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Anurag Thakur

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Captain
Anurag Singh Thakur
Thakur in March 2023
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting
In office
7 July 2021 – 10 June 2024
Prime MinisterNarendra Modi
Preceded byPrakash Javadekar
Succeeded byAshwani Vaishnav
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports
In office
7 July 2021 – 10 June 2024
Prime MinisterNarendra Modi
Preceded byKiren Rijiju
Succeeded byMansukh Mandaviya
Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs
In office
31 May 2019 – 7 July 2021
MinisterNirmala Sitharaman
Succeeded byBhagwat Karad
Pankaj Chaudhary
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
Incumbent
Assumed office
25 May 2008
Preceded byPrem Kumar Dhumal
ConstituencyHamirpur, Himachal Pradesh
Majority1,82,357 (17.42%)
33rd President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India
In office
22 May 2016 – 2 January 2017
Preceded byShashank Manohar
Succeeded byC. K. Khanna
President of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha
In office
2011–2016
Preceded byAmit Thaker
Succeeded byPoonam Mahajan
Personal details
Born (1974-10-24) 24 October 1974 (age 50)
Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party
Spouse
Shefali Thakur
​
(m. 2002)​
Residence22, Akbar Road, New Delhi
Alma materDoaba College (B.A.)
Occupation
  • Cricketer
  • military officer
  • politician
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/service Indian Army
Years of service2016–present
Rank Captain
Unit Territorial Army

Anurag Singh Thakur (born 24 October 1974) is an Indian politician from the Bharatiya Janata Party and a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh. He was former Minister of Sports, Youth Affairs and Minister of Information and Broadcasting in the Second Modi ministry. His father, Prem Kumar Dhumal was a former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.

Previously, Thakur served as a Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs. He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in May 2008 in a by poll as a candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party.[1] Coming from a political family of Himachal Pradesh, he is a long serving, four time Member of Parliament, being a member of 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th Lok Sabha.[2]

Previously, he was the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from May 2015 to February 2017, and had to leave that position after the Supreme Court order on BCCI governance. During his time as BCCI president he operated for some time from West Bengal.[3] On 29 July 2016, he became the first serving Member of Parliament from the BJP to become a regular commissioned officer in the Territorial Army.[4] He was involved in a legal struggle between the Himachal Pradesh State Government and the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association over the rights to the International Cricket Stadium at Dharamshala.[5] There was also controversy over his appointment as the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and he had to leave that position following a Supreme Court order. In 2024, he was elected as MP from Hamirpur constituency in Himachal Pradesh for the 2024 General Elections.[6][7][8]

Early life and education

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Thakur was born on 24 October 1974 in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh and his family belongs to the Hindu Rajput community.[9] He is the elder son of Prem Kumar Dhumal and Sheela Devi.[10] His father, Prem Kumar Dhumal was a former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. He has done his bachelors B.A. degree from Doaba College, Jalandhar, Punjab.[11] He did his schooling from Dayanand model sr. sec. school, Dayanand nagar, Jalandhar.

Political career

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Captain Anurag Thakur meets Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance after taking the charge of Minister of State for Finance

In May 2008, Thakur succeeded his father when he was elected as Member of Parliament of India's 14th Lok Sabha from Hamirpur constituency. He was re-elected to the 15th Lok Sabha in 2009, 16th Loksabha in 2014, and 17th Loksabha in 2019. Later, in 2010 Thakur was appointed the national president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha.[12][13]

On 19 January 2019 he became the first Bharatiya Janata Party MP to be awarded the Sansad Ratna Award, an award established in 2010 for recognizing contributions by parliamentarians.[14]

Minister

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In May 2019, Thakur became Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs.[15]

On 7 July 2021, Thakur was appointed as the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of Information & Broadcasting.[16] in the Second Modi ministry as part of changes in the Union Council of Ministers.[1]

