.gov.in/dyspeaker-list.html|access-date=2021-08-29|website=assamassembly.gov.in}}</ref> and then as speaker of [[Assam Legislative Assembly]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=List of Speakers since 1937|url=http://assamassembly.gov.in/speaker-list.html|access-date=2021-08-29|website=assamassembly.gov.in}}</ref> He was also a minister in the [[Tarun Gogoi Ministry (2011–2016)|Tarun Gogoi cabinet]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Assam Ministers Allotted Portfolios|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/assam-ministers-allotted-portfolios/723540|access-date=2021-08-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-01-26|title=Gogoi allocates portfolios to new Assam ministers|url=https://www.firstpost.com/politics/gogoi-allocates-portfolios-to-new-assam-ministers-2065151.html|access-date=2021-08-29|website=Firstpost}}</ref>


== Early life and education ==
== Early life and education ==
Tanka Bahadur Rai was born on 14 October 1950 to the late Pancha Bahadur Rai and the late Dhansiri Rai in [[Singri (Assam)|Singri]]. He has a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A]](Distinction), [[Master of Arts|M.A]](Ist Class) and an [[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]].
Tanka Bahadur Rai was born on 14 October 1950 to the late Pancha Bahadur Rai and the late Dhansiri Rai in [[Singri (Assam)|Singri]]. He completed HSLC in 1967, Pre University (1968), [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A]] (Distinction) from [[Darrang College]] in 1971 and [[Master of Arts|M.A]] (Ist Class) from [[Gauhati University]] in 1973 and an [[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]] from Guwahati University Law College in 1978.
 
== Early career ==
Rai was the Organising Secretary of Darrang Nepali Students Union from 1969-1971. He was a member of the Executive Committee, Darrang College Students Union from 1970-1971. He was also an Executive Committee Member (Departmental Representative) of Post Graduate Students Union, [[Gauhati University]] from 1972-1973. He was also General Secretary of the Political Science Society, Gauhati University from 1972-1973.
 
Rai was lecturer, Lok Nayak Omiya Kr.Das College, [[Dhekiajuli]], [[Sonitpur district|Sonitpur]], [[Assam]] from July 1973 to September 1973. He was then a Lecturer at [[Kohima College]], [[Kohima]], [[Nagaland]] from 1973 to 1979 while also being a part time lecture from 1978-1981 at Kohima Law college. He has been an advocate at [[Kohima]], [[Tezpur]] and [[Guwahati]] since 1979. He was President of Kohima Bar Association 1987-1988. He was also President of the Reception Committee of the Convention of North East Gorkha Students Federation held at Tezpur, Assam on 23,24 & 25 November 1997. He has been General Secretary, Assam Gorkha Sammelan since 1997.


== Political career ==
== Political career ==
He was first elected to the [[Assam Legislative Assembly|Assembly]] in 2001 for [[Barchalla (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Barchalla]]. He was again elected in [[2006 Assam Legislative Assembly election|2006]] and [[2011 Assam Legislative Assembly election|2011]] but lost in [[2016 Assam Legislative Assembly election|2016]]. He was Deputy Speaker and then Speaker of [[Assam Legislative Assembly]]. He was made a minister in the [[Tarun Gogoi]] cabinet.
Rai was elected to [[Assam Legislative Assembly]] on 13 May 2001, having been the [[Indian National Congress]] candidate for the constituency of [[Barchalla (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Barchalla]]. He received 26567 votes, 35.79% of the total vote and he defeated the incumbent [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] for Barchalla, Prafulla Goswami, by 9112 votes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Barchalla Assembly Constituency Election Result - Legislative Assembly Constituency |url=https://resultuniversity.com/election/barchalla-assam-assembly-constituency#2001 |access-date=2022-03-06 |website=resultuniversity.com}}</ref> He was made Deputy Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly on 3 April 2002 and served until 14 May 2006.
 
In the [[2006 Assam Legislative Assembly election]], Rai was reelected as the Indian National Congress candidate for Barchalla. He polled 34461 votes, defeating [[Asom Gana Parishad|AGP]] candidate [[Brindaban Goswami|Brindabon Goswami]] by 922 votes.<ref name=":0" /> He was unanimously elected Speaker of the 12th Assam Legislative Assembly.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=2006-05-29 |title=Tanka Bahadur Rai unanimously elected Speaker |url=https://www.oneindia.com/2006/05/29/tanka-bahadur-rai-unanimously-elected-speaker-1148891833.html |access-date=2022-03-06 |website= |language=en}}</ref> His election was announced by [[Gobinda Chandra Langthasa|G C Langthasa]]. He was escorted to the Speaker's chair by [[List of chief ministers of Assam|Chief Minister]] [[Tarun Gogoi]], [[Asom Gana Parishad|AGP]] legislative party leader [[Brindaban Goswami]] and [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] leader Mison Ranjan Das. Later all party leaders of the Assembly congratulated him over his election.
 
