Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal

Despite my long standing habit of seeing governments and political leaders, irrespective of party they belong, critically; one political leader, I appreciate is Arjun Ram Meghwal. I know much less about the person, but the information in popular public domain is impressive.

He is a person, who use his cycle (push – bike) to his place of work, Parliament of India at his age of 61. Recently, we husband – wife took inspirations from him to use cycle to place of work though we may not agree with many of his political thoughts.

He belongs to traditional Weaver family (a depressed caste and class in India) of Kismidesar village in Bikaner. He is a “victim” of traditional child marriage system, married at age of 13. He was born on 7^th December 1954.

After marriage, he did graduation in Arts, Law and masters thereafter. After marriage, study is quite a hardship for all women or men alike.

He started career as telephone operator, considered as low profile career option and front line of corruption for years till opening of sector for marker competition. He won the elections for the post of general secretary of Telephone Traffic Association.

Thereafter, he passed the examination for Rajasthan State Administrative Service in his second attempt. This is again a good achievement for a child married dalit telephone operator.

But, story not end here, he got promoted (awarded) Indian Administrative Service (IAS). Promotion to PCS (State Administrative Services) to IAS, need hard work, experience, public respect and sometime political connections.

He won the election for Lok Sabha (lower house of Indian  Parliament) in 2009 and 2014.

Now, he is Minister of State for Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Corporate Affairs and will report to his senior in these ministries Sh. Arun Jaitly.