Goli Maro chants

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In the 2020 Delhi elections, he was accused of being one of the leaders who incited communal tension in Delhi using the inflammatory slogan "traitors of the country", to which his audience replied "shoot the bastards", which were repeated by him in January 2020 at a BJP rally.[17][18] On being questioned about the statements by the media on 1 March 2020, he responded by saying, "You are lying, ... the matter is sub-judice." and “I think sometimes there is lack of information in the media too regarding the way some things are projected.” [19] The Election Commission of India ordered that Thakur be removed from the BJP's list of star campaigners and then imposed a 72-hour campaigning ban on him.[20] Following Thakur's speech, at least three incidents were reported in which Anti-CAA protestors were fired upon.[21]

Cricket career

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Professional player

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Anurag Thakur played a Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir in November 2000 when he was the president of HPCA.[22] He has played one match in first-class cricket representing Himachal Pradesh and leading the team as captain in a match against Jammu and Kashmir in the 2000/2001 season. Jammu and Kashmir won by 4 wickets.[23] He "picked himself" for the match so as to fulfill the BCCI criterion (which requires state administrators to have at least one first-class match experience) for becoming a selector at the state level.[24] After the match, he appointed himself as the chairman of selectors of HPCA Ranji trophy cricket team.[25]

This debut was his one and only first-class cricket match. This experience in first-class cricket enabled his induction into the BCCI national junior selection committee, satisfying the condition that only first-class players could be national selectors.[26]

Administrative head

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Thakur served as the president of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association for four straight terms since 2000. His tenure saw development of five stadium in Himachal Pradesh including the stadium in Dharamsala.[1]

He was the president of the Board of Control for Cricket of India order on 2 January 2017. Early on in his administrative tenure, he gained fame for possibly being the first cricketer to have made his first-class debut after taking over as the president of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) in July 2000.

Appointment as BCCI president

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Thakur rose through the ranks in cricketing administration bodies to the position of secretary for BCCI.[27] On 22 May 2016, Anurag Thakur became the president of BCCI, but his tenure was cut short when the Supreme Court of India ruled on the Lodha Committee's third status report, submitted on 14 November 2016, asking for the disqualification of office-bearers of the BCCI and all state associations, who became ineligible as per the Apex Court's 18 July 2016 order.[28]

The court dismissed Thakur on 2 January 2017 for defying its 2016 order to implement the Lodha Committee reforms.[29] It also initiated contempt proceedings against Thakur[30] for what it prima facie deemed as perjury about his correspondence with the International Cricket Council. He submitted an affidavit of apology to the court which was rejected,[31] following which he filed an unconditional and unequivocal apology.[32] The court finally relented and dropped its contempt and perjury proceedings against him.[33]

Personal life

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Thakur married Shefali Thakur, daughter of Gulab Singh Thakur, former Minister in the Government of Himachal Pradesh, on 27 November 2002.[34][35][36]

Territorial Army

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The Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh conferring the rank of lieutenant in the Territorial Army on Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Member of Parliament and President BCCI, at a solemn ‘Commissioning’ ceremony, in New Delhi on 29 July 2016.

