Anand Sharma

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Anand Sharma
Anand Sharma at the 2012 World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Personal details
Born	(1953-01-05) 5 January 1953 (age 59) Shimla (Himachal Pradesh)
Nationality	India
Political party	Indian National Congress
Spouse(s)	Zenobia Sharma
Alma mater	Himachal Pradesh University
Occupation	Lawyer
Religion	Hinduism

Anand Sharma (Hindi: आनंद शर्मा; born 5 January 1953) is the current Union Cabinet Minister in charge of Commerce and Industry and Textiles^[1] in the Government of India. Sharma is a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament.

Early life and education

Anand Sharma is the son of P. A. Sharma and Prabha Rani Sharma and was born in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. He was educated at R.P.C.S.D.B. College, Shimla and Faculty of Law, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla.

Career

Sharma was a prominent leader in the student and youth movement in India, a founder member of the Congress Party's students wing the NSUI. He was also a former President of the Youth Congress at a time when that organization was proactive on the issue of the abolition of apartheid in South Africa. Sharma asserts that the country needed investment in the manufacturing sector and the cost of credit must be brought down for this purpose.^[2] In February 2012, Sharma led a business delegation of more than 120 people to Pakistan for improving trade ties. During this visit, he discussed the revision of the existing visa bilateral agreement, signed in 1974, with his Pakistani counterpart Makhdoom Muhammad Ameen Faheem, to facilitate travel by bonafide businessmen from both the countries.^[3]

Personal life

Anand Sharma married Dr. Zenobia on 23 February 1987. They have two sons. He is associated with a number of social and sports organizations and also an all India NGO in disability sector.^[4]

Positions held

• 1984–86 Member, Committee on Petitions, Rajya Sabha
• 1985–88 Member, Joint Parliamentary Committee on Lok Pal Bill
• 1986–89 Nominated to the Panel of Vice-Chairmen, Rajya Sabha
• 1987–88 Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Defence (India)
• 1988–90 Member, Committee on Government Assurances Member, Press Council of India
• April 2004 Elected to Rajya Sabha
• Oct. 2004 – Jan. 2006 Ministry of External Affairs (India)
• Aug. 2004 – Jan. 2006 Member, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence; Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of External Affairs; Member, Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament
• Aug. 2004 – July 2006 Member, Business Advisory Committee
• 29 Jan. 2006 – 22 May 2009 Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs
• 22 May 2009 onwards Minister of Commerce and Industry

Awards

• Conferred “The Order of the Companion of Volta”, top Ghanaian civilian award on 10 November 2008 by President John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor for his commitment to South-South cooperation.^[5]
• Honoured with the “Commander of the National Order of Merit”, the highest civilian award of Ivory Coast on 14 January 2009 by the President.^[5]
• Special Award for his contribution in strengthening India-South Africa relations given by South African President Jacob Zuma on the occasion of 150 Years of the First Arrival of Indians in South Africa.^[5]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Anand Sharma

• Rajya Sabha – Profile
• Department of Commerce biography