On 5 March 2010, 50 Opposition legislators blocked Rai from entering the Assembly for his alleged bias to the Congress-coalition.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-03-05 |title=Assam Opposition MLAs barricade Speaker |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/assam-opposition-mlas-barricade-speaker/story-Ats6u5meb8rKlVMPUNzg9K.html |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>
 
In the [[2011 Assam Legislative Assembly election|2011 Assam Legislative Assembly Election]], Rai was again reelected as the [[Indian National Congress]] candidate for [[Barchalla (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Barchalla]]. He received 47270 votes, 48.19% of the total vote. He defeated his nearest opponent by 17574 votes.
 
=== Ministership ===
He was made Minister for Planning and Development, Judicial, Legislative, Pension & Public Grievance under [[List of chief ministers of Assam|Chief Minister]] [[Tarun Gogoi]] on 30 May 2011 in the [[Third Tarun Gogoi Ministry|Third Tarun Gogoi cabinet]].
 
On 4 November 2011 he sanctioned 60 [[crore]] under the  Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources for the construction of a bridge.<ref>{{Cite web |agency=TNN|date=Nov 4, 2011 |title=60 crore sanctioned for new bridge on Barak River in Silchar {{!}} Guwahati News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/60-crore-sanctioned-for-new-bridge-on-barak-river-in-silchar/articleshow/10602344.cms |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:The Speaker, Assam Legislative Assembly, Shri Tanka Bahabur Rai, who led an all-party delegation of MLAs from Assam presenting a memorandum on delimitation to the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, in New Delhi.jpg|thumb|Rai with [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]] [[Manmohan Singh]] in New Delhi on 1 February 2007, during his tenure as Speaker]]
On 20 October 2013, Rai along with the [[List of chief secretaries of Assam|Assam Chief Secretary]], the Assam [[Director general of police|DGP]] attended the swearing-in ceremony of the [[Chief justice|Chief Justice]] of [[Gauhati High Court]], [[Abhay Manohar Sapre]].<ref>{{Cite web |agency=TNN|date=Oct 20, 2013 |title=Abhay Manohar Sapre new chief justice of Gauhati HC {{!}} Guwahati News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/abhay-manohar-sapre-new-chief-justice-of-gauhati-hc/articleshow/24405271.cms |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>
 
He was one of 11 cabinet ministers who resigned following a cabinet reshuffle.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Assam reshuffle: All ministers of Tarun Gogoi ministry resign |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/assam-reshuffle-all-ministers-of-tarun-gogoi-ministry-resign/articleshow/45944651.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2022-03-06}}</ref>
 
=== Post-ministerial career ===
In the [[2016 Assam Legislative Assembly election]], Rai sought reelection. He received 30230 votes, being defeated by [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] candidate [[Ganesh Kumar Limbu]] by 23682 votes.[[File:The Minister for Planning and Development, Assam, Shri Tanka Bahadur Rai addressing at the Public Information Campaign on Bharat Nirman, organized by Press Information Bureau, Guwahati, at Church Field Tezpur, Assam.jpg|thumb|Tanka Bahadur Rai as Planning and Development minister in 2014, addressing a Public Information Campaign]]


== Personal life ==
== Personal life ==
He is married to Chandra Maya Rai and they have 1 son and 1 daughter.
He is married to Chandra Maya Rai and they have 1 son and 1 daughter. He enjoys reading, travelling and sports.


== References ==
== References ==
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[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
 
[[Category:Rai people]]
 
[[Category:State cabinet ministers of Assam]]
{{Assam-INC-politician-stub}}
[[Category:Speakers of the Assam Legislative Assembly]]
[[Category:Deputy speakers of the Assam Legislative Assembly]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Assam]]

Latest revision as of 13:16, 7 July 2025


Tanka Bahadur Rai
Official portrait
14th Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly
In office
29 May 2006 – 19 May 2011
DeputyPranati Phukan
Preceded byPrithibi Majhi
Succeeded byPranab Kumar Gogoi
Cabinet Minister, Government of Assam
In office
30 May 2011 – 26 January 2015
Chief MinisterTarun Gogoi
Portfolios
  • Planning and Development
  • Judicial, Legislative and Law
  • Pension and Public Grievance
Preceded byPrithibi Majhi (Planning)
Pranab Kumar Gogoi (Judicial, Law)
Succeeded byAjanta Neog (Planning, Judicial, etc.)
Sarat Barkotoky (P&PG)
Deputy Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly
In office
3 April 2002 – 14 May 2006
SpeakerPrithibi Majhi
Preceded byRenupoma Rajkhowa
Succeeded byPranati Phukan
Member, Assam Legislative Assembly
In office
13 May 2001 – 19 May 2016
Preceded byPrafulla Goswami
Succeeded byGanesh Kumar Limbu
ConstituencyBarchalla
Personal details
Born14 October 1950 (1950-10-14) (age 75)
Singri
Political partyIndian National Congress
Spouse(s)
Chandra Maya Rai
(
m. 1974)
Children2
Parent(s)Pancha Bahadur Rai (Father) Dhansiri Rai (Mother)
OccupationPolitician

Tanka Bahadur Rai (born 14 October 1950)[1] is an Indian National Congress politician from the state of Assam. He was a Member of the Assam Legislative Assembly from the Indian National Congress for Barchalla constituency.[2] He served first as deputy speaker[3] and then as speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly.[4] He was also a minister in the Tarun Gogoi cabinet.[5][6]

Early life and education[edit | edit source]

Tanka Bahadur Rai was born on 14 October 1950 to the late Pancha Bahadur Rai and the late Dhansiri Rai in Singri. He completed HSLC in 1967, Pre University (1968), B.A (Distinction) from Darrang College in 1971 and M.A (Ist Class) from Gauhati University in 1973 and an LLB from Guwahati University Law College in 1978.

