Amit Mitra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amit Mitra
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Mitra in 2011
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| Cabinet Minister Government of West Bengal |
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| In office 2011 - 2021 |
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| Governor | M. K. Narayanan D. Y. Patil Keshari Nath Tripathi Jagdeep Dhankhar |
| Department |
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| Chief Minister | Mamata Banerjee |
| Preceded by |
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| Succeeded by |
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| Member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 2011–2021 |
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| Preceded by | Asim Dasgupta |
| Succeeded by | Kajal Sinha (posthumously) |
| Constituency | Khardaha |
| Principal Advisor(Cabinet Rank) Chief Minister of West Bengal |
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| Assumed office 10 Nov 2021 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 December 1947 Calcutta, West Bengal, India |
| Political party | All India Trinamool Congress |
| Spouse | Meera Balakrishnan |
| Children | 1 daughter |
| Relatives | Bela Mitra (mother) Haridas Mitra (father) |
| Alma mater | Presidency College, Kolkata (B.A.) University of Delhi (M.A.) Duke University (Ph.D.) |
| Occupation | Economist Politician |
Dr. Amit Mitra is an Indian economist and politician. He is currently a special advisor to the Chief Minister of West Bengal on finance. Before this, he was a minister for Finance, Commerce, and Industries in the West Bengal government.
He also served as a MLA for the Khardaha area in West Bengal. In the 2011 West Bengal state assembly election, he famously defeated Asim Dasgupta, who was the previous Finance Minister. Before entering politics, Dr. Mitra was the Secretary General of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
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Family and Background
Amit Mitra's father was Haridas Mitra, a freedom fighter and former Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. His mother was Bela Mitra.
His maternal grandfather, Suresh Chandra Bose, was the elder brother of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Both Suresh Chandra Bose and Haridas Mitra were part of the secret service team of the Azad Hind Fauj, an Indian army formed to fight for independence. Bela Mitra later took charge of this secret service. A railway station in Howrah district, Belanagar railway station, is named after her.
Education and Early Career
Amit Mitra attended Calcutta Boys' School. He then studied Economics at Presidency College, which was part of the University of Calcutta at the time. He was known for his debating skills in college competitions.
He earned his Masters degree from the Delhi School of Economics at the University of Delhi. In 1978, he completed his PhD at Duke University in the USA. Duke University lists Dr. Mitra among its distinguished alumni.
Before returning to India, Dr. Mitra taught at Duke University and Franklin & Marshall College for over ten years. He received an award for excellent teaching in 1990.
Leading FICCI
Dr. Mitra later joined the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). He eventually became its Secretary General. He resigned from this role in 2011 after being elected as a state assembly representative.
During his time at FICCI, he helped transform it into a modern organization. It focused on researching and shaping India's economic policies during the country's economic reforms. Under his leadership, the number of conferences organized by FICCI grew significantly.
Other Important Roles
Dr. Mitra also served as a director for Steel Authority of India Ltd. He led a team to create business plans for public-private projects for the railways, at the request of then-railway minister Mamata Banerjee.
He was also part of government advisory committees on the World Trade Organization and national manufacturing. He served on the board of Air India and other important organizations like IL&FS and Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation.
Political Journey
Amit Mitra joined the All India Trinamool Congress party after being invited by Mamata Banerjee. He ran in the 2011 West Bengal state assembly election from the Khardaha area.
He was called a "giant killer" because he defeated Asim Dasgupta by a large number of votes. Asim Dasgupta had been elected from Khardaha five times in a row before this.
On May 20, 2011, Amit Mitra was sworn in as a minister. He was given the important roles of Finance and Excise. Dr. Mitra believes that West Bengal's financial challenges can be solved by attracting more investments and expanding existing industries.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Amit Mitra received the Padma Shree Award from the Government of India in 2008. This is one of India's highest civilian honors.
In 2005, the Japanese government honored him with the `Order of the Rising Sun'. This award recognized his efforts in strengthening friendly relations between India and Japan. He also received a top civilian award from the President of Italy in 2007.
