Harsh Dev Singh

Harsh Dev Singh is an Indian politician and advocate. He was Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party from 2012[1] to 2022. He won three elections serving as MLA for Ramnagar, constituency for 18 continuous years from 1996 till 2014. Under his tenure as the Minister of Education of Jammu and Kashmir from 2002 to 2008, English became a compulsory language from first grade.[2] Harsh Dev joined Aam Aadmi Party on 7 May 2022,[3] and on 17 October 2022 he became APP chairman in Jammu and Kashmir.[4] On 16 Feb 2023, he resigned from APP and rejoined Panthers Party to revive it. On April 4, he was elected President of Panthers Party.[5]

Harsh Dev Singh
President of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party
Assumed office
4 April 2023
Preceded byJay Mala
Education Minister of Jammu and Kashmir
In office
2002–2008
GovernorSrinivas Kumar Sinha
Succeeded byGovernor's rule
Member of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly
In office
1996–2014
Preceded byChandhu Lal
Succeeded byRanbir Singh Pathania
ConstituencyRamnagar
Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party
In office
27 November 2012 – 7 May 2022
Preceded byBhim Singh
Succeeded byJay Mala
Personal details
BornRamnagar, Jammu and Kashmir
Political party
Other political
affiliations		Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (1992–2022)
SpouseManju Singh
RelationsBhim Singh (uncle)
Jay Mala (aunt-in-law)
Balwant Singh Mankotia (cousin)
Ankit Love (cousin)
Dogra dynasty
ParentThakur Das
EducationUniversity of Jammu

Early life

His father was Thakur Das, who died in 1996 the year Harsh Dev Singh won his first Legislative Assembly election.[6]

Harsh Dev Singh graduated from Sainik School Nagrota in 1977. He earned a Bachelor's in Commerce followed by a Masters in English from Jammu University in 1982. He returned to Jammu University to earn a Bachelors of Law in 1991.[7]

Career

Member of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly

Harsh Dev Singh has won three elections from the Ramnagar constituency and served as a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly continuously for 18 years from 1996 till 2014. In his first term he received the Best Legislator Award.[8]

Minister of Education, 2002

Harsh Dev Singh was sworn in as the minister of education after the 2002 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections. He was the first ever cabinet minister from the Panthers Party.[9]

Under Harsh Dev, English became the compulsory language from first grade in all government schools. In his term as education minister the government opened 22 new degree colleges. Prior to which 32 colleges had been established in a 100 years time. They also opened over 10,000 new schools in the state.[10]

To deal with teaching staff shortages in remote areas, Harsh Dev moved 2,800 teachers from cities back to their original rural postings.[11]

Chairman of Panthers Party, 2012

Bhim Singh who had been the Chairman of the Panthers Party for 30 years nominated Harsh Dev Singh to the position on 27 November 2012 to coincide with the 65th anniversary of the Instrument of Accession signed between the Maharaja and India.[12] He held the post of chairman for nearly 10 years till 7 May 2022.

Protest as Opposition in Legislative Assembly, 2014

On 28 August 2014, Harsh Dev Singh led protests disturbing proceedings in the assembly house with placards demanding that the word secular be inserted into the Jammu and Kashmir constitution to bring it to parity with the Constitution of India. In the protest they also claimed that the BJP who had recently come into power in the Indian national government in May 2014 were destroying the secular fabric of the country.[13]

House Arrest, 2019

Following Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, Harsh Dev Singh was put under house arrest for over two months.[14]

Aam Aadmi Party, 2022

Harsh Dev Singh joined Aam Aadmi Party on 7 May 2022 along with other leaders of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, including Rajesh Pandgotra provincial president, Gagan Pratap Singh, Purushottam Parihar and Sudesh Dogra.[3] He resigned from AAP on 16 February 2023, and rejoined the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party.

President of Panthers Party, 2023

After rejoining Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, he was elected by its working committee as the president on 4 April 2023.[15]

Dogra Heritage

He has called for the recognition of Dogra heritage and the Dogri language citing the stable governance it once provided the nation under the Maharaja from 1846 to 1947 when the Kashmir conflict based on religious differences broke out in the state.[16][17]

Personal life

His uncle Bhim Singh was founder of the Panthers Party, and his cousin Ankit Love is the leader of the One Love Party in Great Britain.

References
  1. "Harsh Dev Singh new chairperson of JKNPP also known as Sher-a-Duggar". Hindustan Times. 29 October 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  2. "English will be medium of instruction in Govt. schools". The Hindu. 16 February 2003. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  3. "Former J&K minister Harsh Dev Singh among several leaders join AAP". The Chenab Times. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  4. correspondent, Reader (17 October 2022). "AAP appoints Harshdev Singh as chairman of 15-member state committee in J&K". Kashmir Reader. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  5. "Harshdev singh quits AAP for revive panthers party and later elected as President Of Panthers Party".
  6. "Warns Omar, Azad, Taj to disclose assets or face action, Singh Plays Bhim". Early Times. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  7. "Harsh Dev Singh". myneta.info. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  8. "Harsh to train 62 first time MLAs/MLCs - State Times". State Times. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  9. "rediff.com: Sayeed sworn-in as J&K chief minister". Rediff. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  10. "Suchetgarh- Sialkote Road To Boost Trade: Mufti". www.jammu-kashmir.com. Daily Excelsior. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  11. Malhan, Adhiraj. "BJP-PDP coalition govt has no education policy: Harsh Dev - The News Now". The News Now. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  12. "Harsh Dev Singh". Kashmir Life. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  13. Headlines Today (28 August 2014), Panther party MLAs disrupt house in Jammu and Kashmir assembly, retrieved 20 December 2016
  14. "J&K former minister Harsh Dev Singh put under 'house arrest' again". The Indian Express. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  15. "JKNPP Working Committee elects Harsh Dev as State President - Jammu Links News". www.jammulinksnews.com. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  16. "Need to include 'Dogriyat' in J&K policy: Panthers Party". Tribune India. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  17. "JKNPP protests against omission of Dogri Language in new currency notes". Jammu Links News. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
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