Early career[edit | edit source]

Rai was the Organising Secretary of Darrang Nepali Students Union from 1969-1971. He was a member of the Executive Committee, Darrang College Students Union from 1970-1971. He was also an Executive Committee Member (Departmental Representative) of Post Graduate Students Union, Gauhati University from 1972-1973. He was also General Secretary of the Political Science Society, Gauhati University from 1972-1973.

Rai was lecturer, Lok Nayak Omiya Kr.Das College, Dhekiajuli, Sonitpur, Assam from July 1973 to September 1973. He was then a Lecturer at Kohima College, Kohima, Nagaland from 1973 to 1979 while also being a part time lecture from 1978-1981 at Kohima Law college. He has been an advocate at Kohima, Tezpur and Guwahati since 1979. He was President of Kohima Bar Association 1987-1988. He was also President of the Reception Committee of the Convention of North East Gorkha Students Federation held at Tezpur, Assam on 23,24 & 25 November 1997. He has been General Secretary, Assam Gorkha Sammelan since 1997.

Political career[edit | edit source]

Rai was elected to Assam Legislative Assembly on 13 May 2001, having been the Indian National Congress candidate for the constituency of Barchalla. He received 26567 votes, 35.79% of the total vote and he defeated the incumbent MLA for Barchalla, Prafulla Goswami, by 9112 votes.[7] He was made Deputy Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly on 3 April 2002 and served until 14 May 2006.

In the 2006 Assam Legislative Assembly election, Rai was reelected as the Indian National Congress candidate for Barchalla. He polled 34461 votes, defeating AGP candidate Brindabon Goswami by 922 votes.[7] He was unanimously elected Speaker of the 12th Assam Legislative Assembly.[8] His election was announced by G C Langthasa. He was escorted to the Speaker's chair by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, AGP legislative party leader Brindaban Goswami and BJP leader Mison Ranjan Das. Later all party leaders of the Assembly congratulated him over his election.

On 5 March 2010, 50 Opposition legislators blocked Rai from entering the Assembly for his alleged bias to the Congress-coalition.[9]

In the 2011 Assam Legislative Assembly Election, Rai was again reelected as the Indian National Congress candidate for Barchalla. He received 47270 votes, 48.19% of the total vote. He defeated his nearest opponent by 17574 votes.

Ministership[edit | edit source]

He was made Minister for Planning and Development, Judicial, Legislative, Pension & Public Grievance under Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on 30 May 2011 in the Third Tarun Gogoi cabinet.

On 4 November 2011 he sanctioned 60 crore under the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources for the construction of a bridge.[10]

Rai with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on 1 February 2007, during his tenure as Speaker

On 20 October 2013, Rai along with the Assam Chief Secretary, the Assam DGP attended the swearing-in ceremony of the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, Abhay Manohar Sapre.[11]

He was one of 11 cabinet ministers who resigned following a cabinet reshuffle.[12]

Post-ministerial career[edit | edit source]

In the 2016 Assam Legislative Assembly election, Rai sought reelection. He received 30230 votes, being defeated by BJP candidate Ganesh Kumar Limbu by 23682 votes.

Tanka Bahadur Rai as Planning and Development minister in 2014, addressing a Public Information Campaign

Personal life[edit | edit source]

He is married to Chandra Maya Rai and they have 1 son and 1 daughter. He enjoys reading, travelling and sports.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. "Who's Who". assamassembly.gov.in. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  2. "Barchalla Assembly Constituency Election Result - Legislative Assembly Constituency". resultuniversity.com. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  3. "List of Deputy Speakers since 1937". assamassembly.gov.in. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  4. "List of Speakers since 1937". assamassembly.gov.in. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  5. "Assam Ministers Allotted Portfolios". Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  6. "Gogoi allocates portfolios to new Assam ministers". Firstpost. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  7. 7.0 7.1 "Barchalla Assembly Constituency Election Result - Legislative Assembly Constituency". resultuniversity.com. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  8. Staff (29 May 2006). "Tanka Bahadur Rai unanimously elected Speaker". Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  9. "Assam Opposition MLAs barricade Speaker". Hindustan Times. 5 March 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  10. "60 crore sanctioned for new bridge on Barak River in Silchar | Guwahati News - Times of India". The Times of India. TNN. 4 November 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  11. "Abhay Manohar Sapre new chief justice of Gauhati HC | Guwahati News - Times of India". The Times of India. TNN. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  12. "Assam reshuffle: All ministers of Tarun Gogoi ministry resign". The Economic Times. Retrieved 6 March 2022.