In July 2016, Anurag Thakur became a part of the Territorial Army, becoming the first serving BJP Member of Parliament to become a TA Officer. He has been promoted to the rank of captain.[37]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Anurag Thakur's political journey: A tale of struggle, patience and thorns". TimesofIndia. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Lok Sabha poll in Hamirpur: 'Dropped father's surname to find my own identity,' says BJP's Anurag Thakur on bucking anti-dynasty trend". firstpost. 1 May 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Anurag Thakur, former BCCI president, apologises to Supreme Court". hindustantimes.com. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  4. ^ "Anurag Thakur becomes first serving BJP MP to join Territorial Army". The Indian Express. 29 July 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  5. ^ "High Court restores Dharamshala cricket stadium to Anurag's HPCA". The Indian Express. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Second list of BJP candidates for ensuing General Elections 2024 to the Parliamentary Constituencies of different states finalised by BJP CEC. BJP upcoming president". 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  7. ^ The Economic Times (6 June 2024). "Bullish Wins & Bearish Losses: Here are the key contests and results of 2024 Lok Sabha polls". Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  8. ^ The Economic Times (6 June 2024). "Bullish Wins & Bearish Losses: Here are the key contests and results of 2024 Lok Sabha polls". Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  9. ^ "BJP works out caste equation carefully". The Trobune. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  10. ^ Nora Chopra (20 November 2011). "Anurag or Varun for UP? BJP cannot make up its mind". The Sunday Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  11. ^ "Anurag Singh Thakur". Government of India. He studied B.A. Educated at Doaba College, Jalandhar, Punjab
  12. ^ "Election Commission of India". results.eci.gov.in. Archived from the original on 27 June 2009.
  13. ^ "Lok Sabha Members Himachal Pradesh". Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  14. ^ "BJP MP Anurag Thakur honoured with Sansad Ratna Award". business-standard. 20 January 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  15. ^ "PM Modi allocates portfolios. Full list of new ministers", Live Mint, 31 May 2019
  16. ^ "Former BCCI President Anurag Thakur appointed as India's new Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports". SportsTiger. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  17. ^ "Anurag Thakur On 'Goli Maro' Chants At Poll Rally: 'People Reacted. What Can I Do?", Huffington Post, 28 January 2020
  18. ^ "Anurag Thakur faces Opposition ire over hate speech during Delhi poll campaign". Hindustan Times. 3 February 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  19. ^ "'Hate Speech': Anurag Thakur Accuses Journalist of Lying, Calls For Action Against Rioters". The Wire. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  20. ^ "EC bans Anurag Thakur for 72 hours from campaigning", The Indian Express, 30 January 2020
  21. ^ "Zero remorse: BJP minister who led 'shoot the traitors' chant is back on campaign trail", Scroll, 3 February 2020
  22. ^ Luthra, Chander Shekhar (4 March 2016). "The curious case of Anurag Thakur, the cricketer". DNA India.
  23. ^ Dani, Bipin (7 October 2016). "Found Anurag Thakur to be an average player: Ex-J&K bowler". Deccan Chronicle.
  24. ^ K, Sruthijith K. "Anurag Thakur, former Himachal CM's son, turned HPCA into a company after benefitting from state largesse". The Economic Times.
  25. ^ "Anurag Thakur - Anurag Thakur Official Website-Home".
  26. ^ "Who is Anurag Thakur?". ESPNcricinfo. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  27. ^ "Joint Secretary of BCCI". Archived from the original on 22 December 2011.
  28. ^ Rautray, Samanwaya (3 January 2017). "Anurag Thakur - Anurag Thakur Sacked from BCCI". The Economic Times.
  29. ^ "Supreme Court Sacks BCCI President Anurag Thakur". The Wire. 2 January 2017.
  30. ^ "Supreme Court accuses Anurag Thakur of personal perjury". Financial Express. 2 January 2017.
  31. ^ Bagriya, Ashok (7 July 2017). "Former BCCI chief Anurag Thakur asked to tender unconditional apology by SC". Hindustan Times.
  32. ^ "Former BCCI chief Anurag Thakur tenders unconditional apology in contempt case". India Today. 13 July 2017.
  33. ^ "Supreme Court drops contempt, perjury proceedings against Anurag Thakur". Economic Times. 14 July 2017.
  34. ^ Deepika (7 November 2017). "BJP candidate from Joginder Nagar assembly seat in Himachal: Gulab Singh Thakur". www.oneindia.com.
  35. ^ "Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections 2017: Seven-time MLA ready for 'final' poll innings from Joginder Nagar". 4 November 2017.
  36. ^ "Himachal Pradesh Polls: Joginder Nagar set for triangular contest". 31 October 2017.
  37. ^ "BJP MP & BCCI chief Anurag Thakur to join Territorial Army. India News - Times of India". The Times of India. 27 July 2016.
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